atsec organized the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Training workshop on June 4–5, 2026 in Beijing, and it was a great success. The two-day training session featured not only four experienced consultants and assessors from atsec, but also a special guest presentation by a senior expert from Mastercard. The workshop attracted numerous professionals from the payment industry and the information security sector who engaged in in-depth study and discussion centered on the Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standards framework, the latest standard updates, and compliance practices, with the aim of helping entities build secure and compliant payment environments.
The workshop began with an atsec senior consultant introducing the PCI standards family, industry dynamics, and various payment brand validation systems, laying a solid theoretical foundation for the two-day session. Following this, two experts from Mastercard delivered an insightful presentation titled “Direct Partnership with Mastercard: Exploring New Opportunities After PCI Certification,” which elaborated on acquiring and risk management. Starting from the traditional four‑party transaction model, it highlighted the significance of Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance in safeguarding data security throughout the transaction chain and reducing risk control costs. The speakers also offered a clear and accessible discussion on the added value of compliance for business and long‑term development, which sparked lively conversation among the participants.
Throughout the training, atsec senior consultants and Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) shared their expertise on defining and streamlining the Cardholder Data Environment (CDE) scope, as well as provided an in‑depth analysis of the latest PCI DSS standards, with key topics including cardholder data protection, software lifecycle security, and network & system security. On the second day, atsec continued with sessions on information security management systems, access control, and physical security, followed by detailed explanations of vulnerability management, security testing, and the implementation strategies for the latest PCI DSS v4.0.1. These sessions deepened participants’ understanding of the standards, preparing them for the practical application challenges in the afternoon.
The training also provided an opportunity to share the latest standards and technology development trends, and to engage in discussions with attending experts on how to better advance the evolution of global payment security standards and technologies. Before the PCI SE written qualification exam, atsec instructors organized group discussions for students on specific case studies, where participants actively engaged in exploring how to better achieve security compliance across various scenarios.
Over the two days of training, participants systematically mastered the core requirements and implementation approaches of PCI DSS v4.0.1, in turn providing the industry with a new cohort of professionals with Payment Card Industry Security Engineer (PCI SE) qualifications, and atsec couldn’t be prouder of everyone who attended. Beyond just the qualifications, it established a platform for in‑depth communication and collaboration across all parties in the payment chain. atsec will continue to promote high‑quality training events and looks forward to seeing participants bring what they have learned back to their respective organizations, working together to build a more secure, trustworthy, and sustainable environment for payment development.
