Understanding PCI Security Awareness Training with a Leading IT Firm in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, United States - December 31, 2025 / Protek Support - Managed IT Services Company Salt Lake City /

Salt Lake City’s Leading IT Company Guide to PCI Security Awareness Training

PCI security awareness training teaches employees how to handle payment card data in a safe and compliant way. The training follows the requirements in the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which sets rules for protecting cardholder information.

“PCI DSS applies to any organization that processes credit card information. That’s a wide scope, so there is a high chance it applies to you. Besides, even if it doesn’t, the principles of PCI DSS are overall a good thing for your cybersecurity posture.” – Cameron Rose, Cybersecurity and Compliance Analyst, Protek

Businesses that store, process, or transmit credit card data need PCI security awareness training. This includes any company that accepts card payments through a point of sale system, an online checkout, a mobile reader, or a recurring billing tool.

Some organizations fall under PCI requirements without realizing it. Any business that uses third-party platforms to handle card transactions still has shared responsibility for protecting payment information. For example, non-profit organizations, local clubs, and small service providers can fall into PCI scope when they collect donations or payments with card readers or online forms.

Clearly, PCI applies to a wide range of organizations, and there’s a strong chance your team is required to complete PCI security awareness training. In this blog, a leading IT company in Salt Lake City explains why PCI training is required and outlines the key elements your program should include to meet compliance requirements and reduce risk.

A Quick Overview of The PCI Framework

Just as a recap, the PCI framework sets clear rules for how organizations must handle payment card information. It guides how companies store, process, and transmit card data with strong controls that reduce risk.

The framework covers areas like network protection, access control, and ongoing monitoring. Organizations follow these requirements to protect sensitive payment details and complete regular reviews that confirm their systems meet the expected standards.

Is PCI Training a Requirement to Meet Compliance?

PCI training is a requirement to meet compliance standards. More specifically, PCI DSS v4.0 states in Requirement 12.6 that organizations must train employees when they join the company and provide ongoing training to keep everyone aware of their responsibilities for protecting cardholder data.

What You Should Include In Your PCI Security Training Program

Although PCI enforces training to meet compliance, it does not enforce any specific training modules in your program. So, you may be left wondering what your training sessions should include. Here are some ideas on what you must cover.

What Counts as Cardholder Data

This may seem obvious, but it may not always be. So, you will need to train your employees on what qualifies as cardholder data. This information includes primary account number, expiration date, cardholder name, service code, and authentication data.

Additionally, some people may understand that the information is cardholder data, but may not take the security implications of it seriously. For example, many people think the expiration date is harmless on its own. Yet, the Moneris “Card Information Security” guide notes that expiry dates are deliberately not printed on receipts to reduce fraudulent card use.

Use of Payment & Processing Systems

Explain proper configuration and use of payment devices, terminals, and software approved for card data processing. Emphasize that employees must avoid using non-approved tools or changing default settings. This helps satisfy PCI requirements for secure system configurations.

Access Control

Train staff to use unique user IDs and secure authentication whenever they access systems that handle cardholder data. Stress that account sharing or using default credentials undermines auditability and raises risks.

Data Storage & Transmission

Cover requirements such as encryption of stored cardholder data, limiting storage time, and encrypting data during transmission across networks. Emphasize why storing or transmitting data without encryption or longer than necessary increases risks.

IT Network & System Configuration

Seeing as 90% of data breaches are tied to a misconfiguration, this training is particularly important. Educate staff about proper network settings, including firewalls, secure router settings, disabling default accounts, and restricting unnecessary services. Explain how misconfigurations can open the door for attackers to reach cardholder data.

Threat Recognition

Teach employees to identify signs of phishing emails, social engineering attempts, suspicious system behavior, or other threats targeting cardholder data. Explain why attackers often target people rather than technical vulnerabilities. Training on this helps reduce the risk of human-initiated incidents that could compromise compliance.

Incident Reporting & Response Procedures

Explain the steps employees must take if they suspect unauthorized access, data loss, or unusual activity. Clarify who they should contact and what information they must provide. This helps your organization react quickly, limit damage, and build compliance documentation as required by PCI DSS.

Secure Disposal

Teach staff the policies around how long cardholder data may be stored, when it should be purged, and how to dispose of physical records or digital files securely. Explain why keeping data longer than necessary or disposing of it carelessly can compromise cardholder data. Following these practices aligns with PCI DSS data minimization guidelines.

Policy Familiarity

Ensure new hires receive PCI training at onboarding and require annual refreshers for all staff, as required under PCI DSS. Include sign-off procedures confirming that staff have read and understood relevant security policies.

How Often Should You Hold PCI Security Awareness Training Sessions?

You should provide PCI security awareness training at least once each year. PCI DSS does not require a specific schedule beyond this annual baseline, although it expects consistent education that strengthens your organization’s ability to meet its obligations.

Many organizations hold additional sessions during major technology changes. These sessions help clarify new responsibilities, updated workflows, or new tools used to manage payment data. Some groups also schedule short refreshers after policy updates or when new threats emerge in the payment environment.

The Benefits of Providing PCI Training Other Than Meeting Compliance Standards

Stronger Customer Trust

Training helps your team handle cardholder data with more care, which builds stronger confidence in how your organization manages payments. Customers feel more comfortable working with a company that shows consistent skill and attention to detail. This trust supports stronger relationships and encourages repeat business.

Lower Operational Risk

Staff members who understand PCI requirements make fewer mistakes with payment information, which reduces avoidable disruptions. These improvements help your organization stay stable even when challenges arise. Your daily operations will run smoothly because your team knows how to prevent errors before they start.

Better Internal Processes

PCI training helps employees follow clear steps for storing and accessing payment data, which leads to more organized workflows. These improved routines reduce confusion and make tasks easier to complete. Your team works with greater accuracy, which supports a more reliable environment.

Here are a few examples of unrelated business processes that could be improved when handled by employees who adhere to PCI DSS best practices.

Process	Why It’s Improved by Staff Following PCI DSS Best Practices
*Document handling*	Employees follow clear steps, which reduces errors when creating, storing, or sharing internal records.
*Inventory logging*	Staff complete entries with more accuracy because they work with a stronger sense of accountability.
*Client intake workflows*	Teams follow structured steps and avoid shortcuts, which lowers the chance of missing important details.
*Vendor invoice processing*	Employees apply careful review habits, which will reduce mistakes in payment requests and approvals.
*Access control procedures*	Workers stay consistent with verification steps, which supports a more controlled environment.

Faster Issue Response

When employees understand how payment systems should behave, they spot unusual activity more quickly. This awareness helps your team act sooner and limit the impact on your operations. Faster action keeps your systems steady and reduces the time spent on recovery.

Improved Employee Awareness

Training teaches employees what to look for when handling payment information, which helps them catch risky behavior early. This awareness lowers the chance of preventable problems that interrupt work. Your staff becomes more confident in identifying threats and responding effectively.

Stronger Vendor Oversight

A well-trained team can ask the right questions about how vendors handle payment data. This knowledge helps your organization choose partners who follow trustworthy practices. You gain more control over payment-related tasks that fall outside your systems.

More Accurate Technology Use

Employees who receive PCI training understand how to use payment tools correctly, which reduces configuration errors. These improvements help your systems run consistently without unnecessary downtime. Your technical environment becomes more reliable because your team knows how to use it as intended.

Smoother Audits & Reviews

Teams that follow strong PCI practices maintain better records throughout the year. These habits make audits easier because the required information is already in place. Your organization completes reviews faster and with fewer complications.

Ask Salt Lake City’s Leading IT Company About Your PCI Security Training Program

Protek supports organizations that need to align with PCI requirements by helping them understand the controls, documentation, and technical standards involved in PCI DSS. As an experienced IT firm in Salt Lake City, we provide guidance on the key elements a strong PCI security awareness program should include, ensuring training aligns with real operational needs.

Our team walks you through how payment information flows through your systems, identifies areas that require stronger controls, and outlines practical training topics that help reduce risk in day-to-day operations.

Reach out to our experts today to learn more about strengthening PCI security awareness across your organization.