If you've ever taken a credit card as payment for anything, then you've probably heard of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). This defines a set of requirements for merchants and service providers to protect their customers' payment card data. The importance of PCI DSS lies in the fact that it helps to protect sensitive data which could have huge ramifications should it fall into the wrong hands. This includes information such as credit card numbers, names, addresses, and other personally identifiable information.