Best PCI PTS Compliance Testing Companies (2026)

PCI PTS (PIN Transaction Security) is a PCI Security Standards Council standard for the security of Point of Interaction (POI) payment devices, such as PIN entry devices, encrypting PIN pads, unattended payment terminals, and secure card readers. It governs the device's hardware and firmware: physical tamper resistance, secure cryptographic operations, and protection of PIN and account data within the device.

PCI DSS covers the cardholder data environment, the networks, systems, and processes that store, process, or transmit card data, and is what most penetration testing firms assess. PCI PTS is a device-level standard for the payment terminal hardware itself. A firm strong in PCI DSS testing is not automatically equipped for PCI PTS, which requires a hardware security lab and embedded device expertise.

It is hardware and embedded security testing of the payment device: physical and tamper-resistance attacks, side-channel analysis, fault injection, firmware extraction and review, cryptographic implementation analysis, and assessment of how the device protects PINs and account data. The goal is to find weaknesses against the PTS POI security requirements before, or in support of, formal approval.

Manufacturers of payment terminals and POI devices, and their suppliers, who need to reach or maintain PCI PTS approval to sell into the payments ecosystem. Acquirers and payment service providers may also commission device security testing as part of vendor due diligence.