What does the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) regulate?

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) specifically pertains to the security standards required for organizations that handle credit card transactions. Its primary aim is to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment to protect against data breaches and fraud. This includes strict requirements around network security, data protection, and regular monitoring to minimize the risk of cyber threats related to payment card information.

While other areas such as patient data privacy and communication systems are critical in the healthcare sector, they fall under different regulations such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) rather than PCI DSS. The regulation of insurance claims processes also does not relate to PCI DSS, as that is governed by different rules concerning the healthcare reimbursement landscape. Thus, the focus on credit card processing and the measures to secure this sensitive financial data is what defines the scope of PCI DSS.