Make PCI boring.
On purpose.
Nothing calms an audit like evidence that isn’t improvised.
Nothing calms an audit like evidence that isn’t improvised.
Architecture everyone remembers differently
Ask three people how card data moves through the system and you’ll get three answers, which is exactly how scope balloons and audit conversations spiral.
Evidence that exists… just not in one place
Diagrams live in old decks, risk decisions live in Slack, and PCI documentation lives somewhere else entirely, making simple auditor questions take days to answer.
Controls that work but are hard to explain
Security controls exist for good reasons, but without design context they look arbitrary on paper and turn “this is secure” into a debate.
PCI-DSS scope that keeps quietly growing
Unclear data flows and undocumented integrations pull more systems into scope every year, whether they deserve to be there or not.
Design decisions that were never written down
Risk calls made during fast-moving builds now have to be reconstructed under pressure, usually by people who weren’t in the room at the time.
Engineering teams getting pulled in too late
When PCI questions show up during audit week, engineers lose time explaining past work instead of shipping new features, and everyone feels it.
Compliance mapping without manual cross-checking
Design reviews and risk findings are mapped directly to PCI-DSS requirements, so evidence lines up with controls without spreadsheets, guessing, or rework.
Clear PCI scope that holds up
Card data flows are documented from real system designs, so in-scope and out-of-scope systems stay clear and defensible when auditors start asking questions.
Evidence that matches how systems actually work
Architecture, risks, and controls stay aligned with reality instead of drifting apart, which keeps PCI conversations grounded and short.
Controls that are easy to explain
Security decisions are backed by design context, making it straightforward to explain why each PCI control exists and why it’s appropriate for the risk.
Fewer interruptions for engineering teams
PCI questions get answered from existing design evidence, keeping engineers focused on shipping instead of revisiting decisions from months ago.
Audits that feel routine
When documentation, scope, and risk decisions are already in place, audit week becomes a review of facts instead of a scramble to explain gaps.
Controls covered
Requirement 1 – Install and maintain network security controls
Requirement 2 – Apply secure configurations to all system components
Requirement 3 – Protect stored cardholder data
Requirement 6 – Develop and maintain secure systems and software
Requirement 7 – Restrict access to system components and cardholder data by business need
Requirement 10 – Log and monitor all access to system components and cardholder data
Requirement 12 – Support information security with organizational policies and risk management
