What is PA DSS?

What is PA DSS?

In order to tackle ever-growing concerns relating to card data security, the PCI Council has developed standards for users of payment applications that process sensitive authentication data. The Payment Application Data

Security Standard (PA DSS) is largely based on Visa’s Payment Application Best Practices (PABP) program. In order for all merchants to conform to these standards, the PCI has set dates for compliance.

Effective from July 1st 2010 acquirers must ensure that all new merchant implementations only use PA DSS compliant applications. Effective from December 31st 2012 acquirers must ensure that all merchants using payment applications must either be fully PCI DSS compliant or using a PA DSS compliant application.

Installing a PA DSS compliant application will assist merchants in achieving PCI DSS certification. In order to fully comply with the PA DSS clients must still maintain several areas of the storage and processing procedure.