Glossary of Compliance

Compliance Glossary

Our list of curated compliance glossary offers everything you to know about compliance in one place.

Glossary » PCI DSS » PCI SSF

PCI SSF

PCI SSF, or the PCI Software Security Framework, has a significant impact on software vendors. It blends traditional and modern security requirements and is designed to work with the latest technology and development methods. It covers old and new security practices for payment applications.

PCI SSF allows software vendors to offer PCI-validated payment software. This validates the software’s security and compliance with PCI DSS. 

The difference between PA DSS and PCI SSF

PCI SSF has a broader scope, covering the entire payment card industry, which includes merchants, service providers, and payment processors. In contrast, PA DSS focuses specifically on payment applications.

The way these frameworks are put into action also differs. 

PCI SSF follows a self-assessment-based approach. It is more about evaluating compliance with the PCI DSS using the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). Meanwhile, PA DSS takes a vendor-assessment-based approach. Payment application vendors are responsible for ensuring that their products meet the PA DSS requirements and must undergo a PA DSS assessment.

PCI SSF is for organizations that rely on software to process card payments. If you’re a software developer creating apps for stores or a vendor selling such software, the PCI SSF likely applies to you. The PCI SSF provides security rules for companies handling sensitive payment data, helping them secure their software and support security controls in card payment processing.

Additional reading

pci dss levels

PCI DSS Levels: Ensuring Secure Payment Processing

Credit card transactions have become the lifeblood of commerce. With this convenience comes a critical responsibility: protecting sensitive cardholder data. As cyber threats evolve and data breaches make headlines, businesses of all sizes must prioritize the security of payment information.  This is where the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) comes in. It’s…
Healthcare Compliance Software (1)

Cybersecurity Benchmarking: The Key to Unlocking Maturity and Resilience

Comparisons are often seen in a bad light– whether it’s your personal life, or your business performance. Sure, there’s no one size fits all, and why should you care what the others are up to? But what if benchmarking influences you in a better way? What if understanding what the competitors are doing better helps…

Best Cloud Monitoring Tools for Effective Cloud Management

The rise of cloud computing has led to an increase in the need for efficient cloud monitoring technologies. Real-time visibility and control over their cloud environments have become imperative for effective cloud environment management. The market is now swamped with different avatars of cloud monitoring tools and organizations find it challenging to select the one…

Sprinto: Your growth superpower

Use Sprinto to centralize security compliance management – so nothing
gets in the way of your moving up and winning big.