Understanding the PCI DSS 4.0 Assessment Process: A Guide for Business Owners and Managers

PCI DSS 4.0.1 Blog (Part 3)

Feb 5

Written By Shawn McAniff

Overwhelmed by the 397-page PCI DSS publication and the 60+ supporting documents? Get a clear, GPS-style overview of the six mandatory steps to guide you from assessment to compliance.

If your business handles credit card payments, PCI DSS compliance is non-negotiable. But don’t worry—it’s not as intimidating as it sounds, and at we’re here to simplify it for you. Here’s a breakdown of the PCI DSS assessment process and what it means for your business.

What Is the PCI DSS Assessment Process?

Think of the PCI DSS assessment process as a roadmap to securing your customers’ payment data and maintaining their trust. It involves six key steps, and each is critical to ensuring your compliance with the latest standards:

Scope
Define the area of focus. Identify where payment account data is stored, processed, and transmitted. This includes all systems and networks that interact with sensitive payment data. Confirm your scope to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
Assess
It’s showtime. Evaluate all systems in scope to determine if they meet the PCI DSS requirements. Follow specific testing procedures for each requirement to ensure no vulnerabilities are overlooked.
Report
Document everything. Complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) or Report on Compliance (ROC). Be thorough—this includes documenting compensating controls and any requirements met using a customized approach.
Attest
Sign off on your compliance. Fill out the Attestation of Compliance (AOC), an official form available only on the PCI SSC website. This is your formal declaration that you're following the rules.
Submit
Share your results with the right people. Submit the SAQ or ROC, along with your AOC and any supporting documentation (like vulnerability scan reports), to the entities managing your compliance program, such as payment brands or acquirers.
Remediate
Didn’t pass everything? No problem—fix it. Address any gaps in compliance, then update your report to reflect the changes.

What’s in Scope?

PCI DSS requirements apply to all elements of your Cardholder Data Environment (CDE), which includes:

Systems, people, and processes that store, process, or transmit cardholder data (CHD) or sensitive authentication data (SAD).
Systems that don’t handle CHD/SAD directly but have unrestricted connectivity to those that do.

Examples of in-scope system components include network devices, servers, cloud components, and software that interact with or affect the security of cardholder data.

Annual Scope Confirmation: Your First Step

Every year, businesses must confirm their PCI DSS scope to ensure accuracy. This involves:

Identifying all locations and flows of account data.
Including all systems connected to or potentially impacting the CDE, such as remote access servers or logging systems.
Reviewing backup and recovery systems, failover sites, and other components that might be affected.

Scope confirmation is your foundation for a successful PCI DSS assessment, ensuring no surprises down the line.

Why It Matters

PCI DSS compliance isn’t just about meeting industry standards—it’s about protecting your business and customers from costly data breaches. Think of it as an investment in your brand’s reputation and customer trust.

At AkamaiPOS, we specialize in making PCI DSS compliance easy for businesses like yours. Whether you’re running a single register or a multi-location operation, we can help ensure your systems are secure and your compliance process is smooth.

Both the POS hardware we sell and service and our own Point-Of-Sale application—AkamaiPOS—keeps your business practices secure and your customer’s information safe.

Ready to tackle PCI DSS 4.0 compliance? Let’s make this happen today!

Give us a call at 808-843-8000 or click here to send us a message.

-AkamaiPOS-

Disclaimer: This blog is a summary overview of PCI DSS 4.0.1 sourced from the PCI Summary Council as of December 2024. For specific PCI DSS 4.0.1 instructions, guidance and policy please visit the PCI Security Council’s PCI DSS website.