PCI-DSS versus NIST SP 800-171

PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is an information security standard for organizations that handle credit card and debit card information. It was created by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council to help organizations maintain a secure environment for cardholder data. The PCI-DSS outlines 12 requirements for organizations to follow in order to protect cardholder data. These requirements cover topics such as data encryption, access control, and vulnerability management. Organizations must adhere to the PCI-DSS in order to be compliant with the payment card industry. Compliance is necessary to avoid costly fines and penalties associated with data breaches.

NIST SP 800-171 is a guidance document issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to help organizations protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) that is processed, stored, or transmitted on non-federal information systems. The document provides an overview of the security requirements for protecting CUI and outlines the 14 security categories that organizations must comply with to protect CUI. The security categories include access control, awareness and training, audit and accountability, configuration management, identification and authentication, incident response, maintenance, media protection, personnel security, physical protection, risk assessment, system and communications protection, system and information integrity, and system and services acquisition. The document also provides guidance on how to implement the security requirements and outlines the roles and responsibilities of the organization, its personnel, and its contractors.

1. Both standards focus on protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data.

2. Both standards require organizations to implement technical and administrative controls to ensure the security of their systems and data.

3. Both standards require organizations to develop and maintain a security policy.

4. Both standards require organizations to perform regular vulnerability scans and penetration tests.

5. Both standards require organizations to implement effective access control measures.

6. Both standards require organizations to document and audit their security processes.

7. Both standards require organizations to protect against malicious software.

8. Both standards require organizations to monitor and log user activity.

9. Both standards require organizations to encrypt data in transit and at rest.

10. Both standards require organizations to provide regular security awareness training to their employees.

1. PCI-DSS focuses on protecting credit card data while NIST SP 800-171 focuses on protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

2. PCI-DSS is applicable to any organization that processes, stores, or transmits credit card data, while NIST SP 800-171 applies to organizations that contract with the US Government and handle CUI.

3. PCI-DSS requires organizations to implement specific security measures, such as encryption and firewalls, while NIST SP 800-171 requires organizations to implement a comprehensive security program that meets a set of security requirements.

4. PCI-DSS requires organizations to undergo regular assessments and audits to ensure compliance, while NIST SP 800-171 does not require organizations to undergo regular assessments and audits.