PCI-DSS Level 1 Compliance
Secure the transaction. Protect the cardholder. We guide merchants and service providers through rigorous QSA audits and scope reduction.
Consult a PCI Expert
Protecting the lifeblood of digital commerce.
If your organization stores, processes, or transmits credit card data—or can impact the security of that data—you must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) v4.0. Failure to do so results in crippling fines and the revocation of payment processing privileges.
For Level 1 Merchants and Service Providers processing millions of transactions, self-assessment is not enough. You require a formal Report on Compliance (RoC) validated by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA). Cyberella Corps provides the engineering expertise to drastically reduce your Cardholder Data Environment (CDE) scope, remediate technical gaps, and stand by your side during the intense QSA audit.
Requirements of PCI-DSS
Secure Network Architecture
Requirement 1 & 2: Install and maintain strict firewall configurations to protect cardholder data, and eliminate vendor-supplied default passwords.
Protect Cardholder Data
Requirement 3 & 4: Protect stored account data using strong encryption, and encrypt the transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks.
Vulnerability Management
Requirement 5 & 6: Protect all systems against malware, maintain active anti-virus software, and develop secure systems and applications.
Strong Access Control
Requirement 7, 8 & 9: Restrict access to data by business need-to-know, assign unique IDs to each person, and restrict physical access to cardholder data.
Monitor and Test Networks
Requirement 10 & 11: Track and monitor all access to network resources, and regularly test security systems and processes (including ASV scans and Pentesting).
Information Security Policy
Requirement 12: Maintain an overarching policy that addresses information security for all personnel, supported by formal risk assessments and incident response plans.
Our structured approach to Level 1 Readiness.
Scope Reduction & Discovery
The most expensive part of PCI is auditing systems that don't need to be in scope. We conduct deep network discovery to isolate your Cardholder Data Environment (CDE), utilizing network segmentation and tokenization to drastically shrink your audit footprint.
Pre-Assessment Gap Analysis
Once the CDE is isolated, we assess your remaining systems against the 300+ rigorous controls of PCI-DSS v4.0 to identify exact compliance deficiencies.
Remediation Engineering
We don't just point out flaws; we fix them. Our engineers help implement FIM, configure firewalls, deploy MFA, and draft the required policies.
Formal QSA Audit Support
A formal PCI audit is an intense process. We act as your technical liaison to the Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), organizing evidence, translating technical controls, and defending your architecture to ensure a seamless pass.
What you get.
RoC & AoC Readiness
Complete preparation and evidence generation required for your Report on Compliance (RoC) and the final Attestation of Compliance (AoC) signature.
ASV Scan Reports
Coordination and execution of required quarterly external vulnerability scans conducted by an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV), with accompanying remediation support.
Annual Penetration Testing
Execution of the mandatory internal and external penetration tests required by PCI-DSS Requirement 11, specifically targeting your defined CDE boundary.
Explore answers to our
asked questions
What is the difference between a Level 1 and Level 4 merchant?
Merchant levels are determined by transaction volume. Level 1 merchants process over 6 million transactions annually and require an expensive, on-site audit by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA). Levels 2-4 process fewer transactions and can typically fulfill requirements via a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ).
What is scope reduction and why is it so important?
If your entire corporate network touches credit card data, your entire network must be audited (which is incredibly costly and difficult). Scope reduction uses network segmentation and tokenization to isolate the cardholder data environment (CDE), meaning only a fraction of your network needs to comply with PCI-DSS.
Are you a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA)?
Cyberella Corps serves as your dedicated compliance advisor and remediation engineering team. We prepare your environment so it passes. For the final signature, we partner with fully licensed QSAs to execute the formal Report on Compliance (RoC), ensuring there is no conflict of interest.
What are the major changes in PCI-DSS v4.0?
PCI-DSS v4.0 introduces stricter requirements for multi-factor authentication (MFA), continuous targeted risk analysis, automated log reviews, and enhanced security for client-side web scripts (e.g., e-commerce payment pages) to prevent skimming attacks like Magecart.
Do you assist with Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQs)?
Yes. Even if you are a Level 2, 3, or 4 merchant and do not require a formal QSA audit, filling out an SAQ accurately is legally binding. We help you select the correct SAQ type (A, A-EP, D, etc.) and validate that your controls actually meet the assertions you are signing.