PCI DSS Cardholder Data Protection With Automated Redaction

Cardholder data does not only live inside payment systems. It spreads through everyday content.

A customer reads their card number over the phone. The call is recorded. A transcript is generated. An agent pastes details into a ticket. A refund form is emailed. A chargeback file is uploaded. Now, payment data exists in places that were never designed to store it.

PCI DSS compliance includes many controls across security and operations. This article focuses on one practical, high-impact control that helps in the real world: automated redaction.
Redaction removes cardholder data from unstructured content, so you lower exposure, reduce risk, and make compliance easier to manage.

Who this guide is for

This guide is written for teams that touch payments as part of customer operations, not just the payment gateway team. If you manage recorded calls, customer support workflows, or compliance evidence, you have likely seen how fast sensitive data can spread. You also know how hard it is to control once it is copied across tools.

It is especially relevant for:

• Contact center leaders managing call recordings and QA programs
• Compliance and risk teams are responsible for PCI controls and audit readiness
• Security and IT teams are trying to stop card data sprawl
• BPOs and payment operations teams handling high-volume customer interactions

If your teams handle payments through calls, chats, emails, or documents, this guide will help you build a redaction-first protection workflow that is practical to run.

Try VIDIZMO Redactor free to automatically remove cardholder data from call recordings, transcripts, and documents, and reduce PCI DSS exposure from day one.

What PCI DSS cares about in simple terms

PCI DSS exists to protect cardholder data wherever it is stored, processed, or transmitted. The challenge is that modern organizations create large amounts of content, and card data can appear in that content without anyone intending it. The fastest way to reduce risk is to reduce the number of places where data can exist.

To apply redaction correctly, you need clarity on two terms. These terms help you decide what must be removed immediately and what should be protected more broadly. They also help you write clear policies that your teams can follow.

Cardholder data

Cardholder data typically includes the primary account number. It can also include the cardholder's name, expiration date, and service code when these appear with the account number. Even partial data can create risk when combined with other identifiers.

The key point is that if your unstructured content contains the primary account number, it needs strong controls. Redaction helps by removing that data from the content that gets widely shared.

Sensitive authentication data

Sensitive authentication data includes items like the card verification code and PIN-related data. This category is more restricted because it can be used to authenticate payments. After authorization, it must not be stored.

If this data shows up in recordings, transcripts, emails, or forms, it should be removed as quickly as possible. Automated redaction helps ensure those details do not persist in systems that were never meant to retain them.

Where cardholder data hides inside your organization

Most companies know where their payment gateway is. Fewer know how many other systems contain card data indirectly, especially in customer support and operations. These indirect storage locations are often the reason the PCI scope feels larger than it should.

Use the sections below as a checklist. If any of these content types exist in your workflows, assume card data can appear there and plan accordingly. The goal is not perfection on day one, but visibility and consistent reduction over time.

1. Call recordings

Payments over the phone are a major source of exposure. Customers may speak the card number, expiration date, and verification code. If calls are stored without redaction, the risk remains for the full retention period.

Call recordings are also frequently accessed by QA, supervisors, and training teams. That broad access makes it even more important to remove sensitive segments before recordings are shared internally.

2. Call transcripts and QA notes

Transcripts often capture the same payment details as the audio. QA notes can add more sensitive context, such as confirming digits or repeating information for clarity. Text is easy to copy and search, which makes it a frequent leak path.

Even when audio storage is controlled, transcripts may be exported or pasted into tickets. That is why redaction should cover both the original media and the text outputs created from it.

3. Tickets, chats, and emails

Customers sometimes type their card number into chat or email a photo of a card. Agents may paste payment details into a ticket to speed up processing. These systems are rarely designed to store card data, but they end up storing it anyway.

Because tickets and emails are shared across teams, they are a common source of accidental exposure. Automated redaction helps reduce risk by removing sensitive data before it becomes searchable and reusable.

4. Documents and scanned forms

Invoices, refund forms, and chargeback evidence may include card numbers or partial numbers. Scanned PDFs can hide payment data in places that are hard to spot quickly. Teams often upload these files to shared folders, which increases the spread.

Document redaction matters because simply covering text visually is not enough. Proper redaction should remove the sensitive content so it cannot be recovered from the file.

5. Screenshots, images, and screen recordings

A screenshot taken during troubleshooting can capture payment details on screen. Screen recordings used for training can also accidentally capture sensitive forms or admin panels. These files are often shared casually through chat tools.

Image and video redaction reduces risk by removing sensitive regions before media is reused in training libraries or shared with third parties.

Why automated redaction is one of the most practical PCI controls

Manual redaction sounds simple until you scale it. It is slow, inconsistent, and prone to human error, especially in high-volume customer operations. Teams under pressure will prioritize speed, which is exactly when mistakes happen.

Automated redaction turns protection into a repeatable process. It helps you reduce exposure in the same way every time, across teams and content types. It also supports audit readiness because you can standardize what happens to sensitive content after capture.

It removes sensitive data before it spreads

When payment data is removed from recordings and documents, there is less sensitive material to manage elsewhere. This reduces the chance that card data ends up in shared drives, exports, and emails. It also reduces the number of people who can inadvertently access it.

The best time to redact is early in the content lifecycle. Redaction at ingestion or before sharing typically delivers the strongest risk reduction.

It reduces operational risk

Redaction prevents accidental exposure when content is shared for QA, training, dispute handling, and customer support follow-ups. It also reduces the chance that agents will reuse sensitive text by copying it from a transcript or ticket. That is especially important in distributed teams and BPO environments.

Operationally, it reduces the burden on supervisors who otherwise have to enforce manual processes. Automation becomes a safety net that protects the business even when humans slip.

It helps you shrink the PCI footprint

PCI scope expands when cardholder data exists in more systems. When unstructured repositories are cleaned and kept clean, fewer systems contain sensitive data. Even when the scope does not change formally, reducing data sprawl makes assessments simpler.

This is why redaction is not only a security decision. It is also an efficiency decision that can reduce compliance effort over time.

What to redact to protect cardholder data

A common mistake is to redact only the card number and ignore other payment details that still increase exposure. Another mistake is to use inconsistent rules, which makes it hard to trust that the content is truly safe to share.

Use this as a practical starting point. You can tighten or expand these rules based on your risk model, business needs, and assessor guidance. The key is to be consistent across all content types.

Redact these items wherever they appear

Primary account number should be redacted whenever it appears in audio, text, or documents. Card verification codes should also be removed because they can be used to authenticate transactions. If PIN-related data appears anywhere, treat it as urgent and remove it.

Expiration date should be redacted when it appears alongside the primary account number. Together, these details increase the sensitivity of the content and the impact if it is exposed.

Consider redacting these items based on your policy

Billing address, phone number, and email can be used for social engineering, especially when combined with partial payment details. Order numbers and ticket references can connect payment details to an identity. Some organizations treat these as private data that should be reduced in shared artifacts.

The decision depends on your business processes. If these fields are not needed in QA or training content, removing them is often a safer default.

The redaction workflow that works in real life

The best programs keep the workflow simple. If the process is too complex, teams will bypass it. A redaction-first approach can be implemented in phases, starting with the highest risk channels and expanding over time.

Use the steps below to create a repeatable program. Each step can be implemented with lightweight documentation and a clear owner. The goal is to move from ad hoc cleanup to consistent prevention.

Step 1. Find the payment entry points

List every place where customers provide payment information. Include phone payments, emailed forms, and refund processing. Include dispute handling because chargeback evidence often contains sensitive information.

This step gives you a list of sources you can control. It also helps you identify which teams are responsible for each payment workflow.

Step 2. Trace where the data travels

For each entry point, identify where the information ends up. This typically includes recording storage, transcript tools, ticketing systems, shared drives, and email inboxes. Add exports and backups if your organization frequently downloads files for analysis.

Tracing the path reveals the true sprawl. It also shows you where redaction will create the biggest impact quickly.

Step 3. Define what to redact and in which formats

Create redaction rules per channel. For calls, decide whether you redact audio segments, transcripts, or both. For tickets and chats, decide which patterns and fields should be removed.

For documents, define which regions or fields often contain payment data. Then standardize the rules so everyone understands what safe content looks like.

Step 4. Apply automated redaction across content types

A strong redaction program covers the formats that store payment information. Audio and video redaction removes sensitive spoken segments. Transcript redaction removes sensitive text from generated outputs. Document and image redaction removes sensitive content from files and scans.

The key is preventing gaps. If audio is redacted but the transcript is not, the risk remains. Treat every output as a potential storage location.

Step 5. Control access to unredacted originals

Decide who can access original unredacted content and under what conditions. Many organizations restrict originals to a small group for limited purposes such as legal review or dispute resolution. Everyone else uses the redacted version.

This approach lets teams continue QA and training without handling sensitive data. It also reduces the number of people who need elevated access.

Step 6. Keep sensitive content for the shortest time possible

Retention is a risk. Keep unredacted originals only when required. Where possible, retain the redacted version for longer periods to support training and quality programs.

Reducing retention also reduces the cost of protection. It is easier to secure less data for less time.

Step 7. Keep proof that redaction is happening

Audits and internal reviews go more smoothly when you can show a consistent process. Maintain documentation of redaction rules, roles and responsibilities, and retention periods. Add operational checks, such as periodic sampling of redacted outputs.

If your redaction platform provides logs and reporting, use them to demonstrate consistency. Evidence is often what separates a stressful audit from a manageable one.

How VIDIZMO Redactor supports PCI-focused protection for unstructured data

VIDIZMO Redactor helps organizations remove sensitive payment information from unstructured content. That includes the content types where card data often appears during real workflows, such as recorded calls, transcripts, and documents. The objective is to keep payment data out of files that need to be shared, stored, and reused.

Teams commonly use redaction to reduce exposure in call recordings and related text outputs. They also use it to redact documents used in refunds and disputes, which are often shared across departments. By removing sensitive payment details, redaction supports safer operations without blocking legitimate business needs.

Typical outcomes include lower risk of accidental disclosure, safer content sharing for QA and training, and a more repeatable process for handling content that may contain cardholder data.

Ready to put this into practice? Start a free trial of VIDIZMO Redactor and see how automated redaction helps protect cardholder data across calls, transcripts, PDFs, and images.

Frequently asked questions

Does redaction alone make us PCI DSS compliant?

No. PCI DSS includes multiple controls across security and operations. Redaction is one important control that reduces exposure by removing payment data from unstructured content. Most organizations use redaction alongside broader security and governance measures.

The value of redaction is that it addresses a common real-world problem. It reduces card data sprawl in the systems that are hardest to control manually.

What is the fastest place to start?

Start with call recordings and transcripts. They often contain the highest volume of sensitive payment data, and they are frequently accessed by many users. Redacting these assets can deliver immediate risk reduction.

Next, move to refund and dispute documents. These are commonly shared and retained longer than the original payment interaction.

Is masking the same as redaction?

Masking typically hides part of a value, such as showing only the last four digits. Redaction removes sensitive content so it is no longer accessible in the stored file. For unstructured content like recordings and PDFs, redaction is often the safer approach for preventing exposure.

If you need partial visibility for business reasons, masking may still be useful in structured systems. For shared media and documents, redaction is usually preferred.

Can transcripts create compliance risk?

Yes. Transcripts can store the same payment details as the audio, and they are easier to copy and distribute. A single transcript pasted into a ticket can spread payment data across teams. That is why transcript redaction should be treated as part of the same workflow as audio redaction.

If your organization uses automated transcription, build redaction into the content lifecycle. Do not treat transcripts as harmless notes.

How does redaction help with scope reduction?

When fewer systems store cardholder data, fewer systems may need to be treated as in scope. Even when the scope does not change formally, reducing data sprawl makes compliance easier to manage. It is easier to secure and monitor fewer locations.

Redaction supports this by eliminating payment data from the content that tends to proliferate across the organization.

Final takeaway

PCI exposure is often created by normal business content, not only by payment systems. Automated redaction addresses this problem directly by removing payment data from calls, transcripts, and documents before it spreads. It also supports safer sharing and cleaner long-term retention.

If you want to take action quickly, map your highest risk payment workflows, then apply redaction to call recordings and the documents created during refunds and disputes. Once those are under control, expand the workflow to tickets, chats, and other repositories where card data can hide.