How Snyk Learn Helps You Meet PCI DSS v4.0 Developer Training Requirements

As businesses strive to secure sensitive cardholder data and stay compliant with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) v4.0.1, one of the most overlooked areas is developer training. The latest version of the PCI DSS places clear emphasis on ensuring developers are not only residually aware of security best practices, but are actively trained to build secure software and detect vulnerabilities.

This is where Snyk Learn comes in. Swooping in to rescue developers tired of long training modules and irrelevant information. 

Understanding PCI DSS v4.0.1 controls

To start, it is important to understand what PCI DSS demands from developers. The essential controls that Snyk Learn can help to address are mainly 6.2.2, 6.2.3, and 6.2.4, which outline training, software release, and software engineering requirements. 

Here is how PCI DSS outlines these requirements:

• 6.2.2 Software development personnel working on bespoke and custom software are trained at least once every 12 months as follows:

  • Security relevant to their job function.

  • Secure coding practices relevant to the languages used.

  • Use of security testing tools to detect vulnerabilities.

• 6.2.3 Bespoke and custom software is reviewed prior to being released into production or to customers, to identify and correct potential coding vulnerabilities, as follows:

  • Code reviews ensure code is developed according to secure coding guidelines.

  • Code reviews look for both existing and emerging software vulnerabilities.

  • Appropriate corrections are implemented prior to release.

• 6.2.4 Software engineering techniques or other methods are defined and in use by software development personnel to prevent or mitigate common software attacks and related vulnerabilities in bespoke and custom software.

Why developer training is a challenge

Developers are busy! They work hard to ensure a company's thriving, using all the most up-to-date methods, and as a result, they want relevant, just-in-time content in an easily digestible format. 

Annual security training tends to be generic, outdated, and unengaging, and many programs don't track progress or tie into secure coding tools. With so much on their plates, hefty training modules produce only frustration and often do not ensure long-lasting retention.

Snyk Learn was designed to solve exactly these problems. 

Our platform suggests specific lessons linked to the mistakes developers are making in their own code. The suggestions are personalized and reinforce the weaknesses of each individual, allowing the company to assign certain lessons to fill in the gaps, but having most of the learning be real-time and relevant. The lessons themselves are:

1. Just-in-time, popping up within their environment as Snyk detects actual vulnerabilities in their code.

2. Interactive, with coding examples and practice sections embedded in each topic.

3. Digestible, taking a reasonable amount of time to complete (~20 mins) and balancing technicality with easy-to-consume language.

4. Trackable, with each developer having their own account that tracks their progress and completions. Not to mention, each lesson includes a quiz that allows the learner to apply their knowledge rather than regurgitate information. 

How Snyk Learn supports PCI DSS compliance

6.2.2

Snyk Learn offers:

• Relevant lessons: Security concepts are tied directly to real-world attacks (XSS, SQL injection, insecure deserialization, and hardcoded secrets) and focus on the mistakes developers are actively making.

• Relevant languages: Secure coding practices for popular languages such as Python, JavaScript, Java, Go, and more. 

• Security tools: Training on tools like Snyk Code, Snyk Open Source, and static analysis to detect vulnerabilities.

6.2.3

Snyk Learn offers:

• Software reviews: Code is reviewed during development, and lessons are provided to prevent repetition of the same mistakes. 

• Up-to-date learning paths: The lessons comply with OWASP security standards, including responsible use of Open-Source software, API security, LLM and GenAI, and the Top 10 Security Risks. 

• Alignment with NIST NICE framework: In general, our developer-first cybersecurity education platform is aligned with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Framework. The Snyk developer security platform also supports 10+ compliance standards, including NIST, CIS Benchmarks for AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and more. 

Through continuous monitoring across your cloud/IaC environments and ongoing mapping to industry benchmarks and compliance standards, Snyk provides meaningful evidence to help teams prepare for audit and achieve regulatory compliance.

6.2.4

6.2.4 lists common software attacks as 1. Injection attacks, 2. Attacks on data and data structures, 3. Attacks on cryptography usage, 4. Attacks on business logic (abusing and bypassing application features/functions), 5. Access control mechanisms, and 6. ‘High-risk’ vulnerabilities.

Snyk Learn offers the following relevant lessons:

1. Snyk Learn covers injection attacks in detail, including Prompt, ELI, PHP object, XPath, NoSQL, SQL, Code, etc. Injections. 

2. For securing data and data structures, relevant Snyk lessons include Improper Input Validation, Vector and Embedding Weaknesses in LLMs, System Prompt Leakage in LLMs, etc. 

3. Snyk prioritizes using pertinent cryptography methods and properly implementing them. For example, this lesson discusses encryption and its importance.

4. As mentioned in section 6.2.3, we offer an entire learning path on OWASP Top 10 API security. We also have a lesson dedicated to Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) and many other relevant topics.   

5. Synk Learn recognizes and highlights access control worries and offers lessons on topics, anywhere from properly importing projects to personally identifiable information to broken authentication.   

6. Finally, again, Snyk offers various OWASP top 10 learning paths, and identifies its own Top 10 ‘high-risk’ vulnerabilities in the Snyk Top 10 learning path. Not to mention, we keep our content compliant with Computer Emergency Response Team advisories. 

Training is a key to security adoption

As the threat landscape evolves with AI-driven attacks becoming more prevalent, the importance of developer training in maintaining PCI DSS compliance cannot be overstated. It’s crucial that you implement developer training available that is contextualized within development workflows, allowing your teams to learn about relevant vulnerabilities impacting their own code the moment they arise. Shifting security initiatives like developer education earlier in the SDLC drastically reduces the chance that vulnerabilities will make it into production, ensuring your customers’ PII is safe from threats and helping you meet PCI DSS requirements.

Interested in getting started with Snyk Learn for your team? Start by taking one of our free, on-demand classes today. With Snyk on your side, developers are sure to walk away with more useful, interesting, and long-lasting education.