Security Testing For Payment Environments

PCI-DSS Penetration Testing

Payment environments are a high value target for attackers, and even small weaknesses can lead to serious financial and reputational damage. Companies that store, process, or transmit cardholder data must ensure their systems and supporting infrastructure meet strict PCI-DSS requirements.

Our PCI-DSS penetration testing service provides focused testing aligned with industry standards to assess the security of cardholder data environments. This helps you validate compliance, uncover weaknesses, and maintain a secure and reliable payment environment for your customers.

By testing systems, applications, and network segments that support payment processing, we help you reduce risk, strengthen security controls, and demonstrate due diligence.

Good Things To Know

Supports PCI-DSS compliance and annual validation
Identifies risks within cardholder data environments
Tests real attack paths used to compromise payment systems
Strengthens authentication, segmentation, and access controls
Helps avoid costly breaches and payment processing disruptions

PCI-DSS Penetration Testing FAQs

What is PCI-DSS Penetration Testing?

PCI-DSS penetration testing assesses the security of systems that handle cardholder data or support payment operations. It focuses on identifying vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and insecure pathways that could allow an attacker to gain access to the cardholder data environment.

The testing follows PCI-DSS guidance, including requirements for segmentation testing, application testing, and infrastructure assessments.

Why is PCI-DSS Penetration Testing important?

Payment systems are among the most targeted assets in any company. A single breach involving cardholder data can result in heavy fines, operational disruption, reputational damage, and the loss of the ability to process payments.

PCI-DSS penetration testing helps you identify exploitable weaknesses before a real attacker can target them. It validates that your segmentation is effective, your applications are secure, and your network cannot be used as a pathway to reach sensitive data.

Who benefits from PCI-DSS Penetration Testing?

Any company that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data needs PCI-DSS aligned testing.

This includes:
– Retailers and e-commerce companies
– Financial service providers
– Hospitality and booking systems
– Payment processors and service providers
– Companies with point of sale systems or payment gateways

Companies that outsource payment handling still need testing if their systems connect to, authenticate through, or support the payment environment in any way.

When should PCI-DSS Penetration Testing be performed?

PCI-DSS requires penetration testing at least annually and after any significant changes to the environment.

This includes testing both the internal and external network, as well as verifying segmentation controls if they are relied upon to reduce scope.

Examples of significant changes include:
– Adding new payment systems
– Deploying new e-commerce platforms
– Changing network segmentation or architecture
– Introducing new third-party integrations
– Rolling out major code updates

Although penetration testing is separate from vulnerability scanning, ongoing quarterly vulnerability scans (internal and external ASV scans) support overall security and help identify weaknesses between penetration testing cycles.

Regular penetration testing and scanning ensure continued PCI-DSS compliance and help maintain a secure payment environment.

How is PCI-DSS Penetration Testing conducted?

We combine manual and automated testing to assess systems and applications in scope for PCI-DSS.

This includes:
– Infrastructure assessments
– Segmentation testing to confirm PCI scope boundaries
– Application tests on payment related web and mobile systems
– Configuration and access control reviews
– Tests for authentication, authorisation, and data handling weaknesses

All testing follows PCI-DSS guidelines and is carried out safely to avoid any impact on live payment operations.

Which areas can be PCI-DSS Penetration Tested?

PCI-DSS penetration testing can cover:
– Cardholder data environments (CDEs)
– Connected systems and segmentation boundaries
– Payment applications and e-commerce platforms
– APIs and backend payment services
– Point of sale and payment processing infrastructure, where applicable
– Cloud hosted payment components and supporting systems

The exact scope is tailored to your environment and compliance needs.

What support do I get during the PCI-DSS Penetration Test?

You will have direct access to our consultants throughout the engagement.

We provide regular updates, immediate notification of critical findings, and ongoing communication to ensure clarity and safety during testing.

Our consultants work professionally and discreetly, and we are available to answer questions before, during, and after the test.

What do I receive after the PCI-DSS Penetration Test?

You will receive a clear and detailed report containing all identified vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and security risks. Each finding includes practical remediation guidance mapped to PCI-DSS controls to help your technical teams address issues effectively.

Where helpful, we include evidence such as screenshots, proof of exploit, and video demonstrations to support remediation and assist QSA reviews.

A full debrief session is included to walk through the results, discuss remediation priorities, and prepare for assessment or revalidation.

Is PCI-DSS Penetration Testing cost effective?

Yes.

Regular testing reduces the risk of costly breaches, avoids fines, supports compliance, and provides assurance to customers, banks, and payment partners.

Identifying issues early also reduces the cost of remediation and helps maintain a stable and secure payment environment.

Get In Touch

Our team is available to help you with your next Penetration Test, Cloud Security Audit, or Cyber Essentials Assessment.

Whether you are launching a new platform, expanding an existing service, reviewing your defences, or strengthening your security posture, we can provide a tailored engagement that meets your specific needs and scope.

Contact us today to discuss your requirements and see how we can help you protect your business with confidence.

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