In 2002 when URM first started to develop and deliver information security, business continuity and risk management courses, the demise of classroom training was being strongly predicted in favour of computer-based, self-study training. Despite the doom-mongers’ predictions, 17 years later face-to-face training is still going strong. In some ways, you could argue the continuing demand for […]
Introduction Due to the increased use of information technologies and the ‘human’ involvement (both malicious, accidental and incompetent!), it is inevitable we are all going to face more and more information security incidents in the future. The challenge for all of us is minimising the likelihood of an incident occurring and also preparing for the […]
The short answer to this often-asked question is ‘Yes’! There are, however, a number of other misconceptions surrounding this area of compliance and we will hopefully be adding some clarification in this blog! One misconception that we frequently encounter is when the term ‘vulnerability scanning’ is confused with ‘penetration testing’. Whilst vulnerability scanning and penetration […]
Almost all organisations that implement the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) struggle with the scope of the applicability of the Standard. Even veterans of PCI DSS compliance can struggle with scope creep over time as an organisation’s networks evolve. So, it should be no surprise that scope reduction is one of […]
There is one question that everyone is guaranteed to get right – are cyberattacks on the increase? In this blog, we will review some of the more significant cyberattacks over the last year and look for any emerging trends in terms of cybercrime targets, as well as the type of attacks. First, let’s make sure […]
In this blog, we address one of the big questions facing organisations which accept payment cards and are looking to comply with the PCI DSS. Should we outsource the storing, processing and transmitting of cardholder data (CHD)? Let’s look at the benefits and disadvantages of outsourcing. Pros of outsourcing Reduction of scope and in-scope processes Any […]
The certification process consists of a two (2) stage audit. These are most commonly described as : ► Stage 1 audit – organisational readiness (desk top review) ► Stage 2 audit – assessment of the implementation through the sampling of evidence (interviews and inspection of records etc). The exact duration of the 2 different audit […]
A crucial element in performing an audit is the collection and evaluation of evidence. Evidence is used to determine if the process or control being audited is performing as expected. In this blog, we will be exploring how you can define what evidence is required and what are the most effective ways of gathering evidence. Evidence […]
This week’s blog tackles the question of storing cardholder data and why the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is so beneficial. Fundamentally, it is very clear on this topic – if you don’t need it, don’t store it. Furthermore, if you do need it, make sure that you know everywhere it is […]
Definition With this week’s blog, the spotlight turns to internal audit and specifically in the context of ISO 27001, the International Standard for Information Security Management. We will step right back and look at internal auditing from the perspective of those new to the subject or those trying to understand where and why it fits. […]