PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards. They are requirements designed to make certain that all companies that process, store or transmit credit card information uphold a secure environment. A Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) was created to oversee the continued evolution of the Payment Card Industry to improve the security of vital information throughout the transaction process. The PCI SSC was developed by the major payment card brands Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and JCB.