Reviewed by Jeff Harms
Director, Advisory Services at OCD tech
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Updated Oct, 3
Discover if WooCommerce meets PCI DSS compliance standards to ensure secure online payments for your eCommerce store.
Director, Advisory Services at OCD tech
Updated Oct, 3
Guide
WooCommerce is not automatically PCI DSS compliant on its own; it requires proper server setup, secure coding practices, and integration with PCI compliant services to meet the standard.
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. WooCommerce, as an e-commerce platform built on WordPress, offers many functionalities, but its compliance with PCI DSS depends on how you configure the surrounding environment and integrate payment systems.
Shared Responsibility: The platform itself, including the website, hosting environment, and additional plugins, must be secured. This means that while WooCommerce provides secure tools, merchants need to implement proper security practices such as regular updates, secure hosting, and using PCI compliant payment gateways.
Data Handling and Storage: PCI DSS compliance involves strict policies on handling sensitive card data. Most compliant setups avoid the storage of sensitive card information on the WooCommerce site by using third-party payment processors who handle the data securely.
Payment Gateway Integration: When you integrate your WooCommerce store with a PCI compliant payment gateway, the responsibility of sensitive data handling shifts to that gateway rather than your website. This is crucial because WooCommerce can work securely when it only serves as a conduit for transactions.
Ongoing Security Measures: Achieving and maintaining PCI DSS compliance is not a one-time event. It involves periodic vulnerability scans, regular updates of plugins and themes, and continuous monitoring of the website. Working with specialized firms like OCD Tech can help assess your readiness and keep your environment secure.
In summary, using WooCommerce securely is fully possible and can be aligned with PCI DSS requirements when you ensure that the overall ecosystem—including hosting, payment processing, and website maintenance—is treated with the necessary security measures. For those seeking expert advice and thorough readiness assessments, partnering with OCD Tech can provide tailored guidance to help you meet the PCI DSS standards effectively.
What is...
Explore how WooCommerce integrates PCI DSS standards to ensure secure payment processing and protect customer data during online transactions.
WooCommerce is a powerful, open-source e-commerce plugin built for WordPress, designed to transform websites into fully functional online stores. In the context of PCI DSS compliance, WooCommerce offers the flexibility and modular security features essential for handling payment transactions securely. Its architecture enables merchants to implement secure payment gateways, robust encryption, and regular updates, all of which are critical for safeguarding sensitive cardholder data.
Implementing WooCommerce helps to:
PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a robust set of security requirements designed to protect cardholder data. For WooCommerce users, achieving PCI DSS compliance means your online store adheres to strict security measures that safeguard customer payment information and reduce data breach risks.
Ensuring WooCommerce PCI DSS compliance involves:
This not only enhances security but also builds customer trust.
For a detailed breakdown of the specific security configurations needed for compliance, our article provides a comprehensive walkthrough.
The first thing you should do is turn on multi-factor authentication. Our simple guide shows you how to do it in just a few minutes.
OCD Tech offers a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity and IT assurance services, including SOC 2/3 and SOC for Cybersecurity reporting, IT vulnerability and penetration testing, privileged access management, social engineering assessments, virtual CISO (vCISO) support, IT general controls audits, WISP development, and compliance assistance for frameworks like CMMC, DFARS, and FTC Safeguards.
OCD Tech specializes in serving highly regulated sectors such as financial services, government, higher education, auto dealerships, enterprise organizations, and not-for-profits throughout New England.
Typically, OCD Tech’s on-site work spans 1–2 days, depending on complexity and number of sites, followed by 1–2 weeks of analysis and reporting to deliver clear, actionable recommendations.
SOC 2 reporting demonstrates to clients and prospects that an organization follows best-in-class controls over security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy—boosting trust, meeting RFP/due diligence requirements, and helping secure contracts. OCD Tech helps organizations achieve and maintain this compliance.
Yes—OCD Tech provides guidance for compliance with DFARS (NIST 800‑171), CMMC (Levels 1–3), and FTC Safeguards, ensuring organizations meet specific government or industry-based cybersecurity mandates.
A virtual CISO delivers strategic, executive-level cybersecurity leadership as a service. OCD Tech’s vCISO service is ideal for organizations lacking a full-time CISO and helps build programs, define policy, oversee risk, and guide security maturity.
Absolutely. OCD Tech provides tailored internal IT Audit training and security awareness sessions, plus annual reviews of Written Information Security Programs (WISP), such as Massachusetts 201 CMR 17 and other state or industry-specific controls.
Audit. Security. Assurance.
IT Audit | Cybersecurity | IT Assurance | IT Security Consultants – OCD Tech is a technology consulting firm serving the IT security and consulting needs of businesses in Boston (MA), Braintree (MA) and across New England. We primarily serve Fortune 500 companies including auto dealers, financial institutions, higher education, government contractors, and not-for-profit organizations with SOC 2 reporting, CMMC readiness, IT Security Audits, Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessments. We also provide dark web monitoring, DFARS compliance, and IT general controls review.
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OCD Tech
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25 BHOP, Suite 407, Braintree MA, 02184
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844-623-8324
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https://ocd-tech.com
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SOC Reporting Services
– SOC 2 ® Readiness Assessment
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– SOC for Cybersecurity ®
IT Advisory Services
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– CMMC
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