It's simple to stop overcomplicating PCI Compliance...

Or is it?

When it comes to PCI Compliance, satisfying the requirements often looks more complicated when you don’t have have a clear understanding of the objectives set forth by the PCI SSC.

And when you look at the requirements without a clear picture of your cardholder data environment and who and what are in scope, PCI Compliance looks next to impossible to implement. 

Your brain (and my brain) want to overcomplicate what needs to be in place to secure the cardholder data environment. 

Maybe you jump immediately to implementing the newest shiny security tool without thinking of how it will impact other in scope systems.

Perhaps you leap to more complexity by adding layers of security controls and processes when one solid, repeatable process will do.

Or you bury your head in the sand and sing lalalalalalalalalalala….(honestly, there were days I wish I could’ve done that!)

PCI Compliance doesn’t have to be complicated. 

Here’s 4 smart ways to stop overcomplicating your PCI Compliance program:

Understand what you need to do and when you need to do it.

PCI DSS requirements have frequencies. 

  • Daily
  • Monthly
  • Quarterly
  • Semi-Annually
  • Annually

It’s smart to align requirements to their frequencies and build solid, repeatable processes around them. This leads to the next smart way to stop overcomplicating PCI Compliance.

Implement repeatable processes with clear steps so anyone on the team can do them

Repeatable processes may be as boring as watching paint dry but THEY WORK. And anyone on the team must be able to pick up the directions, follow them, and achieve the expected end result.

Do you have repeatable processes to complete your quarterly internal and external vulnerability scans?

Have you implemented repeatable build clean and keep clean processes for maintaining continuous PCI configuration compliance?

If your PCI ISA won the lottery, do you have a rock solid repeatable process to conduct an end-to-end scope assessment?

What about a Report on Compliance?

As we say in in New England, it’s wicked smart to have repeatable processes. Why? Because you can automate repeatable processes…

Automate Key Security Controls

Are you tired of chasing after technology SME’s for all the logging evidence? Maybe it’s exhausting trying to keep track of configuration drift.

What if you automated these controls so you could self-collect the evidence rather than get stuck in the unproductiveness of email?

What would that look like in your organization?

How much time could you save if you could create queries that generated a report anytime you needed to check on the logging status of your in scope systems?

How much money could you save during the assessment by automating key security controls?

Automation is so smart. It just might save your sanity.

Which brings me to the 4th and smartest way to stop overcomplicating your PCI Compliance program:

Automate your Report on Compliance or Self-Assessment

It’s time to get your head out of your spreadsheets and your email.

When you automate your assessment with Polaris PCA you can

  • Assign tasks in 10 seconds or less
  • Include best practices, tips, and checklists
  • Ensure your technology SMEs have all the information they need to provide you the evidence that needs to be assessed
  • End the email churn once and for all
  • Allow the QSA to effortlessly complete their assessment work
  • Reduce the amount of time it takes to do your assessment without sacrificing the quality of your assessment
  • Save tens of thousands of dollars in outside assessment fees
  • Implement a kick-ass PCI Compliance program your CIO and / or CISO will love

Watch How You Can Assign a Task <10 seconds

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There you have it. 4 smart ways to stop overcomplicating PCI Compliance. Where will you start first?​

Email us at support@paymentcardassessments.com to schedule a Polaris PCA demo today!

5 PCI Compliance Headaches You Can Live Without

If PCI Compliance were easy, every organization would be doing it, right?

But it’s not.

The sad statistic from the most recent Verizon Payment Security Report is that 57% of all merchants fail to sustain PCI DSS Compliance.

Why?

There are so many reasons. Where do we start?

Let’s start with the 5 PCI Compliance headaches everyone can live without.

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