Podcasts

InfoSec Insider
InfoSec Insider
Season
1
, Episode
20

Preparing for a PCI DSS v4 Assessment

In this episode of InfoSec Insider, Alastair Stewart, Senior Consultant and Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) at URM, breaks down the changes to assessments in v4.0 of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), and how organisations can prepare for their v4 assessments.  Alastair leverages more than a decade of experience with the PCI DSS to discuss:

  • The types of evidence the PCI DSS requires, whether there are any new evidence types in v4 and preparing evidence in advance of your assessment
  • How QSAs collected evidence when assessing previous versions of the PCI DSS and how this has changed in v4
  • How these changes will impact assessments against v4
  • His key advice for organisations undergoing PCI DSS v4 assessments
  • Changes to the self-assessment questionnaires (SAQs) for both merchants and service providers, and whether any new SAQs have been added.
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About the InfoSec Insider

The InfoSec Insider podcast brings you weekly interviews with practicing senior consultants, who draw upon their extensive experience to provide detailed and practical guidance on all things information and cyber security, data protection compliance, risk management, and more.  In each episode, one of our experts takes a deep-dive into a particular aspect of their area of specialism, whether that be certifying to ISO 27001, outlining some top tips for GDPR compliance, making the case for alternative approaches to pen testing, or discussing how to conduct an effective business impact analysis (BIA).  Enhance your understanding and professional skillset with the InfoSec Insider podcast, brought to you by URM, the UK’s leading provider of cyber security and governance, risk management and compliance consultancy.

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Contact the InfoSec Experts Today

Having assisted over 450 organisations to implement an ISMS and then achieve ISO 27001 certification since the Standard was first published in 2005, we at URM are the ideal partners to help you certify.  With our fully-tailored approach, our specialists can support you through each stage of the ISO 27001 management system lifecycle, offering guidance specific to your organisation’s unique requirements.  

Get in touch with our information security experts today to find out more.

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InfoSec Solutions & Products

One the key requirements of ISO 27001 is the need for a robust risk assessment process which can produce repeatable and comparable results.  With its proven, best practice methodology, URM’s information security risk management software, Abriska 27001, enables you to meet this requirement.   We can also assist you to raise and maintain awareness among your staff with our expertly designed and engaging learning management system (LMS), Alurna.

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InfoSec Training Courses

Our information security and risk management training courses can help you learn how to effectively manage information security.  Our Certificate in Information Security Management Principles (CISMP) and Practitioner Certificate in Information Risk Management  (PCIRM) training courses will prepare you to take the BCS (Chartered Institute for IT) administered exams, enabling you to gain industry-recognised qualifications.

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Webinars & Events

URM has gained a reputation as the preeminent UK provider of live webinars, aimed at delivering valuable and practical insights to organisations  looking to improve their information security, risk management, data protection etc. The webinars  are delivered by our senior consultants who share hints and tips on topics such as certifying to ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials, complying with the GDPR.  All of our webinars are completely free to attend, and include an opportunity to ask questions at the end.

WebinarBeyond ISO 27001 - DORA and NIS 2

URM and DNV provides an overview of ISO 27001, DORA and the NIS 2, key components to enhance cybersecurity and operational resilience across various sectors.

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WebinarISO 27001 Annex A Controls - Unlocking the Full Potential

URM’s practical webinar is aimed at taking the confusion out of Annex A and helping you achieve the maximum benefit from implementing controls.

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Q&A SessionQ&A with a QSA

Q&A session, hosted by URM Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) with years of hands-on experience helping organisations navigate PCI DSS compliance.

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Information Security FAQs

What are 4 types of information security?

If we look to guidance from Annex A of ISO 27001, then the answer is organisational, people, physical and technological.  The International Standard groups information security into these 4 categories.  The ‘organisational’ category requires the creation of policies, roles and responsibilities and day-to-day business activities.  The ‘people’ category ensures that the most appropriate staff are employed, and that they understand what is expected of them in relation to the business’ approach to infosec.  ‘Physical’ controls relate to the security of business premises, clear desk policies etc, whilst, ‘technological’ controls relate to measures that may be adopted by organisations to assist in securing information through the use of technology such as capacity management, configuration management, change management, network security, firewalls, cryptography etc.

What are the 3 principles of information security?

The three aspects that information security (infosec) seeks to protect are ‘confidentiality’, ‘integrity’ and ‘availability’. Confidentiality ensures that information is not made available or disclosed to unauthorised entities.  Integrity protects the accuracy and completeness of assets, whilst Availability ensures that information is accessible and usable on demand by authorised individuals.tc.

What are information security examples?

Examples of information security include encryption, firewalls, antivirus software, multi-factor authentication (MFA), vetting of individuals, controlling access to premises / information and providing staff awareness training.

What are 5 information security policies?

Policies provide direction on your organisation’s approach to different aspects of information security management. Policies may relate to the classification of data, password management, acceptable use of assets, authentication procedures and incident response - these are five examples, but your organisation  may choose to formulate a policy relating to any aspect of information security (infosec) management.

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Information Security FAQ

ISO 27001: How Certification Works

Published on
8/8/2025

URM’s blog breaks down the ISO 27001 certification process, the roles of certification bodies and UKAS, what auditors look for during assessments, and more.

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Information Security
Published on
18/7/2025
ISO 27001:2022 - A.5 Organisational Controls (Business Continuity)

URM’s blog explores the ISO 27001 business continuity controls, why they matter, & how they can be effectively implemented to ensure conformance to the Standard

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Information Security
Published on
3/7/2025
ISO 27001:2022 - A.5 Organisational Controls (Incident Management)

URM’s blog breaks down the six incident management-related controls in Annex A of ISO 27001, providing key guidance on how to implement each control.

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Information Security
Published on
23/5/2025
ISO 27001:2022 - A.5 Organisational Controls (Legal, Regulatory and Contractual)

URM’s blog explains the legal, regulatory & contractual controls in ISO 27001 & how they can be implemented in full conformance with the Standard.

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URM were super helpful and knowledgeable, talking and walking me through each one of the tests and providing some useful information on security and how to improve things in the future.