PCI DSS Solutions | Compliance and Consulting Services for Secure Payments

Protecting cardholder data, enabling business growth

PCI DSS Solutions | Compliance and Consulting Services for Secure Payments

Protiviti Australia delivers end-to-end PCI DSS compliance services to help organisations protect cardholder data, reduce risk and build trust. With global expertise in payments, cybersecurity, cloud and risk management, we partner with clients to achieve compliance efficiently, while strengthening their overall security posture.

Our PCI DSS compliance services | End-to-end PCI DSS consulting

We guide you through every stage of the PCI DSS lifecycle, from scoping and readiness to validation and governance:

Phase	Focus areas	Deliverables
Scoping and readiness	Data flow documentation, environment definition, scope reduction opportunities	Gap assessment report, compliance roadmap
Remediation and preparation	Address gaps, remediation plans, project management	Remediation strategy and plan, progress reports
Security testing	Penetration testing (internal, external, scenario-based), vulnerability assessments, application security	Penetration testing reports, vulnerability scan reports
Compliance validation	Document reviews, site assessments, control testing, compensating controls	Report on compliance (ROC) / SAQ and attestation of compliance (AOC)
Program governance evaluation	Governance structure, executive sponsorship, training, scope management	Benchmark analysis, program effectiveness report

Scope reduction techniques

Reducing PCI DSS scope lowers cost and risk. We help organisations adopt techniques such as:

Elimination - Remove cardholder data (CHD) entirely
Tokenisation – Replace CHD with secure tokens
Point-to-point encryption (P2PE) – Protect CHD during transmission
Outsourcing – Use third parties for payment processing
Segmentation/isolation – Separate cardholder environment from broader IT systems

PCI DSS security testing services

Protiviti Australia provides multi-layered testing, aligned with PCI DSS v4.0 requirements:

Test type	Purpose	Example
External penetration test	Identify risks from unauthenticated attackers	Simulate real-world hacker access
Internal penetration test	Detect lateral movement risks inside your network	Privilege escalation, data exfiltration
Segmentation testing	Validate network separation controls	Firewall bypass attempts
Application security testing	Identify vulnerabilities in apps and code	OWASP Top 10, code reviews
Vulnerability management	Continuous discovery and remediation support	Managed services, false-positive filtering

PCI DSS compliance validation process

Our compliance validation methodology ensures accuracy and efficiency:

Scope verification and planning – Define in-scope systems and CHD repositories
Documentation review - Policies, diagrams, network maps, previous audits
Centralised testing and site assessments – Validate controls across data centres, offices and retail environments
Compensating controls - Where PCI DSS requirements cannot be met, we design secure alternatives
Final reporting - ROC/SAQ completion and submission to acquirers, card brands, or PCI SSC

PCI governance and continuous improvement

Sustainable PCI compliance requires governance. Protiviti helps organisations:

Establish governance structures, KPIs and reporting
Enhance PCI awareness and training
Benchmark program maturity against industry leaders
Deliver continuous improvements via lessons learned and scope optimisation

Protiviti Australia’s PCI compliance portal

Our PCI DSS portal simplifies compliance with:

Evidence collection - Upload and track documents
Workflow automation - Prioritised requests, deadlines, team assignments
Real-time reporting - Scoping, testing and compliance dashboards
Centralised control – QSA responses and audit trail management

Client success stories

Client	Challenge	Solution	Result
$1B retailer	Struggling with PCI project management	Developed remediation plan, managed execution	Achieved compliance on time
Global card brand	Ineffective internal governance	Benchmarking and strategy review	Scalable, efficient PCI program
Retailer	Old technology prevented compliance	Designed compensating controls	Achieved certification, $5M savings
Travel agency	Complex multi-brand environment	Multi-brand PCI compliance strategy	Achieved PCI compliance
Media company	Diverse, high-risk IT landscape	Penetration testing and gap analysis	Improved security, reduced risk
Hospitality client	At risk of fines	Designed new CDE, remediation support	Achieved PCI DSS compliance

Protiviti’s Australia’s technology and security capabilities

Protiviti offers a broad range of consulting and managed services in technology, data, and security:

Enterprise data and analytics – Business intelligence, data architecture, cloud engineering, governance, automation
Technology strategy and architecture – Transformation programs, modern delivery, Microsoft and other enterprise platforms
Security and privacy – Cybersecurity strategy, attack and penetration testing, data protection, incident response, and digital identity
Cloud solutions – Advisory, governance, optimisation, and managed services
Technology risk and resilience – Operational resilience, third-party risk, and risk management enablement

Operational resilience

Improve resilience through a robust testing program, building on existing business continuity management activities, IT disaster recovery and cybersecurity incident response. Protiviti brings knowledge access the four domain areas of operational resilience: business, technology, cyber and third-party.

Technology consulting

In a time of ever-evolving digital transformation, Protiviti’s technology consulting services help organisations understand business processes to enable the customer experience they want to create or the critical information they need to protect. Take the first step in making technology consulting work for you.

Risk management consulting

Protiviti helps organisations around the world assess risk and develop tech-enabled solutions to manage risk in an agile manner and minimise potential losses. We bring leading insights and innovative capabilities to help you meet future challenges.

Regulatory compliance

Disruptive technologies, regulatory pressures, evolving customer loyalty, and pressure to enhance economic returns are just some of the challenges organisations need to overcome by innovating and managing their compliance risks to succeed over the next decade.

Ready to achieve PCI DSS compliance and secure your payments ecosystem?

Contact Protiviti Australia today to speak with a PCI DSS expert.

Leadership

Hirun Tantirigama

Hirun is a managing director and Protiviti Australia's technology consulting lead with 18 years’ experience in providing risk and regulatory advisory services across a variety of clients and industries. He has led complex, transformational programs across areas such as ...

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Frequently asked questions

What is a targeted risk assessment in PCI DSS compliance?

A targeted risk assessment (TRA) is a structured process required under PCI DSS v4.0 when an organisation chooses to implement a customised control instead of a prescribed requirement. The TRA evaluates whether the alternative control sufficiently reduces risk to cardholder data to a level equivalent to or better than the original PCI DSS requirement.

Key elements of a TRA include:

Defining the scope and assets at risk (e.g., cardholder data, connected systems)
Identifying threats and vulnerabilities relevant to the environment
Evaluating the likelihood and potential impact of risks
Documenting the rationale for the customised approach
Demonstrating that the control provides the same or stronger protection as the original requirement

A well-executed TRA not only supports PCI DSS compliance but also enhances overall security posture.

When should my organisation perform a targeted risk assessment for PCI DSS compliance?

You should conduct a targeted risk assessment when:

You are using a customised approach to meet PCI DSS v4.0 requirements
You plan to introduce alternative security controls due to business or technical constraints
There are significant changes in your environment (e.g., new payment channels, cloud migration, or network segmentation updates)
You want to validate that risk reduction strategies - such as tokenisation, encryption, or outsourcing, are effective in protecting cardholder data

Best practice:

Perform TRAs as part of your compliance cycle and after major changes
Ensure TRAs are documented, repeatable and reviewed by qualified security assessors (QSAs) to meet PCI DSS validation requirements

What is SAQ A in PCI DSS compliance?

SAQ A (self-assessment questionnaire A) is the simplest version of PCI DSS validation, designed for merchants that fully outsource payment processing to PCI DSS, validated third-party service providers. It applies only if your systems do not store, process, or transmit cardholder data.

Who is eligible to complete SAQ A?

You may be eligible for SAQ A if:

All cardholder data functions are outsourced to PCI DSS compliant providers
Your business does not electronically store, process, or transmit cardholder data
Your website or mobile app only redirects customers to a third-party payment processor or uses iFrame/hosted payment pages without touching payment data

If your systems interact with cardholder data in any way, you may need a more complex SAQ type (e.g., SAQ A-EP, SAQ D).

What new requirements in PCI DSS v4.0.1 are causing the most concern?

PCI DSS v4.0.1 introduces refinements to v4.0 that many organisations find challenging. Key areas include:

Targeted risk assessments (TRAs): Clarification on when and how to perform TRAs with customised controls
Authentication: Expanded use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and stronger password rules
Monitoring and logging: Stricter daily log review and validation requirements
Deadlines: Confusion around which ‘best practice’ requirements become mandatory later
Third-party service providers: Greater focus on shared responsibility and ongoing compliance validation

Organisations should start aligning with v4.0.1 now to reduce compliance risk and avoid last-minute remediation.

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