DNS Monitoring for PCI DSS Compliance

DNS in Your Cardholder Data Environment

Your DNS records route traffic to payment pages, API endpoints, and backend systems that process cardholder data. A compromised DNS record can redirect transactions to an attacker-controlled server. A misconfigured record can expose internal services. PCI DSS treats DNS as part of the network infrastructure that must be secured, monitored, and documented.

Relevant PCI DSS Requirements

Requirement 1 — Network Security Controls

PCI DSS requires controls to protect the network components in the cardholder data environment. DNS is a foundational network service. ZoneWatcher monitors your DNS records continuously and alerts you to any changes, helping you maintain visibility over the network-layer configuration that directs traffic to your payment infrastructure.

Requirement 10 — Log and Monitor All Access

Logging mechanisms and the ability to track user activities are critical for preventing, detecting, and minimizing the impact of a compromise. ZoneWatcher records every DNS change with full detail — what changed, the previous value, the new value, and when the change was detected. This audit trail is retained and available for your assessor during PCI DSS evaluations.

Requirement 11 — Test Security of Systems and Networks Regularly

Regular testing must include detection of unauthorized wireless access points and changes to the environment. ZoneWatcher's automated monitoring serves as a continuous check on your DNS configuration, detecting unauthorized modifications that could indicate a compromise of your cardholder data environment. WHOIS monitoring also tracks changes to domain registration data.

Requirement 12 — Organizational Policies and Programs

Security policies must address incident response procedures. ZoneWatcher's real-time alerting on DNS changes feeds directly into your incident response workflow. When an unauthorized change is detected, your team is notified through email, Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Discord, enabling timely investigation and response.

Evidence for Your QSA

During a PCI DSS assessment, your Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) needs evidence that your monitoring controls are operational. ZoneWatcher provides:

• Continuous monitoring logs for all DNS records in your cardholder data environment
• A timestamped history of every change detected across your domains
• Evidence of alerting through configurable notification channels
• TLS/SSL certificate monitoring via Certificate Transparency logs
• DNS record exports for backup and comparison purposes

This evidence is generated automatically. There's no manual process to schedule before an assessment — the monitoring and logging run continuously as part of your normal operations.