EvidenceSheet
PCI DSS v4.0.1 · Req 4: Protect Cardholder Data in Transit

4.2.1.2 Wireless networks use strong cryptography

Any wireless network that either carries PAN or links into the CDE must follow recognised industry practice to implement strong cryptography for both authentication and transmission. Wireless setups should never drop back to a weaker protocol or to encryption strength below what strong cryptography requires; vendor documentation informs protocol and setting choices. Applicability: applies to every entity with such wireless networks; no further notes. Objective under the customized approach: cleartext PAN cannot be read or captured from wireless traffic.

Source: PCI DSS v4.0.1, 4.2.1.2. The statement above is our statement of the clause, read from the published text and cited so you can check it against the official text, not the instrument verbatim. Open PCI DSS v4.0.1 in the compliance library.

Version 4.0.1 is the active version; 4.0 has been retired. Appendix A1 applies only to multi-tenant service providers, A2 only to card-present POS POI terminals that still use SSL or early TLS, and A3 only when a payment brand or acquirer requires it. Which requirements apply to you follows your validation type.

4
artefacts
2
held by a system
0
at each review
easy
to go live
Identity provider / directory
where the evidence lives
teal = a system already holds it · olive = produced at each review. To go live: easy when half or more of the artefacts are already held by a system, moderate from a quarter to a half, hard below a quarter.

These are the artefacts auditors commonly ask for on this requirement, our guidance rather than text from the standard. Your assessor decides what is sufficient in your context, and asks for samples across the period when a report covers one.

system holds itEvidence a system already holds

  • Wireless controller or access point configuration showing the authentication method and encryption protocol in use · Identity provider / directory
  • Configuration evidence that legacy or downgraded wireless security modes are disabled · Cloud console / configuration management

periodic reviewEvidence produced at each review

none for this control

governing documentDocuments that govern the control

  • Inventory of wireless networks identifying those carrying PAN or connected to the CDE · Policy repository / GRC workspace
  • Vendor hardening guidance used to set the wireless cryptography options · Vendor register / contract repository

First move

Automate the pull from your Identity provider / directory. Scheduled export of users, roles and MFA state from the directory; access-review completion pulled from the IdP, not a spreadsheet.

Common gaps auditors find

Do this for your whole sheet

Paste the rows you run your controls from and get this mapping for every control at once, with the periodic-review ones flagged and a first move per row. No account for the first run.

Build my evidence sheet

4.2.1.1 Inventory of trusted transmission keys and certificates · 4.2.2 PAN secured when sent by end-user messaging