AWS PCI Data Exposure Prevention

Learn how to prevent exposure of PCI data in AWS environments. Follow step-by-step guidance for PCI-DSS compliance and data protection.

data exposure

PCI-DSS

aws

Why It Matters

The core goal is to proactively secure every location where payment card information is stored within your AWS environment, preventing unintended exposures before they become compliance violations or data breaches. Implementing comprehensive PCI data protection in AWS is essential for organizations subject to PCI-DSS, as it helps you maintain cardholder data security requirements and avoid costly penalties.

Primary Risk: Data exposure of payment card information

Relevant Regulation: PCI-DSS Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard

A thorough prevention strategy delivers immediate security controls, laying the foundation for automated policy enforcement and ongoing PCI compliance.

Prerequisites

Permissions & Roles

  • AWS admin or IAM role with security permissions
  • S3, RDS, DynamoDB, and KMS access
  • Ability to configure AWS Config and CloudTrail

External Tools

  • AWS CLI or CloudFormation
  • Cyera DSPM account
  • API credentials

Prior Setup

  • AWS account with services provisioned
  • KMS keys configured
  • CloudTrail logging enabled
  • Network security groups configured

Introducing Cyera

Cyera is a modern Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform that discovers, classifies, and continuously monitors your sensitive data across cloud services. By leveraging advanced AI and Natural Language Recognition (NER) models, Cyera automatically identifies PCI data patterns in AWS, applies appropriate security controls, and ensures you maintain PCI-DSS compliance in real time while preventing accidental exposures.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Configure AWS security foundations

Enable AWS Config, CloudTrail, and GuardDuty across all regions. Create dedicated KMS keys for PCI data encryption and establish least-privilege IAM policies.

aws kms create-key --description "PCI-DSS-Data-Key" --key-usage ENCRYPT_DECRYPT

2
Deploy automated data protection policies

In the Cyera portal, navigate to Policies → Data Protection → Add new. Configure automated encryption, access controls, and data retention policies specifically for PCI data across S3, RDS, and DynamoDB.

3
Implement network segmentation

Create isolated VPCs for PCI workloads, configure security groups with minimal required access, and implement WAF rules. Set up VPC Flow Logs and integrate with your monitoring stack.

4
Enable continuous monitoring and alerting

Configure real-time alerts for PCI data access attempts, policy violations, and configuration changes. Set up automated remediation workflows to immediately respond to security events and maintain compliance posture.

Architecture & Workflow

AWS Data Services

S3, RDS, DynamoDB storing PCI data

Cyera AI Engine

Applies NER models and pattern detection

Security Controls

KMS, IAM, Security Groups, NACLs

Monitoring & Response

CloudTrail, GuardDuty, automated remediation

Protection Flow Summary

Discover PCI Data → Apply Policies → Monitor Access → Auto-Remediate

Best Practices & Tips

Encryption Strategy

  • Use separate KMS keys for PCI data
  • Enable encryption at rest and in transit
  • Implement envelope encryption for large datasets

Access Control

  • Implement least-privilege access principles
  • Use temporary credentials where possible
  • Enable MFA for all PCI data access

Common Pitfalls

  • Forgetting about data in CloudWatch logs
  • Over-broad IAM policies for convenience
  • Neglecting cross-region data replication security

References & Further Reading

Next Steps

🔍 Detect: Scan for existing PCI data exposures 🔧 Fix: Remediate discovered PCI data violations