PCI Security Standards Council launches PCI DSS Version 3.1

The revised version includes small updates and clarifications and addresses vulnerabilities within the Secure Sockets Layer encryption protocol that can put payment data at risk.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified SSL (a cryptographic protocol designed to provide secure communications over a computer network) as not being acceptable for the protection of data due to inherent weaknesses within the protocol.

Upgrading to a current, secure version of Transport Layer Security (TLS), the successor protocol to SSL, is the only known way to remediate these vulnerabilities which have been exploited by browser attacks such as POODLE and BEAST.

Therefore, in order to address this risk, PCI DSS 3.1 updates requirements 2.2.3, 2.3 and 4.1 to remove SSL and Early TLS as examples of strong cryptography. The revisions are effective immediately but impacted requirements have a sunset date to allow for organizations with affected systems to implement the changes:
• SSL and Early TLS cannot be used as security controls to protect payment data after 30 June 2016;
• Prior to this date, existing implementations that use SSL and/or Early TLS must have a formal risk mitigation and migration plan in place. Guidance on interim risk mitigation approaches, migration recommendations and alternative options for strong cryptographic protocols is outlined in the PCI SSC Information Supplement: Migrating from SSL and Early TLS;
• Point-of-sale (POS)/Point-of-interaction (POI) terminals (devices such as magnetic card readers or chip card readers that enable a consumer to make a purchase) that can be verified as not being susceptible to all known exploits for SSL and Early TLS may continue using these protocols as a security control after 30 June 2016.

Additional changes to improve understanding and consistency in the standard include: clarification of language, general formatting and typographical corrections; additional guidance in introductory sections and guidance column; and updates to specific testing procedures to align testing objectives with requirements.

The PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Version 3.1 is effective immediately.