The evolving industry trends have shown a great reliability on the professionals with PCI DSS certification. Due to the widespread of Online threats involving artificial intelligence, the industry has evolved. Many organisations pay a handsome amount to professionals to handle the sensitive data regarding the payment cards. You can find yourself mastering this field with some simple steps that you will come across.
Become a Pci-Dss Consultant in Simple Steps
Get to know the stepwise guide to become a PCI-DSS Consultant from the basics:
Step 1. Gain relevant experience:
You can do so by working in IT, security, or compliance for at least 2-3 years.
Step 2. Get certified:
certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or PCI Professional (PCIP) can add up to your expertise.
Step 3. Understand PCI-DSS:
You will need to learn and study the PCI-DSS requirements, standards and best practices.
Step 4. Develop skills:
Tour skills must emphasise on security assessment, risk management, and compliance as they are the key areas of focus.
Step 5.Consider a mentor:
In your journey, you will find many people, especially experienced professionals who can guide you.
Step 6. Get certified as a QSA:
You must become a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) for PCI-DSS.
PCI-DSS Requirement for Job: Eligibility Criteria
You can find the common Criteria for Jobs on this field including how to become a QSA here:
For Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs):
Experience | minimum 2-3 years experience in security assessment, auditing or consulting. |
knowledge | strong understanding of PCI-DSS standards and requirements. |
certification | obtain PCI QSA certification from an approved training provider. |
For PCI-DSS Consultants:
Experience | Relevant experience in IT security, compliance or auditing. |
knowledge | Understanding of PCI-DSS requirements, risk management, and security assessment. |
certification | CompTIA security+, CISSP, CISM etc. |
Assessor Training and Certification in India
To become a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), you'll need to undergo training and certification, as you can see in this step-by-step guide:
Step 1:
●Meet the Eligibility Criteria:
You should have at least one year of experience in each of the following security disciplines:
- Application security
- Information systems security
- Network security
- IT security auditing
- Information security risk assessment or risk management
Step 2:
Enroll in a PCI SSC-approved QSA Training Program to gear yourself for your future ahead.
Step 3:
Fill in the form and clear the QSA Exam after completing your training in assessing PCI DSS compliance.
Step 4:
Then you will need to work in a security company that is approved by the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) to perform PCI DSS assessments.
Step 5:
Now, you must adhere to the PCI SSC Code of Professional Responsibility and complete annual training to maintain your PCI DSS certification.
Global Relevance of PCI DSS Certification
Did you know if you get certified you can be eligible for a job anywhere around the globe! Here are the insights for global relevance of PCI DSS 4.0
Global Acceptance:
PCI DSS certification is recognized and accepted worldwide. This makes it a valuable key that you, as a professional can use anywhere.
Industry Standard:
PCI DSS is the industry standard for payment card security. Hence, ensuring global consistency and compliance.
Enhanced Career Opportunities:
PCI DSS certification can open up a lot of highly paying career opportunities in a sundry of countries and organizations.
Increased Credibility:
Being certified demonstrates your expertise and commitment to the domain of payment card security. Hence, enhancing your professional credibility and opening better doors for you.
Improved Skills:
PCI DSS training and certification can equip you to evolve into professionals with skills. It can help you assess and mitigate payment card security risks with a creative skill set.
PCI DSS Certification Cost in India
In India, the price charge for PCI DSS certification cost varies widely as per the organizational size and complexity as in:
QSA services | ₹3,00,000 to ₹15,00,000 |
Security Measures | ₹5,00,000 to ₹50,00,000 or more |
Level 1 Certification | ₹50,00,000 to ₹1 crore or more for organizations processing over 6 million transactions annually |
Ongoing Maintenance | ₹2,00,000 to ₹10,00,000 annually |
How to gain hands-on experience in PCI-DSS compliance and assessment?
Gaining Hands-on Experience in this Domain is Easy with These Tips and Ideas:
Gaining Hands-on Experience in this domain is easy with these tips and ideas:
1. Participate in PCI-DSS compliance projects at work or through volunteer opportunities.
2. You can try to indulge in training and Labs via online training platforms.
3. You can get a PCI-DSS Certification or others like QSA or PCI Professional (PCIP) to gain hands-on experience.
4. You can find experienced professionals who would want to mentor you. In addition, they can guide you through various PCI-DSS compliance and assessment projects.
5. You can participate in internal audits, vulnerability assessments, or penetration testing to gain hands-on experience.
6. You can set up test environments to practice PCI-DSS compliance and assessment.
Tips for Building a Successful Career as a PCI-DSS Consultant.
You can boost your progress by keeping these few tips in your mind:
Stay Updated:
Do not stay stagnant, keep up with the PCI-DSS standards, best practices, and industry trends.
Develop Strong Communication Skills:
Try to communicate technical information to clients and stakeholders in a very smooth and effective way.
Build a Strong Network:
You should be able to connect with industry professionals. It can be done by attending conferences, and joining online communities.
Develop a Niche:
You can choose in a specific industry or area, such as retail or healthcare for your expertise.
Create Valuable Content:
Write articles, blog posts, or whitepapers to showcase your expertise and thought leadership.
The Basics to Advance your Career in PCI DSS