A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering PCI DSS for Senior Software Engineers in High-Trust Environments
Build compliance into code with confidence and full decision authority
$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.
Who this is for
Senior software engineer at a global tech firm operating in regulated environments, responsible for designing and deploying secure, compliant systems without direct oversight
Who this is not for
Junior developers, auditors, or compliance generalists without hands-on implementation experience
What you walk away with
- Final determination rights on control placement in authentication flows
- Authority to approve logging schema for PCI-relevant systems
- Ownership of data segmentation architecture without escalation
- Decision autonomy on encryption method selection for cardholder data
- First draft approval on audit narratives tied to implemented controls
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Foundations of PCI DSS in Code-Centric Environments
Establish the connection between engineering decisions and PCI DSS requirements, focusing on how control ownership shifts from compliance teams to developers.
12 chapters in this module
- Scope of PCI in distributed systems
- Cardholder data definition in practice
- Data flow mapping at scale
- Identifying in-scope components
- System boundaries and trust zones
- Tokenization vs encryption roles
- Compliance ownership models
- Engineering’s role in SAQ submission
- Audit interfaces for developers
- Control tagging in CI/CD
- Real-time logging obligations
- Versioning control implementations
Module 2. Control Ownership in Developer-Led Architecture
Shift from shared responsibility to individual decision authority on control design and validation.
12 chapters in this module
- Final call on firewall rule specifications
- Access control hierarchy decisions
- Authentication protocol selection
- Session timeout implementation
- Encryption standards approval
- Key rotation cadence ownership
- Certificate lifecycle decisions
- API gateway enforcement
- Zero-trust alignment
- Service-to-service auth models
- Privileged access logging
- Break-glass account policies
Module 3. Designing Audit-Ready Artefacts from the Start
Create documentation and code structures that satisfy auditors without rework or translation layers.
12 chapters in this module
- Data flow diagrams with auditor context
- Control mapping in code comments
- Automated evidence generation
- Narrative-first documentation
- Cross-referencing control to commits
- Change logs as audit logs
- Version-controlled policies
- Self-attestation workflows
- Evidence retention windows
- Logging schema for Requirement 10
- Alerting tied to control failure
- Integration with Jira audit trails
Module 4. Network Segmentation and Trust Boundaries
Own the definition of segmentation that passes technical and auditor scrutiny.
12 chapters in this module
- Micro-segmentation strategy
- VPC boundary definitions
- Service mesh enforcement
- DNS isolation patterns
- East-west traffic control
- Firewall policy ownership
- Load balancer placement
- Metadata filtering rules
- Host-level firewall integration
- Network tap deployment
- Traffic mirroring for monitoring
- Segmentation testing routines
Module 5. Encryption Standards and Key Management
Make final decisions on cryptographic implementations that meet both engineering and compliance needs.
12 chapters in this module
- AES vs TLS 1.3 application
- Key storage architecture
- HSM integration models
- Threshold encryption setups
- Key rotation automation
- Access control for keys
- Audit logging for key use
- Key escrow considerations
- Certificate validation routines
- OCSP and CRL checks
- Self-signed cert policies
- Key lifecycle documentation
Module 6. Access Control and Identity Enforcement
Define and enforce access policies that satisfy Requirement 7 and 8 without review loops.
12 chapters in this module
- Role-based access design
- Attribute-based access rules
- Just-in-time access models
- MFA enforcement tiers
- SSO integration scope
- Service account hardening
- API key lifecycle
- Personal account segregation
- Break-glass access design
- Access review automation
- Privilege creep detection
- Logging access changes
Module 7. Logging, Monitoring, and Alerting
Own the logging schema and alert thresholds that fulfill Requirement 10 and support real-time oversight.
12 chapters in this module
- Log retention duration
- Log integrity mechanisms
- Centralized log aggregation
- Event filtering rules
- User activity tracking
- Admin action logging
- Failed login tracking
- Alert severity levels
- Real-time alert routing
- Log correlation strategies
- Automated log review
- Log export for auditors
Module 8. Vulnerability Management in Production Systems
Set scanning cadence, patching windows, and risk acceptance criteria independently.
12 chapters in this module
- Scan frequency decisions
- Critical vs high severity
- Patch window ownership
- Risk acceptance documentation
- False positive handling
- Third-party component tracking
- SBOM integration
- Zero-day response protocols
- Automated remediation
- Manual override conditions
- Escalation triggers
- Patch validation workflows
Module 9. Security Testing and Penetration Validation
Define the scope and method of internal and external testing cycles.
12 chapters in this module
- Pen test scope definition
- Internal vs external boundary
- Authenticated test access
- Automated scan inclusion
- Social engineering boundaries
- Test frequency decisions
- Reporting format standards
- Remediation tracking
- Deviation justification
- Repeat test criteria
- Results distribution list
- Executive summary ownership
Module 10. Policy Development and Internal Alignment
Draft and finalize internal policies that satisfy PCI DSS without requiring senior review.
12 chapters in this module
- Policy version control
- Scope definition language
- Enforcement mechanisms
- Policy exception handling
- Review cycle cadence
- Stakeholder notification
- Training material linkage
- Policy audit readiness
- Cross-team alignment
- Deviation tracking
- Automated compliance checks
- Policy sunset procedures
Module 11. Working with Assessors and Audit Cycles
Lead interactions with QSA firms and prepare evidence packages without dependency.
12 chapters in this module
- Pre-audit walkthrough design
- Evidence package assembly
- QSA communication protocol
- Control justification writing
- Gap response ownership
- Remediation sign-off
- Attestation of Compliance input
- Follow-up response authority
- Timeline negotiation
- Scope change requests
- Auditor query response
- Post-audit reporting
Module 12. Sustaining Compliance Through Change
Own continuous compliance during migrations, re-architecting, and scaling initiatives.
12 chapters in this module
- Change control integration
- CI/CD gate design
- Automated compliance checks
- New service onboarding
- Decommissioning controls
- Tech stack transitions
- Cloud migration compliance
- Hybrid environment rules
- Third-party integration
- Vendor compliance oversight
- Contractual evidence rights
- Exit strategy documentation
Before vs. after
Before
Relying on compliance teams to validate control designs and waiting for approvals on implementation details
After
Making final decisions on control architecture, documentation, and audit responses independently
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 4 hours per module, designed to be completed alongside active projects.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic compliance overviews, this course delivers decision-level authority on implementation choices aligned to PCI DSS, built for engineers who own real systems.
Frequently asked
Is this course focused on technical or policy compliance?
It’s focused on technical implementation, your authority to design, document, and sign off on controls in code and architecture.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Will this help me pass a PCI DSS audit?
Yes, by giving you the tools to build systems that satisfy requirements from the start, with documentation and ownership that hold up under review.
$199 one-time. Approximately 4 hours per module, designed to be completed alongside active projects..
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