Understanding PCI DSS: protecting donor data and online donations PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. It is an international security standard created by the major payment card networks — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and JCB — to protect cardholder data and reduce fraud. The PCI DSS standard defines a set of security rules and technical as well as organisational requirements that apply to any organisation that stores, processes, or transmits p...