PCI compliance documentation and policies documented
Why it matters
PCI-DSS 4.0 Req 12.1 requires that an overall information security policy exists and is reviewed at least annually; Req 12.3 mandates a targeted risk analysis process documented for each requirement. Without a compliance documentation file that states your SAQ type and CDE scope, you cannot demonstrate PCI compliance to an auditor, a payment processor, or an enterprise customer requesting your AOC. ISO 27001:2022 A.5.1 and SOC 2 CC2.2 both require written policies before any technical controls are assessed. A project with good technical controls but no documentation fails a PCI audit regardless of its actual security posture.
Severity rationale
High because the absence of a documented SAQ type and CDE scope means no audit trail exists for your compliance posture — you cannot satisfy a QSA assessment or payment processor inquiry regardless of your technical controls.
Remediation
Create docs/pci-compliance.md that explicitly states your SAQ type, CDE scope, and covers at minimum: network segmentation approach, encryption method, access controls, logging retention, incident response reference, and vendor compliance. This is the document a QSA will ask for first.
# PCI DSS Compliance Documentation
## SAQ Type: SAQ A — Fully outsourced to Stripe (Level 1 PCI DSS)
## CDE Scope: Minimal — no direct card data. Tokens only.
## Assessment Date: 2026-02-15 Next: 2027-02-15
### Data Protection
All PANs handled by Stripe. App stores payment method IDs (pm_*) only.
### Access Control
Admin access requires MFA (TOTP via Supabase). RBAC documented in docs/rbac.md.
Link this file from your README and reference it in your incident response and vendor compliance docs so the compliance picture is navigable from a single entry point.
DetectionPro
The detection method for this pattern is part of AuditBuffet Pro.
The full method (what to look for, pass and fail conditions, and how results get reported) ships inside the PCI Compliance Audit. The pattern definition, severity rationale, and remediation remain openly licensed under CC-BY-4.0.
External references
- pci-dss:4.0 · Req 12.1 — A comprehensive information security policy is known and current
- pci-dss:4.0 · Req 12.3 — Risks to the cardholder data environment are formally identified, evaluated, and managed
- iso-27001:2022 · A.5.1 — Policies for information security
- soc2:2017 · CC2.2 — Communicates Information
Taxons
History
- 2026-04-18·v1.0.0·Initial import from ecommerce-pci·automated