Definition:
Payment card industry is a compliance commonly with PCI DSS, which is significant in standardizing security of payment card data, for variety of institutions and merchants. Payment card industry is abbreviated as "PCI".
About PCI DSS:
"Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard", PCI DSS, formed in 2006 is a structure created by the PCI Security Standards Council. This open global forum raises awareness, manages, educates and develops the PCI Security Standards. For rapid development in payment card technology, PCI SSC is responsible for its regular updates. PCI DSS main aim is to set operational and technical requirements for individuals who own card holder data (CHD), so there could be a decrease in breaches in payment data security and fraudulent payment card activities.
About PCI Compliance:
These 12 high level requirements are specifically for PCI complain maintenance and their main purpose is to secure payment card data while it's being transmitted, processed and stored. It also lessens data breaches, which is for protection of debit cardholders and data of credit. When you are completely and fully in PCI compliance, your security incidents and breaches are detected and prevented, which usually lies in operational and technical provisions. If one wishes to be a PCI compliant, you must have to evaluate internal operations, remediate problem areas and submit those compliance reports. If you are unable to comply with PCI DSS and are caught in data security breaches, then you will be heavily fined, or given penalties set by payment card brands
Five Business Benefits of PCI Compliance
PCI compliance for businesses has its many advantages, some of them are:
Benefit #1: Risk reduction of security breaches
PCI works hard and takes pride in their customer data protection from outside attacks. It takes its job very seriously and does a lot more than just completing its list of given tasks. A study in Arizona discovered that compliant businesses, can survive a breach successfully, 50% more than other businesses.
Benefit #2: You and your client's peace of mind
When there is a less probability of a breach, you would have no worries about that happening in your daily life. It offers a great deal of tranquility to you and your customers.
Benefit #3: Boost in customer confidence
Day by day, people are getting more aware of the benefits of compliance, even though they may not fully understand its complicated details. People are now quite curious and interested to know what measures are being taken to secure their credit card data, when it's in use. With the progress of time, customers will start to realize that PCI compliance is the answer to their questions. When you’ll feel protected and secure, it will automatically give rise to a buyer’s confidence, and will make its decision easier to pick you instead of other non-compliant competitors.
Benefit #4: Avoid costly fines
Even though the probability of a breach lessens dramatically, PCI still doesn’t guarantee complete eradication. In case of a breach, the fine is up to $500,000 per incident, and you must notify your customers and their processor of the data breach in written form immediately. At the time of breach, the bank will get started with an audit on the company to check whether the merchant was a PCI DSS compliant or not. Compliant businesses have a lesser chance of getting a fine, as there is a lesser chance of a security breach.
Benefit #5: Relatively quick and easy
The biggest advantage you’ll get while you are getting compliant with our company is that you don’t have to make any major changes to your business. Even though from the outside, it may look complex, but the right compliant partner makes it easy for you, by protecting you from complications.
So after looking at all these advantages, being a PCI compliant seems to be a good choice. Sign up today, and be ahead from your competitors.
Sync InfoSec can help guide you through the entire PCI compliance process
Sync InfoSec takes pride in assisting their customers to eliminate fraud and secure them against crime by providing IT audit services and consultancy in security. They are dedicated and steadfast in attaining compliance with international security standards, for example PCI DSS, ISO 27001 and many more.
They are specialized in fusing security experts with management background, , networking and programming ,systems architecture, support and engineering, to form a diverse, innovative and intellectual IT Security business.
- Risk Assessment
- Consulting services
- On-Site Security audit(RoC)
- SAQ Assistance
- PCI ASV scanning services
- Training
- PCI Wireless Assessment
- PCI Web Application Test
- Penetration Testing
- PCI GAP analysis
What is the approach of Sync Info?
Their approach consists of seven stages, and is proven to be methodical and creative. The methodology chosen is “Waterfall”, project based, which assists different organizations in retaining their specific information security compliance obligations.
7-Stage Approach
People are often intimidated by the word compliance, and often find it difficult to begin as it has technologies, multiple locations, threat actors/surfaces people and documents which are confusing for an apprentice. From an outside eye, compliance looks quite tough to achieve and maintain.
If you need to protect your data assets, then compliance should be your priority. Sync Info applies a Keep It Simple Solution (KISS), which is simply a methodical project management-based approach.
For your ease and better understanding, we have just simply outlined the 7-stages. This approach is not only limited to PCI DSS only, but it also caters to the necessities and needs for everyone relating to compliance. The approach mentioned will be useful and applied throughout the entire processes of Sync InfoSec’s engagements, be it maintenance of your security posture, scoping and gap analysis or final assessment, it infiltrates all.
Plan, Identify, Evaluate
The three stages of Sync InfoSec approach are mentioned below in detail:
Stage 1: Plan & Prepare
Document and Determine the Business Case
It is vital to set project objectives and goals, which can also involve compliance of PCI DSS Standards to regulate business cases. Can the processes and methods used within your environment be altered? Why are you in possession and handling the card holder data? Is there reduction and outsourcing possible in payment channels and number of locations? Card holder data should be transmitted, stored and processed in which place? Can this be done, separate from the business in secluded segments? These questions need to be answered for needing PCI DSS, if you have sufficient justifications in your favor, only then your project will be bought by targeted owners of businesses.
Set SMART Objectives
After getting the full-fledged knowledge on reasons for communicating this in your business, you need to set your objectives according to SMART, mentioned below:
Specific
- PCI DSS specific controls should be associated with Baseline controls
- Specific payment channels should be associated with Specific controls
Specific
- PCI DSS specific controls should be associated with Baseline controls
- Specific payment channels should be associated with Specific controls
Measurable
- Identification of compliance percentage score on the basis of each payment channel
Achievable
- Make sure that significant milestones are attainable, by giving a staged and formal approach
- Strategic re-alignment is initiated if you are unable to reach milestone
Realistic
- Every resource, asset and entity should be recognized and associated against PCI DSS
Time Bound
- Time bound deliverables can be achieved through project managed approach
Stage 2: Identify & Isolate:
Locations
It is very crucial to know about your location, the location of your physical operation and the location of processing, storage and transmission of card holder data inside your environment. The knowledge on how to begin is attained by the process of mapping the data flow paths, through your networks and systems.
Technologies
For your systems and networks, what are the most important technologies? What are the location, versions, vendors and types of the equipment used?
- Completion of a software asset inventory.
- Completion of a hardware asset inventory.
Personnel
Who are the people involved externally and internally? These are not just limited to operational end user’s perspective only.
- Completion of Responsibility, Accountability, Consulted, Informed (RACI) matrix.
Payment Channels
What is the number of payment channels, and how and where are they catered? Is there any payment channel in seclusion or are they sharing a common infrastructure? What Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQs) apply?
Applicable Controls
The identified payment channels needs what kind of applicable controls?
What are the applicable controls that need to be applied to the identified payment channels? What control responsibility has been contracted to an external organization, if any?
Outsourced services
Has outsourcing of services, supporting the organization’s payment channels has been done? Are there any legal contracts available to make sure that a complete compliant service is delivered, if yes then what are they? To ensure that contracts needs are being met, what due diligences are required? What are the methods of effective compliance of outsourced services?
- Completion of a responsibilities matrix.
Data Assets/Flows
It is very important to map your data flow. All the flows of communication links, 3rd party access, user access, administration access and card holder data should be mapped.
Documentation
What policies and procedures are in action and where? What is its location? Who is the owner and what is the process of its maintenance? Are they effective and understood completely?
- Completion of document catalogue.
- Completion of policy tree.
Important Dates
What is the target date for compliance? For 7 stages, what are the significant milestones? Complete the schedules matrix.
Stage 3: Evaluate:
Self-Assessment
It is very essential to know about the requirements, standards, and right level of SAQ to complete for each part of your business, so service providers and merchant can be applied with self-assessment.
QSA Gap Analysis
In the initial stage of the project, a gap analysis is very crucial to perform, so present condition of affairs can be seen. It also lets you know whether you are prepared for full compliance, and whether alterations in approach or strategy are a good option. This guides you to plan a road map of compliance which fulfills the needs of your business objectives.
Fix, Assess, Report, Maintain
The next four stages are detailed below:
Stage 4: Fix
Prioritized Remediation
After getting the road map, what is the next step to begin? What are the issues and controls that need to be handled urgently? What is the precedence of the requirements, and what dependencies do they have among them?
A prioritized approach comes in handy now. A very intricate project plan is formed which displays the steps, order and priority of work. A staged approach can be provided to organizations, addressing different payment channels or environments centered on calculated risk decisions.
Continual Progress Feedback
After the kick start of the process, it is very crucial to update and have steady reviews. Each works feedback, will restructure the plan according to meet the requirements of upcoming challenges.
Stage 5: Assess
With accordance to reporting obligations, there are two techniques to perform assessments.
Formal Assessment
This yearly based assessment is carried out by Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), it will be a snapshot in time of your compliance state. This will be a way to see whether you have dealt with change, delivered ongoing requirements and maintained compliance.
You have to show that the requirement are fulfilled by you, by holding process observations, document reviews, interviews and system reviews, which makes this process based solely on evidence.
Self-Assessment
To check whether each control is performing correctly and efficiently, self-assessment is done.
Stage 6: Report
An extensive Roc document will be the deliverable presented at the end in accordance to formal assessment. It is to attest the security posture and evidence seen at the entire length of the process. It also contains an Attestation of Compliance (AoC) form that both you and the QSA will put your signatures on.
Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ)
A complete SAQ self-assessment form should be submitted along with your signed Attestation of Compliance (AoC) form.
Submission
The RoC and AoC, or the SAQ and AoC will be submitted to the relevant bodies. It could be given to a merchant bank or the card brands directly, according to the requirements specified.
Stage 7: Maintain
Last but certainly not the least; maintenance is the most significant stage. How the security postures and requirements are being kept and maintained? What will guarantee the systems retention of the high level of security in later times?
To create an efficient governance process is as vital as producing a maintenance plan and process infiltrating the entire previous six stages.
Why deploy and use the Sync InfoSec approach methodology?
You can take advantage of the many benefits of Sync InfoSec methodology, a few of them are mentioned below:
Simplified – It eases a difficult problem to a great extent.
Formalized – It is organized, scalable and repeatable.
Methodical – People can easily follow this process driven approach.
Project Managed Approach – -A powerful project management has the ability to take control and ownership which recognizes important milestones, so that specialist support timely input can be permitted.
Alignment to Business Strategies – are you fixated on providing against your business needs, which is not only limited to complete tick box compliance exercises.
Actionable Intelligence – This delivers you with knowledgeable intelligence to meet deadlines on time.
Informed Decision Making – You can make correct decisions at the correct time.
Delivers Results – Goal are results driven.
Reduces Unexpected Occurrences – Lessens the probability of things going wrong.
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