The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. This guide outlines how to maintain PCI compliance on WooCommerce and Shopify ecommerce websites.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a highly customizable, open-source ecommerce platform built on WordPress. Here's how to maintain PCI compliance:

1. Use a PCI DSS Compliant Payment Gateway:

A key step to achieving PCI compliance with WooCommerce is to use a compliant payment gateway. Many popular options, such as Stripe and PayPal, are PCI compliant.

2. Secure Your Site with HTTPS:

Ensure that your site uses HTTPS for all pages, not just the checkout. This will encrypt data between the user's browser and your site. You can get an SSL certificate from several sources, including your hosting provider.

3. Regularly Update and Patch Your System:

Make sure your WordPress and WooCommerce versions, plugins, and themes are always up to date. Updates often include security patches that protect against known vulnerabilities.

4. Limit and Monitor Access:

Limit administrative access to your website. Use strong, unique passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and carefully monitor who has access to sensitive information.

5. Use a Secure Hosting Provider:

Choose a hosting provider that emphasizes security and supports PCI compliance.

For more details, refer to the WooCommerce guide on PCI compliance 

Shopify

Unlike WooCommerce, Shopify is a hosted ecommerce platform. Since Shopify hosts all online stores on its platform, it handles many aspects of PCI compliance for you.

1. Use Shopify's PCI Compliant System:

Shopify is certified Level 1 PCI DSS compliant. This compliance extends by default to all stores powered by Shopify.

2. Choose PCI Compliant Payment Providers:

While Shopify's platform is PCI compliant, you still need to ensure that any external payment gateways you use also comply with PCI standards.

3. Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication:

Just as with WooCommerce, it's important to secure your store's backend access. Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication for an additional layer of security.

4. Regularly Monitor and Update Your Store:

Ensure that all apps or customizations you add to your store do not introduce any security vulnerabilities. Regularly monitor your store for any unusual or suspicious activity.

For more information, refer to Shopify’s PCI compliance information page

Please note, while WooCommerce and Shopify have built-in measures to help achieve PCI compliance, it is ultimately the responsibility of the merchant to ensure their specific business practices and website are fully compliant. We recommend consulting with a qualified security assessor (QSA) or your legal team to ensure full compliance with all relevant standards. As always, if you need further assistance, please reach out to our support team.