Key Insights from Raidiam's PCI DSS 4.0 and API Security Webinar

PCI DSS 4.0 introduces a fundamental shift in how we secure credentials — and for issuers, processors, and API owners, it’s not just a compliance update. It’s an opportunity to strengthen your security posture, improve developer experience, and reduce operational costs.

In our recent 15-minute webinar, Beyond Static Secrets: Modernizing API Security for PCI DSS 4.0, hosted by industry expert Dorte Dye, Raidiam’s Head of Enterprise Strategy, David Oppenheim, and Senior Consultant, John Heaton-Armstrong, explored what Clause 8.6.3 requires and how to move beyond outdated credential models without disrupting your existing infrastructure.

Here's a summary of the key takeaways and practical solutions discussed.

Why PCI DSS 4.0 Clause 8.6.3 Matters for API Security

From March 2025, PCI DSS 4.0 became fully applicable — and with it comes Requirement 8.6.3 which mandates regular cycling of all credentials, including those used by systems and applications, not just humans. This shift directly targets the risks posed by static secrets and hardcoded credentials, which have long been a weak link in API security.

As John Heaton-Armstrong, Senior Consultant at Raidiam, explains:

PCI DSS highlights a well-known vulnerability — one that’s exacerbated by reliance on static credentials and centralized credential stores. The standard now asks the industry to move away from creating a single client secret and maintaining it ad infinitum.

Static credentials and manual rotation processes are still common across ecosystems — but under PCI DSS 4.0, they’re now recognised as both a compliance and security risk. They’re difficult to manage, prone to human error, and increasingly vulnerable to misuse.

Static Secrets vs. Certificate-Based Authentication

To meet these new requirements, organisations must move away from symmetric credentials (where both client and server share a secret) and adopt asymmetric, certificate-based authentication.

With Raidiam Connect, this transformation becomes not only achievable — but automated:

• API consumers onboard in minutes via self-service
• Certificates are minted, rotated, and revoked automatically
• Credential lifecycles are governed by policy and fully audit-ready
• Secrets are never shared via email or stored insecurely

→ Related Content: PCI DSS 4.0: The New Challenge for API Credential Management

How Raidiam Connect Automates Credential Lifecycle Management

During the webinar, David Oppenheim, Head of Enterprise Strategy at Raidiam, highlighted the real-world pain points of legacy credential models:

A cocktail of manual processes, standing up teams out of hours, a lot of expensive back and forth, delaying go live for your clients or triggering downtime.

These outdated approaches slow operations, increase costs, and expose systems to risk — all while falling short of PCI DSS 4.0 requirements.

Raidiam Connect helps solve these challenges by:

• Automating credential lifecycles: Developers and partners can register organisations and apps, mint credentials, and trigger rotation on a schedule or as needed — all via a self-service interface.
• Eliminating shared secrets: Moving from symmetric to certificate-based authentication ensures credentials are never shared or exposed, reducing the risk of theft.
• Enabling certificate-based flows: Credentials are created using an internal PKI, with expiry, revocation, and regeneration handled automatically — supporting mTLS and OAuth flows.
• Enforcing policy-based access: Credential and access policies are centrally managed and enforced, aligning with compliance requirements while supporting diverse use cases.
• Providing full auditability: Every step — from onboarding to rotation — is tracked and governed by policy, simplifying compliance.
• Ensuring seamless integration: Built on open standards for interoperability with existing identity and infrastructure stacks — no rip-and-replace required.

The result? No more firefighting, no more costly delays, and no more compliance blind spots.

→ Learn more about Raidiam's PCI DSS 4.0 compliance solution

End-to-End Security, Without the Hassle

The webinar demonstrated how Raidiam Connect transforms onboarding from a manual, paperwork-heavy process to a streamlined, standards-aligned journey.

Organizations and applications can register and integrate in minutes, with all metadata and credentials automatically propagated to authorization servers. No duplication. No lag. No surprises.

By leveraging widely supported security standards such as OAuth and mTLS, Raidiam Connect ensures interoperability and operational efficiency. The platform is designed to integrate with existing identity stacks and enforce policy-driven access—without requiring new investments or disrupting developer experience.

Key Takeaways for PCI DSS 4.0 Compliance

• PCI DSS 4.0 is not just a compliance checkbox—it’s a catalyst for building a more secure, efficient, and scalable API ecosystem.
• Automated, certificate-based credential management eliminates static secrets and manual processes, reducing operational risk and audit burden.
• Raidiam Connect offers a proven, future-ready solution that meets PCI DSS 4.0 requirements — already deployed in critical national infrastructure.

Ready to Modernize Your API Security?

If you missed the live session or want to learn more, you can watch the webinar on demand or contact the Raidiam team for a personalized demo. Let’s build a safer, smarter world—beyond static secrets.