What is PCI Compliance?

PCI Compliance refers to the set of requirements that businesses and organizations must meet to ensure the secure handling of credit card information. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards established by major credit card companies to help protect against credit card fraud and data breaches.

What is PCI compliance checklist?

A PCI compliance checklist is a tool that helps organizations ensure they are meeting the requirements of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). The checklist includes requirements and best practices businesses must follow to achieve compliance, such as network security, data protection, access control, monitoring, and policy requirements.

To Whom Does The PCI DSS Apply?

PCI DSS applies to any organization that accepts, transmits, or stores cardholder data, regardless of size or number of transactions.

What is the difference between CHD and SAD?

Account data is organized into two groups: Card Holder Data (CHD) and Sensitive Authentication Data (SAD). CHD includes data elements like Primary Account Number (PAN), Cardholder Name, Service Code, and Expiration Date, which identify the cardholder. SAD includes elements such as Track Data, CVV, CVC, CAV, CID, and PIN/PIN Block, which are used for authorizing cardholder transactions.

If I am using a third-party to process payments, or an ecommerce platform, do I still need to worry about PCI compliance?

Yes, even if some payment processes are outsourced and may reduce your risk or scope for PCI compliance, your business is still responsible for ensuring PCI DSS requirements are met.

If I only accept credit cards over the phone, does PCI DSS still apply to me?

Yes. Any processing, storing, or transmitting of payment cardholder data, including over the phone, must be done in a PCI compliant environment.

DPDP Assessment

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA), 2023 represents India's first comprehensive data protection law, operationalized through the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025 notified in November 2025. This framework establishes a citizen-centric approach to personal data protection, balancing individual rights with lawful data processing needs.

The DPDP framework rests on seven core principles: consent and transparency, purpose limitation, data minimization, accuracy, storage limitation, security safeguards, and accountability. The Act applies to organizations processing digital personal data within India, as well as entities outside India offering goods or services to Indian residents.

Any organization that processes digital personal data of individuals in India must comply with the DPDPA requirements. To achieve and demonstrate compliance, organizations need to undertake the following steps:

Gap Assessment against DPDPA Requirements: Comprehensive evaluation of current data processing practices against the mandatory obligations under the Act and Rules.
Implementation of Technical and Organizational Measures: Deployment of appropriate security safeguards, consent management mechanisms, and privacy frameworks.
Independent Assessment and Validation: Third-party assessment to validate compliance with DPDPA provisions and readiness for enforcement.

The DPDP Rules, 2025 implement a phased compliance timeline over 12-18 months, requiring organizations to progressively align their data processing activities with the Act's requirements. As a trusted compliance partner, QRC will help you navigate the complexities of DPDPA, ensuring your organization meets all regulatory obligations while building trust with customers and stakeholders.

Assessment Approach

Business Understanding

Understanding your data ecosystem, business processes, and current data handling practices to define the assessment scope accurately.

Assessment Scope Finalization

Detailed questionnaire shared with your teams to identify data fiduciaries, data processors, and data processing activities within scope.

Initial Readiness Assessment

Conduct preliminary gap analysis against DPDPA requirements to identify priority areas and establish baseline compliance status.

Data Mapping and Classification

Identify and document all digital personal data processing activities, data flows, storage locations, and third-party data sharing arrangements.

Compliance Validation

Assess implementation of DPDPA obligations including consent mechanisms, data principal rights, security safeguards, and purpose limitation.

Consent Management Review

Evaluate consent collection, management, and withdrawal mechanisms for compliance with DPDPA requirements for free, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent.

Policy and Documentation Review

Review and validate privacy notices, data processing policies, data retention policies, and breach response procedures against DPDPA mandates.

Remediation Support

Provide actionable recommendations and support for addressing identified gaps and achieving full DPDPA compliance.

dpdp assessment

Assessment Approach

Business Understanding

Assessment Scope Finalization

Initial Readiness Assessment

Data Mapping and Classification

Compliance Validation

Consent Management Review

Policy and Documentation Review

Remediation Support

frequently asked questions

How Can Organizations Prepare For DPDPA Compliance?

What Constitutes A Personal Data Breach Under DPDPA?

What Is A Consent Manager Under DPDPA?

How Does DPDPA Address Cross-Border Data Transfers?

What Is A Significant Data Fiduciary?

What Are The Penalties For Non-Compliance?

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