E-commerce businesses and organizations processing credit card payments must comply with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) requirements. This comprehensive guide examines the leading PCI-compliant hosting providers.
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment.
1. Install and Maintain Firewall Configuration. Firewalls control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules. Proper configuration is essential to protect cardholder data.
2. Don't Use Vendor-Supplied Defaults. Default passwords and settings are publicly known and easily exploitable. Change all defaults before deploying systems.
3. Protect Stored Cardholder Data. A Cardholder's data must be encrypted using strong cryptography. Minimize data retention and implement secure deletion.
4. Encrypt Transmission of Cardholder Data Use strong cryptography (TLS 1.2+) when transmitting cardholder data across public networks.
5. Protect Systems Against Malware: Deploy anti-malware software and keep it updated. Scan systems regularly.
6. Develop and Maintain Secure Systems: Establish processes to identify and address security vulnerabilities. Keep systems patched and updated.
7. Restrict Access by Business Need-to-Know: Limit access to cardholder data to only those whose jobs require such access.
8. Assign a Unique ID to Each Person. Every user must have a unique identifier to ensure accountability and traceability.
9. Restrict Physical Access Control physical access to systems that store cardholder data using access control mechanisms.
10. Track and Monitor Network Access Log all access to network resources and cardholder data. Review logs regularly.
11. Test Security Systems Regularly Conduct vulnerability scans quarterly and penetration tests annually.
12. Maintain the Security Policy Document and disseminate information security policies to all personnel.
Website: https://aws.amazon.com
AWS provides Level 1 PCI DSS-certified infrastructure with extensive compliant services, including EC2, S3, RDS, and 100+ additional services. Features VPC isolation, CloudTrail audit logging, GuardDuty threat detection, and comprehensive compliance tools (AWS Artifact, Config, Security Hub).
Pricing: Pay-as-you-go | Best For: Large enterprises and complex applications requiring extensive AWS services
Atlantic.Net provides Level 1 PCI DSS-certified data center infrastructure with comprehensive security controls. Features network segmentation, next-generation firewalls, AES-256 encryption, quarterly vulnerability scans, and 24/7 security monitoring.
Pricing: Starting at $379/month | Best For: Organizations requiring dedicated PCI-compliant infrastructure with hands-on support. Fully managed PCI hosting with security expertise.
PCI compliance across hybrid cloud environments.
Extensive PCI DSS Level 1 certified services and tools.
PCI compliant with Azure Payment Processing solutions.
Strong security posture with PCI DSS Level 1 certification.
High-speed PCI-compliant hosting optimized for e-commerce.
Business-class PCI hosting with excellent support.
Affordable PCI-compliant hosting for smaller merchants.
Service Provider Level: Level 1
Compliant Services: - EC2 (virtual servers) - S3 (object storage) - RDS (managed databases) - ELB (load balancing) - VPC (network isolation) - CloudFront (CDN) - Plus 100+ additional services
Security Features: - VPC for network isolation - Security groups and NACLs - AWS WAF for application protection - CloudTrail for audit logging - GuardDuty for threat detection - AWS KMS for encryption key management
Compliance Tools: - AWS Artifact (compliance reports) - AWS Config (compliance monitoring) - AWS Security Hub (centralized security) - AWS Audit Manager (compliance auditing)
Pricing: Pay-as-you-go based on usage.
Best For: Large enterprises, complex applications, need for extensive AWS services.
Service Provider Level: Level 1
Payment Solutions: - Azure Payment HSM - Payment Processing solutions - Azure Security Center for PCI - Compliance Manager
Security Infrastructure: - Azure Firewall - Azure DDoS Protection - Azure Key Vault - Azure Active Directory - Network Security Groups
Compliance Features: - PCI DSS blueprints - Compliance documentation - Azure Policy for enforcement - Security assessments
Pricing: Consumption-based pricing.
Best For: Organizations using Microsoft technologies, need integrated payment solutions.
Identify Cardholder Data Environment (CDE): - Systems that store cardholder data - Systems that process cardholder data - Systems that transmit cardholder data - Systems connected to CDE
Define Network Boundaries: - Document network topology - Identify all connection points - Map data flows - Determine segmentation strategy
Inventory Assets: - Hardware (servers, firewalls, switches) - Software (applications, databases) - Data (types and locations) - Personnel (roles and access)
Network Segmentation:
Internet → Firewall → DMZ (Web Tier) → Internal Firewall → CDE
↓
Non-CDE Systems
Firewall Configuration: - Default deny all traffic - Allow only necessary connections - Document all rules with business justification - Review rules quarterly - Implement change control
Access Control Implementation:
1. Create unique user accounts (no shared credentials)
2. Implement multi-factor authentication
3. Configure role-based access control
4. Enable automatic session timeout (15 minutes idle)
5. Implement privileged access management
6. Configure account lockout (6 failed attempts)
Encryption Configuration:
At Rest:
- Database: TDE (Transparent Data Encryption)
- File System: LUKS/BitLocker
- Backups: Encrypted before storage
In Transit:
- Web: TLS 1.2+ only
- Database: Encrypted connections
- Internal: VPN or encrypted tunnels
Operating System:
# Remove unnecessary services
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled
systemctl disable <unnecessary-service>
# Configure automatic updates
apt install unattended-upgrades
dpkg-reconfigure unattended-upgrades
# Implement host firewall
ufw default deny incoming
ufw allow from trusted_ips to any port 22
ufw allow 80,443/tcp
ufw enable
Web Server Hardening:
# Restrict TLS versions and ciphers
ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
ssl_ciphers ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512;
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on;
# Security headers
add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains" always;
add_header X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff" always;
add_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN" always;
Database Hardening:
-- Remove default accounts
DROP USER 'test'@'localhost';
DROP DATABASE test;
-- Enforce strong passwords
SET GLOBAL validate_password.policy = STRONG;
SET GLOBAL validate_password.length = 12;
-- Enable audit logging
SET GLOBAL general_log = 'ON';
SET GLOBAL general_log_file = '/var/log/mysql/general.log';
Required Logs: - User authentication (success/failure) - Privileged user actions - Access to cardholder data - System errors and failures - Security system activities - Network traffic logs - Changes to system configurations
Log Management:
# Configure centralized logging
apt install rsyslog
# Forward logs to SIEM
*.* @@log-server.example.com:514
# Configure log retention (minimum 1 year)
cat /etc/logrotate.d/syslog
/var/log/syslog {
rotate 365
daily
compress
delaycompress
}
Monitoring Tools: - SIEM (Splunk, ELK, Wazuh) - IDS/IPS (Suricata, Snort) - File Integrity Monitoring (AIDE, Tripwire) - Vulnerability Scanner (Nessus, OpenVAS) - Web Application Firewall (ModSecurity)
Quarterly Vulnerability Scans: - Use Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) - Scan all CDE systems - Address findings before retest - Maintain passing scan reports
Patch Management:
Critical Patches:
- Deploy within 30 days of release
- Test in non-production first
- Document all patches applied
- Verify successful deployment
Routine Patches:
- Monthly patch cycle
- Test thoroughly
- Maintain patch inventory
Annual Penetration Testing: - Use a qualified security assessor (QSA) - Test network and application layers - Attempt exploitation of vulnerabilities - Document findings and remediation - Retest after fixes
Replace cardholder data with non-sensitive tokens: - Customer enters card details - Payment processor returns token - Store token instead of card data - Use token for recurring charges
Benefits: - Removes card data from the environment - Drastically reduces PCI scope - Lowers compliance costs - Simplifies security
Redirect customers to the payment provider's page: - Customer clicks "Pay Now" - Redirected to the processor's secure page - Processor handles all card data - Return to the merchant site after payment
Benefits: - Card data never touches your servers - Minimal PCI scope - Lowest compliance burden - Reduced liability
Isolate CDE from other systems:
Outside Network
↓
Firewall (External)
↓
DMZ (Public Web)
↓
Firewall (Internal)
↓
CDE (Payment Systems)
Benefits: - Limits systems in scope - Reduces assessment costs - Contains security incidents - Simplifies compliance
Problem: Storing CVV2, PIN, or magnetic stripe data after authorization.
Solution: - Never store sensitive authentication data - Implement data retention policies - Regular data discovery scans - Automated data deletion
Problem: Shared accounts, weak passwords, no MFA.
Solution: - Unique user IDs for all personnel - Enforce strong password policy (12+ chars, complexity) - Implement MFA for all CDE access - Regular access reviews
Problem: Incomplete logs, no log reviews, short retention.
Solution: - Log all access to cardholder data - Centralized log management - Daily log reviews - Minimum 1-year retention (3 months online)
Problem: Using outdated algorithms or weak keys.
Solution: - AES-256 for data at rest - TLS 1.2+ for data in transit - RSA 2048-bit minimum for keys - Proper key management
SAQ Types:
SAQ A: E-commerce merchants outsourcing all payment processing - 22 questions - Easiest to complete - Minimal scope
SAQ A-EP: E-commerce with some payment processing on merchant site - 181 questions - Moderate difficulty - Requires more controls
SAQ D: All other scenarios, including storing card data - 329 questions - Most comprehensive - Requires full compliance
Required For: Level 1 merchants (6M+ transactions annually)
Process: 1. Engage a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) 2. QSA conducts an onsite assessment 3. Review evidence and documentation 4. Test security controls 5. Generate a detailed compliance report 6. Address any findings 7. Submit ROC and AOC to the acquirer
Timeline: Typically 2-4 weeks for assessment
- Vulnerability scans by ASV
- Review and update firewall rules
- Access reviews (disable inactive accounts)
- Security awareness training reminders
- Backup verification tests
- Incident response plan review
- Complete SAQ or undergo assessment
- Penetration testing
- Policy reviews and updates
- Risk assessment
- Disaster recovery testing
- Security awareness training (formal)
- Vendor assessment reviews
- Daily log reviews
- Security monitoring and alerting
- Patch management
- Vulnerability management
- Incident response
- Change control
PCI DSS compliance requires comprehensive security controls and ongoing vigilance. AWS provides the most scalable PCI-compliant hosting solution:
✅ Level 1 PCI DSS Service Provider certification ✅ 100+ compliant services (EC2, S3, RDS, etc.) ✅ Advanced security infrastructure (WAF, GuardDuty) ✅ Comprehensive compliance tools (Artifact, Config, Security Hub) ✅ Enterprise-grade scalability and global reach ✅ Pay-as-you-go pricing flexibility
Disclaimer: This guide provides general information. Consult with Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) for specific compliance guidance.
This guide is regularly updated to reflect current offerings and market changes.