The Evolving Need for PCI DSS Compliance. The current COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated a trend that was already on the rise — a move toward many new forms of electronic payment that involve capturing and transmitting credit card data. Businesses have moved online-only transactions during this crisis, and many consumers don’t want to handle… Read More
Confused about PCI DSS compliance? This article will explain PCI DSS and the importance of complying with this important information security standard. What is PCI DSS? PCI DSS stands for the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS). The PCI DSS is a proprietary information security standard that was established in 2004 by the… Read More
I’m honored to be joining the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) ranks. Credit card fraud and identity theft will always be a problem and it seems we continue to be painfully more and more aware of just how often it is breached by cyber-criminals. If you would like to know more about what… Read More
Existing in the commerce galaxy, the vast majority of merchants are doing “traveling” or business without proper safety controls or rather, information security controls in place. While I know of no single solution or silver bullet that can be purchased or leveraged to ensure absolute information security, there are many ways your store and customer… Read More
I read an article entitled “Global Payments has some explaining to do” (Source: CSO) today and there were some interesting points made by Bill Brenner, managing editor of CSO. He asked specifically, “How on Earth were they designated PCI compliant in the first place? What were the specific actions they took to improve security and… Read More
It is frequently in the news. Reports have been written. Punitive and compensatory damages have been awarded. Companies around the globe have been challenged to find the resources required to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). The prime PCI DSS objective is to protect cardholder data. The prime objective of… Read More
The PCI Security Standards Council’s Virtualization Special Interest Group recently published its “Information Supplement: PCI DSS Virtualization Guidelines” (the “Guidelines”) to Version 2.0 of the PCI Data Security Standard (“PCI DSS”). The Guidelines provide context for the application of the PCI DSS to cloud and other virtual environments, and offer at least three critical reminders:
Unfortunately, HIPAA data breaches are increasingly common. Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest healthcare insurance providers in the U.S., recently reported a massive exposure of millions of patient records (Protected Health Information, or PHI). This unfortunate event also serves as a learning moment for companies who may not understand how to avoid such unintended consequences.… Read More
Government agencies (and their vendors and partners) are increasingly entrusted with sensitive data. Accordingly, protecting critical infrastructure and cybersecurity are both top priorities. The tools they use must come from time-tested and verified protocols to ensure they are secure and not tampered with. In turn, this means that these tools must come from labs that… Read More
Streamline Compliance and Documentation with Continuum GRC AI Automate reporting with machine learning and AI. The Necessity of Accurate Reporting in Compliance Documentation and reports are the end product and backbone of your compliance efforts. They are how your organization demonstrates compliance with relevant regulatory and governing bodies.
We’ve written extensively about CMMC and NIST Special Publication 800-171, which cover the handling and protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). But what is CUI? How is it created, and why is it so important to protect? Here, we’re digging into CUI and why it’s integral to significant cybersecurity frameworks in the federal marketplace.
Our previous articles on CMMC Level 1 certification focused on what organizations need to know when conducting self-assessments. These documents relied primarily on the fact that the contractor would do their assessments and reporting. With Level 2 certification, the game changes. Not only are nearly all assessments performed by C3PAOs, but their requirements expand nearly… Read More
Our previous article discussed what it meant to scope your self-assessment while pursuing Level 1 Maturity under CMMC. This approach included identifying the boundaries of FCI-holding systems and comprehensively cataloging technology, people, and processes that play a part in that system. Here, we take the next step and cover CIO guidelines for performing your self-assessment. … Read More
Most security standards, including government standards, require cryptography. We are generally familiar with implementing a cryptographic algorithm that meets these requirements and calling it a day. However, to ensure security, NIST also publishes standards for validating encryption modules to ensure they serve their purpose under federal standards. Here, we’re discussing the Cryptographic Algorithm Validation Program… Read More
One of the more significant changes in the new CMMC 2.0 guidelines was the move from third-party to self-assessment at Level 1 maturity. At Level 1, contractors can perform a self-assessment rather than engage with a C3PAO, significantly reshaping their obligations and the associated costs and effort for compliance. Here, we’re covering the CIO’s guidance… Read More
IT security in the federal market is layered and multifaceted. Specific requirements exist for different types of data platforms and technologies. At a more granular level, standards have been developed for individual IT products: NIAP Protection Profiles. This article will cover why these profiles are essential for federal security, how to find them, and what… Read More
Over the past week, a new vulnerability in the Linux operating system and the XZ compression utility has led to a new security alert and an immediate call to roll back some new updates. While this threat is a massive problem for federal IT systems relying on specific Linux distributions, it also highlights how poorly… Read More
Recently, FedRAMP announced that, per stakeholder feedback, the federal market’s needs for cloud SaaS products are not being met. A significant part of this is the program’s bottleneck. To address this issue, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released a draft memo offering significant program changes, including updates to infrastructure, leadership, and authorization. … Read More
Recently, the FedRAMP program (via the OMB) released a request for feedback on new guidance documentation for penetration testing under the program. The new guidance standards target organizations and 3PAOs undergoing or performing penetration tests under FedRAMP requirements. The new guidance addresses new attack vectors targeting subsystems in IT infrastructure. Here, we’ll cover his newest… Read More
CMMC is a complex undertaking. Depending on where you are in your certification journey, you could require consulting, assessment, or both. Fortunately, the CMMC program includes training and authorization for two distinct types of organizations: Registered Provider Organizations (RPOs) and Certified Third-Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs), each offering different services. We’re discussing these organizations and which… Read More
International collaboration between countries in cybersecurity isn’t unheard of, but it involves several miles of red tape and regulations. That’s why many countries seek parity in their security frameworks. One such parity that Canadian officials are seeking is between their own CP-CSC and the CMMC model for handling CUI.
HIPAA is a core cybersecurity framework for patients and healthcare providers in the U.S. Unfortunately, a new report from the OCR shows an increase in significant events and a lack of resources to follow up on critical compliance issues. We’re covering some of this report and the underlying HIPAA requirements reflected in it.
In 2023, the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) launched a revision of its SOC 2 standard. This revision focused specifically on security issues and emphasized “points of focus” to boost SOC 2 audits’ ability to address modern security threats.
While typically not mandatory outside financial sectors, SOC 2 is a reliable security compliance model that any organization can follow. This can be seen in its security assessments, which include a robust list of “Common Criteria,” or broad areas of focus that any secure organization should follow. The recent revision of these criteria in 2023… Read More