Azure PCI Data Exposure Prevention

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

unencrypted sensitive data

PCI-DSS

azure

Why It Matters

The core goal is to implement preventive controls that stop PCI data from being exposed in your Azure environment before it becomes a compliance violation or security breach. Proactively securing payment card data in Azure is essential for organizations subject to PCI-DSS, as it helps you maintain the highest standards of data protection and avoid costly penalties—mitigating the risk of unencrypted sensitive data exposure.

Primary Risk: Unencrypted sensitive data exposure

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

A comprehensive prevention strategy establishes secure-by-default configurations, automated policy enforcement, and continuous monitoring to maintain PCI compliance.

Prerequisites

Permissions & Roles

  • Azure Security Administrator or Contributor
  • Key Vault Administrator privileges
  • Policy Contributor role for Azure Policy

External Tools

  • Azure CLI or PowerShell
  • Cyera DSPM account
  • Azure Resource Manager templates

Prior Setup

  • Azure subscription with appropriate quotas
  • Microsoft Defender for Cloud enabled
  • Azure Key Vault provisioned
  • Network security groups configured

Introducing Cyera

Cyera is a modern Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform that uses advanced AI and machine learning models, including Named Entity Recognition (NER) and pattern detection algorithms, to automatically discover, classify, and protect sensitive PCI data across Azure services. By continuously monitoring your Azure environment, Cyera ensures that payment card data remains encrypted, properly segmented, and compliant with PCI-DSS requirements in real time.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Configure Azure Key Vault encryption

Establish customer-managed keys (CMK) in Azure Key Vault for all services that will handle PCI data. Enable automatic key rotation and set appropriate access policies.

az keyvault create --name MyPCIKeyVault --resource-group MyResourceGroup --enable-purge-protection

2
Implement network segmentation

Create dedicated virtual networks and subnets for PCI workloads. Configure Network Security Groups (NSGs) with restrictive rules and implement Azure Private Link for database connections.

3
Deploy Cyera data protection policies

In the Cyera portal, navigate to Policies → Prevention → Add new. Configure real-time scanning rules that automatically encrypt PCI data at rest and in transit, with immediate alerts for policy violations.

4
Enable continuous monitoring and compliance

Activate Microsoft Defender for Cloud PCI-DSS compliance dashboard and integrate with Cyera's AI-powered monitoring. Set up automated remediation workflows for common misconfigurations.

Architecture & Workflow

Azure Key Vault

Centralized key management and encryption

Network Security Groups

Traffic filtering and access control

Cyera AI Engine

Real-time data classification and protection

Microsoft Defender

Security posture assessment and compliance

Prevention Flow Summary

Classify Data → Apply Encryption → Enforce Policies → Monitor Compliance

Best Practices & Tips

Encryption Standards

  • Use AES-256 encryption for all PCI data
  • Implement encryption at rest and in transit
  • Regularly rotate encryption keys

Access Control

  • Implement least-privilege access principles
  • Use Azure AD Privileged Identity Management
  • Enable multi-factor authentication

Common Pitfalls

  • Storing PCI data in unencrypted Azure Storage
  • Overly permissive network security groups
  • Neglecting to secure backup and disaster recovery

References & Further Reading

Next Steps

🔍 Detect: Scan for existing PCI data exposure 🔧 Fix: Remediate identified PCI data vulnerabilities