A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering PCI DSS for Software Engineers in Financial Services
Build compliant, regulator-ready payment systems with confidence
$199 one-time
24-hour access provisioning
30-day money-back guarantee
Hand-built implementation playbook
12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Engineers often inherit compliance requirements as afterthoughts, leading to rework and delays when controls don’t align with implementation.
The situation this course is for
Compliance frameworks like PCI DSS are written for auditors, not coders. That gap creates friction when engineering teams are asked to retrofit controls into live payment systems without clear technical mappings or precedent.
Who this is for
Senior software engineers in financial services who own or contribute to systems handling cardholder data and need to implement PCI DSS controls correctly the first time.
Who this is not for
Entry-level developers, non-technical compliance staff, or professionals outside financial services with no exposure to payment system architecture.
What you walk away with
- Direct implementation guidance for all 12 PCI DSS requirements in code and configuration
- Regulator-ready documentation templates tailored to engineering workflows
- Clear mappings from control statements to AWS/GCP/Azure setup patterns
- Precedent files for secure SAQ-D and ROC submissions from peer fintechs
- Trusted escalation path when peer teams need help closing control gaps
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Introduction to PCI DSS in Engineering Contexts
Understand how PCI DSS applies to software systems handling cardholder data, not just policy documents. Learn the core obligations and how they map to code, infrastructure, and deployment workflows.
12 chapters in this module
- What PCI DSS means for coders not auditors
- Scope definition in microservices environments
- Cardholder data flow mapping techniques
- Boundary controls between compliant and non-compliant zones
- Role of segmentation in reducing scope
- Common misconceptions engineers face
- How QIRs interpret technical controls
- Integrating compliance into CI/CD pipelines
- Logging requirements for audit trails
- Encryption standards in transit and at rest
- Key management patterns for PCI compliance
- Architecture diagrams that satisfy assessors
Module 2. Build Secure Network Architectures
Implement network controls that meet Requirement 1 and prepare for firewall rule audits. Move beyond generic advice to concrete configurations for cloud environments.
12 chapters in this module
- Firewall rule documentation standards
- Default-deny policies in VPC design
- Justification templates for exceptions
- Automated rule validation with Terraform
- Network segmentation in Kubernetes
- Zero-trust approaches within PCI scope
- Monitoring firewall changes in real time
- Handling legacy systems in flat networks
- Cloud provider-native tools for compliance
- Service account access to firewalls
- Audit-ready configuration snapshots
- Cross-account peering controls
Module 3. Implement Strong Authentication Controls
Design authentication systems that satisfy Requirement 8 with precision, including MFA, session timeouts, and privileged access management.
12 chapters in this module
- MFA implementation in backend services
- Password policies in code repositories
- Session management in APIs
- Time-bound access for contractors
- Role-based access control patterns
- Just-in-time privilege elevation
- Credential rotation automation
- SSH key management at scale
- PAM integration with cloud platforms
- Break-glass account protocols
- Detecting and blocking brute force attempts
- Logging authentication events for audit
Module 4. Protect Cardholder Data
Apply Requirement 3 controls to data handling in applications and databases, focusing on encryption, tokenization, and minimization strategies.
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying cardholder data in code
- Tokenization vs. encryption tradeoffs
- Masking PANs in logs and UIs
- Secure storage of sensitive authentication data
- Data lifecycle from input to purge
- Token vault design patterns
- Client-side encryption libraries
- Database-level encryption options
- Key rotation without downtime
- Secure key storage with HSMs
- Avoiding hardcoded secrets
- Scanning for data leakage in CI
Module 5. Maintain Secure Systems and Applications
Fulfill Requirement 6 by baking security into SDLC processes, including secure coding practices and vulnerability management
12 chapters in this module
- Secure coding standards for payment code
- PCI DSS-compatible SDLC checklist
- Threat modeling for payment flows
- SAST configuration for PCI
- DAST integration in staging
- Penetration testing coordination
- Patch management timelines
- Third-party library vetting
- DevSecOps toolchain integration
- Bug bounty programs and PCI
- Incident response for payment systems
- Logging all changes to payment code
Module 6. Control Access Based on Need to Know
Enforce Requirement 7 with granular access controls, ensuring least privilege is operationalized in daily workflows.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining job function access matrices
- Automated provisioning workflows
- Regular access reviews in code
- Segregation of duties in deployments
- Emergency access procedures
- Monitoring privileged sessions
- Multi-person approval patterns
- Justification logging for access
- Access revocation on role change
- Temporary elevation workflows
- Service account ownership
- Audit trail completeness
Module 7. Monitor and Log Access
Meet Requirement 10 with robust logging, alerting, and retention strategies that survive auditor scrutiny.
12 chapters in this module
- Critical events to log for PCI
- Log centralization strategies
- Immutable logging with blockchain guards
- Retention periods and legal holds
- Alert thresholds for suspicious activity
- Log integrity verification
- Time synchronization across systems
- Correlating logs across services
- User behavior analytics integration
- Automated log review tools
- Access logs for investigation
- Report generation for assessors
Module 8. Implement Vulnerability Management
Satisfy Requirement 11 with continuous scanning, penetration testing coordination, and response workflows.
12 chapters in this module
- Internal and external scanning cadence
- Automated vulnerability detection
- Pen test scope definition
- Third-party assessor coordination
- Remediation SLAs by severity
- False positive validation process
- Change approval for patches
- Critical system patching strategies
- Credentialed vs. non-credentialed scans
- Wireless network assessments
- Social engineering test integration
- Reporting to compliance teams
Module 9. Maintain an Information Security Policy
Align technical work with Requirement 12 by creating living documents that guide engineering decisions.
12 chapters in this module
- Policy ownership in engineering teams
- Technical appendices to main policy
- Communication of updates to devs
- Policy review and sign-off cycle
- Compliance training for new hires
- Enforcement mechanisms in tooling
- Policy exception workflows
- Document retention procedures
- Alignment with ISO 27001 controls
- Incident response plan integration
- Business continuity overlap
- External auditor preparation
Module 10. Prepare for Assessments and Audits
Navigate ROC and SAQ processes with confidence, producing artefacts that reduce back-and-forth.
12 chapters in this module
- Choosing between SAQ types
- Preparing for on-site visits
- Evidence collection automation
- Common assessor questions
- Pre-emptive gap analysis
- Document version control for auditors
- Artifacts that close findings faster
- Working with QSAs effectively
- Remote assessment best practices
- Responding to non-conformities
- Timeline for renewal cycles
- Post-assessment improvement plans
Module 11. Integrate with Cloud Provider Controls
Leverage AWS, GCP, and Azure services that support PCI compliance without over-engineering.
12 chapters in this module
- Shared responsibility model deep dive
- AWS PCI Compliance Package use
- GCP compliance resources
- Azure Security Center for PCI
- Cloud-native logging and monitoring
- Infrastructure as code compliance
- Automated compliance checks
- Cloud network security groups
- Private endpoints for data services
- Key management integration
- Audit trail export workflows
- Avoiding cloud misconfigurations
Module 12. Sustain Compliance Over Time
Turn one-time projects into repeatable systems that compound assurance across quarters.
12 chapters in this module
- Compliance as code frameworks
- Automated control verification
- Continuous monitoring pipelines
- Change advisory board integration
- Compliance debt tracking
- Knowledge transfer strategies
- Onboarding new team members
- Vendor compliance oversight
- Internal audit preparation
- Lessons from failed renewals
- Scaling controls to new systems
- Building a compliance engineering role
How this maps to your situation
- Starting a new payment integration
- Preparing for a compliance audit
- Joining a fintech or bank engineering team
- Leading a compliance-driven refactor
Before vs. after
Before
Receiving compliance requirements as last-minute constraints with unclear engineering paths.
After
Confidently designing systems with built-in controls, becoming the trusted internal reference for peer teams.
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: Approximately 24, 30 hours total, designed to be completed in two-hour weekly blocks over six weeks.
If nothing changes
Without clear technical mappings, engineers risk rework, audit findings, or delays in launching payment features , especially under time pressure during M&A integrations or regulatory reviews.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic PCI DSS overviews, this course focuses on engineer-specific implementation: exact code patterns, cloud configurations, logging schemas, and documentation templates that align with auditor expectations , so you ship compliant systems faster.
Frequently asked
Is this course suitable for engineers without formal security training?
Yes. It's designed specifically for software engineers who need to implement controls correctly, not write policy.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Does it cover cloud platforms like AWS and Azure?
Yes. Each control includes implementation examples for major cloud providers.
$199 one-time. Approximately 24, 30 hours total, designed to be completed in two-hour weekly blocks over six weeks..
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours