The Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS), formerly referred to as the Payment Application Best Practices (PABP), is the global security standard created by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC). PA-DSS was implemented in an effort to provide the definitive data standard for software vendors that develop payment applications. The standard aims to prevent developed payment applications for third parties from storing prohibited secure data including magnetic stripe, CVV2, or PIN. In that process, the standard also dictates that software vendors develop payment applications that are compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).
Essentially, all software applications that process credit/debit card transactions must be tested and certified as compliant with the PA-DSS standards.
The General Store Version 8 has been tested and certified as PA-DSS compliant.
(Note: No prior version of The General Store has been submitted or has passed the certification standards. No prior version will be submitted for PA-DSS compliance. Merchants must upgrade to Version 8 in order to become compliant).
Wikipida offers an excellent description of PA-DSS compliance and its history. To read more, click here.