PCI Council released in the December 2015 bulletin, extending the deadline for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/early Transport Layer Security (TLS) migration. Recently, the PCI Council announced it would publish a new version of the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) in early 2016 to include the revised migration dates and address changes in the threat and payment acceptance landscape.

PCI Council’s Chief Technology Officer Troy Leach talks on what to expect with the release of PCI DSS 3.2 and how organizations can start planning for it now.

Excerpt taken from the PCI Perspective Blog:

When will PCI DSS version 3.2 be released?

Troy Leach:  The Council will publish the revision in the first half of 2016 – we are aiming for the March/April timeframe. We will keep stakeholders informed as we move closer to that date.

Based on what you’re saying, there is no expectation of a PCI DSS release in November 2016?

Troy Leach: That’s correct. We are not planning any additional releases of PCI DSS during 2016. The version 3.2 release in the first half of 2016 replaces the expected fourth quarter 2016 release.

What changes are expected?

Troy Leach: When making changes to the standard, in addition to market feedback, we look closely at the threat landscape, and specifically what we are seeing in breach forensics reports as the trending attacks causing compromises. With this in mind, for 3.2 we are evaluating additional multi-factor authentication for administrators within a Cardholder Data Environment (CDE); incorporating some of the Designated Entities Supplemental Validation (DESV) criteria for service providers; clarifying masking criteria for primary account numbers (PAN) when displayed; and including the updated migration dates for SSL/early TLS that were published in December 2015.

How long will organizations have to move over to PCI DSS 3.2?

Troy Leach: As usual, there will be a transition period, and we will keep everyone informed as we approach publication. Version 3.2 will become effective as soon as it’s published, and version 3.1 will be retired three months later to allow organizations to complete PCI DSS v3.1 assessments already under way. Keep in mind, though, that new requirements always have a sunrise date prior to them being effective. This allows organizations to plan accordingly prior to validating to new PCI DSS requirements. The new requirements will be considered best practices for a sunrise period to be determined based on the release date.

As a reminder, the SSL/early TLS updates in PCI DSS v3.2 are those made public in December. Organizations can and should already be addressing this issue, starting with reviewing the Bulletin on Migrating from SSL and Early TLS  now for more information on where to begin with migration and taking advantage of the guidance and resources outlined.