PCI Compliance Certification & SAQ Consulting for North Carolina Merchants

Materdei Consulting, LLC offers PCI compliance & Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ consulting services for North Carolina merchants, service providers, and other businesses seeking assistance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) mandates. If you store, process, and/or transmit cardholder data as a North Carolina business, then becoming – and maintaining – PCI DSS compliant is essential. We’ve been helping North Carolina businesses in Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham – and all other locations in North Carolina – with PCI compliance since 2009 with proven consulting and compliance services, such as scoping & readiness assessments PCI policies and procedures writing, assistance with completion of various SAQ documentation, technical remediation, and much more.

Rapid Compliance for North Carolina Business with our PCI Policy Packets

Thousands of merchants and service providers around the world have purchased our industry leading PCI Policy Packets containing hundreds of pages of professionally researched and written policies, forms, templates, and other essential PCI DSS documents. Documentation is one of the most demanding and time-consuming aspects of becoming PCI compliant, so visit pcipolicyportal.com today and learn more about our wide-range of PCI Policy Packets available for instant download. Whatever the industry, we’ve got North Carolina businesses in Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham – and all other locations – covered with high-quality, easy-to-use and implement PCI policies and procedures.

North Carolina’s PCI DSS SAQ Experts – Call Us

Most merchants and service providers in North Carolina can “thankfully” self-assess against the PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ) provided by the PCI Security Standards, ultimately bypassing the dreaded Level 1 onsite assessments by a PCI-QSA. Unfortunately, most businesses initially think the SAQ process is relatively easy and straightforward, and that’s where the challenge begins. In fact, a number of the SAQ documents – particularly SAQ A-EP and SAQ D – can be incredibly difficult to complete, particularly for businesses new to PCI compliance.

It’s why Materdei Consulting, LLC offers comprehensive, high-quality, fixed-fee consulting services for helping North Carolina merchants and service providers in Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham – and all other locations – with successfully completing today’s demanding SAQ documents. From Requirement 1 to Requirement 12, our highly-trained PCI compliance experts will walk your organization through every question, offering guidance and much needed insight for ensuring timely completion of the relevant SAQ. From clarifying scope to determining documentation needs, and more, we’ll get you through the SAQ process quickly and efficiently, that’s our promise.

Comprehensive PCI Services for North Carolina Businesses

Materdei Consulting, LLC offers the following PCI DSS services and solutions for North Carolina merchants and service providers in Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham – and all other locations:

PCI DSS Scoping & Readiness Assessments: North Carolina businesses new to PCI DSS compliance or are just seeking a refresher will no doubt benefit from a PCI scoping & readiness assessment from Materdei Consulting, LLC. Performed by seasoned experts, we can help in identifying and confirming scoping boundaries, assessing internal control gaps and weaknesses, provide recommendations for long-term deliverables, establishing milestones, and much more.
We’ve performed hundreds of PCI DSS scoping & readiness assessments, which means you’ll be taken through an efficient process for helping North Carolina businesses become PCI compliant. If you’re looking for expert guidance from beginning to end of your entire PCI DSS certification process, then you’ve found the right firm.

Policy and Procedures Writing: What’s one of the most demanding, expensive, and time-consuming initiatives for becoming PCI compliant? It’s documentation, more specifically, developing all the necessary information security policies and procedures for PCI compliance, and it’s why we offer industry leading, award-winning PCI policies and toolkits for all industries, and available for instant download today. Writing PCI policies takes time – often dozens of hours – so do yourself a huge favor and obtain high-quality, easy-to-use and implement documents from pcipolicyportal.com. We offer both PCI policy packets for both onsite assessments and for PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ).

Perhaps you have information security policies and procedures in place – great – but before getting too excited, ask yourself the following questions: (1). Do our InfoSec policies and procedures map directly to the prescriptive requirements set for the in the actual Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) framework? Do our policies contain current information in relation the organization’s core business functions? Do we actually read, acknowledge our policies on a regular basis? Can you answer a strong YES to all of these? If so, great. If not, then it’s time to consider downloading the PCI policies and procedures toolkits and templates today from pcipolicyportal.com.

Regardless of the compliance mandate being forced upon you – PCI DSS, HIPAA, FISMA, SOX – all of these regulations have one thing in common and that’s the need for comprehensive information security policies and procedures. Visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more and begin you process of becoming PCI compliant quickly.

We also offer PCI policy writing services for North Carolina businesses in Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham – and all other locations – so if you’re pressed for time and looking for customized InfoSec policies, we can help. Contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more.

Technical and Operational Remediation: Need assistance in implementing various technical solutions, such as a vulnerability scanning tool, File Integrity Monitoring (FIM), Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and more? We offer comprehensive services for helping North Carolina businesses in implementing these various tools and initiatives. Simply stated, we can get in front of your systems and provision agents and configure servers as needed, if necessary.

Assistance with Vendor Selection: Are you aware of the various tools that need to be in place for becoming PCI DSS compliant? There are literally hundreds of vendors offering security products for the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) industry – some good, some not so good. Who’s going to help you filter through all the marketing noise and find the right product and solution at the right price? We can, as we’ve helped numerous North Carolina merchants and service providers with this very task.

It’s easy to spend tens of thousands of dollars on products and solutions that you may not need, so getting expert guidance and help is essential as making the wrong decision can be very costly. The main security tools you need include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Vulnerability Scanning Solution
• Two-Factor Authentication
• Network Based Intrusion Detection System
• File Integrity Monitoring
• Anti-Virus
• Web Application Firewall
• Encryption
• Audit Logging and Audit Trail Retention
• Penetration Testing

Penetration Testing: As just discussed, performing a penetration test is often a mandate for PCI compliance (note: not every organization has to perform one, it depends on which SAQ you answer), but more important, it’s a security best practice every business in North Carolina should be employing.

Continuous Monitoring: So, you’ve become PCI DSS compliant as a merchant or service provider in North Carolina? Congratulations, but now the real challenge begins. Getting to the top of the PCI mountain is one thing, but staying there and maintaining compliance is often the more challenging task. What you’ll need to do is implement a process for continuing to monitor, assess, update, and ultimately enhance your internal controls for PCI. It’s about ensuring your policies, procedures, and processes are being constantly maintained in accordance with the PCI DSS standards; a concept effectively known in the world of regulatory compliance as “Continuous Monitoring”.

Materdei Consulting, LLC – the world’s leading provider of PCI policies, procedures and toolkits – offers comprehensive documentation for helping North Carolina merchants and service providers in Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham – and all other locations – monitor their PCI environment on a regular basis. Sure, it’s easy to “fall of the PCI wagon” in terms of compliance, but with heavy fines and penalties looming, you can’t afford to become non-compliant. Our industry leading PCI policies and toolkits contain essential documentation for helping businesses become – and stay – PCI compliant, so visit pciplicyportal.com today to learn more.

Need Assistance with PCI SAQ Certification – Let’s Talk

Since 2009, we’ve assisted numerous North Carolina businesses – from Charlotte to Raleigh-Durham, and all other locations throughout the state – in becoming compliant with the relevant SAQ documentation. Contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more. As a North Carolina businesses, whatever your PCI needs are – from PCI policies to SAQ help, and more – Materdei Consulting, LLC is ready to assist.

PCI Compliance Certification & SAQ Consulting Austin, TX Merchants

Are you a merchant or service provider in Austin, TX seeking PCI compliance certification and consulting assistance from a trusted and proven provider? Looking for a high-quality firm offering fixed-fee pricing and professional services, from PCI scoping & readiness assessments to PCI Policy writing, assistance with Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) completion, and more? Then turn to Austin’s leading provider of PCI compliance services, Materdei Consulting, LLC, a born and bred Texas firm!

Get PCI Compliant with our Policy Toolkits!

One of the most demanding initiatives for becoming compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) are the mandates for comprehensive documentation. Specifically, it’s about developing the dozens of essential information security policies and procedures for each of the twelve (12) respective PCI DSS “Requirements”. Companies often spend dozens of hours writing PCI policies and procedures – but there’s got to be a better way, right? There is, and it’s the industry leading PCI policy toolkits and templates available for instant download today at pcipolicyportal.com.

The documentation contains all necessary templates, forms, checklists, and other essential materials for helping merchants and service providers become PCI compliant. If you’re into saving thousands of dollars and removing all types of headaches for PCI compliance, contact us today to learn more about our products, services, and solutions for Austin, TX businesses.

Proven PCI DSS Solutions for Austin, TX Businesses

Since 2009, we’ve been helping businesses all throughout Austin – and the entire state of Texas – in meeting the rigorous demands set forth by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). While you may know as the world leader in PCI policies and procedures – we’ve helped thousands of companies since 2009 with our high-quality templates & documents, we also offer the following services and solutions to Austin, TX businesses:

PCI Scoping & Readiness Assessments: Need assistance in understanding and correctly scoping your environment for PCI DSS compliance? Unsure as to what documentation needs to be in place, security tools, and other essential initiatives? Looking for expert guidance throughout the entire process, from beginning to end? Then it’s time consider performing a PCI DSS scoping & readiness assessment; a highly beneficial and invaluable process for learning more about both PCI and your internal controls.

Technical and Operational Remediation: Need assistance in changing, re-configuring, and enhancing your security processes? We can assist. From re-configuring firewalls to strengthening passwords – and much more – Materdei Consulting, LLC is your leading provider of PCI DSS consulting services for Austin, Texas businesses.

PCI Policy Writing: If you still would like additional assistance regarding PCI policies and procedures, then we’d be happy to assist in customizing your existing documents for you, essentially taking them to that next level of quality.
Assistance with Vendor Selection of Security Tools: Often times, a wide-range of tools and software solutions are needed for PCI compliance, and we can help Austin businesses sift through the large – and growing number – of providers, getting you just what you need and at the price you’ll want.

Austin’s PCI DSS SAQ Experts

One of the more demanding and challenging aspects of becoming compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) is successfully completing the applicable Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) for becoming compliant. Because most Austin, TX businesses can luckily self-assess – and fortunately not have to perform a dreaded Level 1 onsite audit – they often make the mistake of failing to source a PCI professional for much-needed guidance. In reality, the phrase “self-assessment” is often misleading indeed, further reason for ensuring you work with an expert for becoming PCI compliant.

Sure, some of the PCI SAQ documents are relatively straightforward, such as SAQ A, but a number of them, particularly SAQ A-EP and SAQ D, can be incredibly difficult and complex, especially for businesses new to PCI compliance. Our PCI SAQ consulting services are offered at fixed-fees and performed by highly qualified professionals with years of PCI DSS experience. Need answers to critical scoping questions, explanations as to what the SAQ process actually entails – and more – then contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com. Since 2009, we’ve helped hundreds of Texas businesses in becoming PCI compliant with our proven and cost-effective PCI DSS SAQ consulting services, and we’d like to help you.

Vulnerability Scanning & Penetration Testing: Performing scanning – both internal and external – along with penetration tests, is often a requirement for PCI DSS compliance – two endeavors we can assist with also.

Continuous Monitoring: Becoming PCI compliance is a challenge – no question about it – but staying PCI DSS compliant is often the more time-consuming and burdensome requirement, but we can help. We offer a wide-range of continuous monitoring solutions for Texas businesses. Turn to the Austin, TX PCI compliance certification and consulting experts today at Materdei Consulting, LLC. Visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more.

PCI Compliance Certification & SAQ Consulting for Houston, TX Merchants

Materdei Consulting, LLC is Houston’s leading provider of PCI compliance, certification, and consulting services, offering a complete lifecycle of solutions for helping merchants and service providers in Houston – and throughout Texas – in becoming PCI DSS compliant. Business is booming in the Lone Star State – and that’s everywhere – in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and beyond, thus requiring tens of thousands of businesses to become PCI DSS compliant. Are you a merchant or service provider in the greater Houston areas in need of PCI compliance? Not sure where to start and are new to the entire Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards mandates? Need PCI policies and procedures, or just have general questions about PCI?

Whatever your needs are, contact Texas’ PCI compliance leaders today at Materdei Consulting, LLC. Visit us at pcipolicyportal.com to learn more, or send us an email at pci@pcipolicyportal.com.

Saving Houston, TX Business Thousands of Dollars with PCI Compliance

Houston is a dynamic town with a diverse economy, which means we’ve helped almost every type of merchant or service provider in H-Town, from gas stations to grocery stores, restaurants, data centers, telecom companies, and more. Our secret to success? We offer fixed-fee consulting services, high-quality documentation (our PCI Policy Packets have been used by thousands of businesses around the world since 2009), experienced, well-versed personnel, and much more. But more than anything, we understand PCI compliance better than almost anyone, and as fellow Texans, we’ll give you the Texas straight talk about what it takes to bec¬ome – and stay – PCI DSS compliant.

Fixed-Fee PCI DSS SAQ Assistance for Houston Businesses

Merchants, service providers, and other businesses in Houston seeking assistance with Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) completion can turn to Materdei Consulting, LLC. One of the real challenges with “self-assessing” is that is has become an increasingly difficult initiative to tackle on your own. Why? Because the actual SAQ requirements are quite complex, challenging to interpret, and operationally taxing to implement. And that’s if you happen to have a comprehensive understanding of the SQA requirement themselves.

From SAQ A to SAQ D, we offer consulting services consisting of expert guidance for helping Houston merchants and service providers successfully complete the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) requirements. From developing necessary PCI policies and procedures to implementing a wide variety of security and technical controls, we’ll walk you through every step of the way, helping you complete your SAQ the “right” way.

Expert Advice for PCI DSS SAQ Certification for Texas Businesses

Many businesses make the mistake that self-assessing for PCI compliance is an easy endeavor – it’s not – and it’s why you need an expert consultant, proven and trusted professionals, and that’s Materdei Consulting, LLC. We offer the following PCI DSS services and solutions for Houston, TX businesses seeking to become compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards, so visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more today, or email us at pci@pcipolicyportal.com today:

PCI Scoping & Readiness Assessments: Thousands of merchants and service providers throughout Texas that are storing, processing and transmitting cardholder data must become PCI DSS compliant, that’s not up for debate. What businesses need to know is that performing a cost-effective and brief upfront exercise is highly recommended for ensuring you overall PCI efforts get off on the right track.

So where to start, with a PCI DSS scoping & readiness assessment, that’s where. It’s a proven process performed by Materdei Consulting, LLC that helps merchants and service providers assess and understand scoping boundaries, identify internal control gaps and deficiencies, acquire necessary security tools, put in place a workable plan-of-action for getting things done, and much more.

Being new to PCI DSS compliance can be confusing and frustrating, all the more reason for performing a much-needed scoping & readiness assessment. Contact us at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more about our services for Houston, TX businesses. Spending a few extra dollars on the front-end ultimately saves you thousands of dollars in long-term costs.

PCI Policies and Procedures Authoring Services: What’s become one of the most exhausting and frustrating aspects of PCI compliance is actually a process that Materdei Consulting, LLC has perfected since 2009. Documentation is a time-consuming process – no question about it – and its why merchants and service providers in Texas turn to us in obtaining professionally developed PCI policies and procedures and other supporting templates for becoming compliant.

Do you really want to spend dozens of hour writing PCI polices and procedure – probably not – so download the very best documentation found today from the global PCI policy experts at pcipolicyportal.com. Filled with the very best and most current documentation, our PCI policies and procedures templates have been used by thousands of companies all around the globe. Need an access control policy template? How about a security awareness training program manual? Need to perform a risk assessment and looking for professionally developed forms and manuals for such an exercise? Our documentation is the answer, so visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more.

Whatever business you’re in, we have the necessary forms and templates for helping Houston, TX businesses become compliant, so visit us today at pcipolicyportal.com.

Technical and Operational Remediation: Are your password parameters configured with strong complexity rules? Do you have File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) in place for recording any type of file activity begin made? How about your network device and servers; have they been provisioned, hardened and secured with industry leading standards? As you can see, technical and operational remediation is often a time-consuming process for many merchants and service providers seeking to become PCI DSS compliant.

Thankfully, we offer industry leading PCI policies, forms, checklists, and other supporting templates for helping merchants and service providers meet many of the technical and operational requirements mandated by PCI. Sure, you still have to roll up your sleeves and make configuration changes to systems, but our documentation goes a long way in reducing the time and effort for becoming PCI DSS compliant. It’s just another reason why so many businesses in Houston turn to us for much-needed PCI guidance.

Penetration Testing: Need comprehensive, fixed-fee penetration testing services, we offer such solutions also.

Assistance with Vendor Selection of Security Products: There’s literally hundreds of software and security vendors pushing products to merchants and service providers in the PCI community. While the vast majority of the tools are high-quality indeed, you’ll need to be aware of cost considerations and implementation challenges. What you need is a proven expert for helping navigate the rough waters of PCI vendors, and we can help.

Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) Help: The PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ) – for which there are many – can be highly confusing for businesses, and it’s why we offer consulting services specific to PCI SAQ. Turn to the Houston, Texas PCI DSS experts today at Materdei Consulting, LLC.

PCI Compliance Certification Best Practices for Small Businesses

PCI compliance certification best practices are essential for small businesses looking to save thousands of dollars on annual costs associated with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) initiatives. With growing competition and shrinking margins, the last things small businesses need (i.e., merchants and service providers) are heavy compliance costs that consume precious financial and operational resources.  Don’t become a victim of some big-box provider for PCI DSS solutions, there’s a number of ways for saving hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on PCI compliance for small businesses, so let’s take a look.

It starts with PCI Policies and Documentation

Did you know what one of the biggest and most time-consuming aspects of PCI compliance for small businesses is documentation?  That’s right, developing dozens of information security policies and procedures, forms, checklists – all the necessary PCI DSS documents – can be an enormous task. But not anymore, as pcipolicyportal.com now offers industry leading, all-in-one PCI compliance policy toolkits and templates for merchants and service providers.  Saving time and money has never been easier as our PCI policy toolkits and templates have been written to the exact specifications of the actual PCI DSS requirements. This ensures full coverage of all the necessary PCI mandates. The packets are available for all SAQ requirements and for Level 1 onsite assessments, so visit pcipolicyportal.com today to learn more.

Think about it, who wants to spend endless hours writing PCI policies and procedures for compliance? Perhaps you already have existing information security policies in place – great – but can they map directly to the actual PCI DSS standards, and are they even current with today’s best practices for InfoSec? As you begin to answer these questions, it starts to just make sense that the best avenue is using pre-populated policy templates from pcipolicyportal.com.  Along with policy templates, small businesses will also receive security awareness training materials, risk assessment documents, and more.  Visit pcipolicyportal.com today to learn more about PCI compliance certification best practices for small businesses.

It Continues by Using Cost-Effective PCI DSS Compliance Tools

Speaking of big box compliance providers of security solutions, we have one recommendation for you on them – stay away!  You don’t need to spend a large 5 figure amount for obtaining high-quality PCI DSS security tools for the likes of audit trails/audit logging, file integrity monitoring, intrusion detection systems, scanning, and more.  There are a growing number of providers that are extremely cost-effective, netwatcher.com being one that I really like, in providing great tools at great prices.

Additionally, you can also use open-source tools, which are now readily available for file integrity monitoring, a web application firewall, and more.  The choice is yours on how much money you’ll ultimately want to save.

Hire a PCI DSS Expert for a Few Hours

Need guidance on the actual PCI DSS framework, but don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on consultants? Not a problem, Materdei Consulting, LLC – the founders of pcipolicyportal.com – offers small buckets of PCI DSS compliance consulting services for small businesses starting at just $750 for three (3) hours of consulting. You’d actually be surprised at how much you can learn in just three hours from high-quality PCI consultants, so email us at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more about our services and related fees.

A PCI compliance expert can very quickly help you assess and determine scope, identify gaps and deficiencies that require remediation, recommend any number of security tools, and much more.  Think of us as your PCI go-to-guy whenever you have questions.  Learning more about PCI compliance certification best practices for small businesses begins with our introductory three (3) hour consulting service.

Don’t fall victim to the Scams

Are you getting email, mail, or phone calls from companies saying you have to be PCI complaint NOW or face huge fines? Most of these forms of correspondence are coming from aggressive PCI compliance providers looking to hook you on a monthly service fee. Be careful of such calls, ask the right questions, and find the “real” avenue for completing your annual PCI compliance requirements each year.  So, what is that “real” avenue, it’s often direct correspondence from your acquiring bank, payment processor/payment gateway, so be on the lookout for these organizations contacting you. We hope you’ve found the PCI compliance certification best practices tips and recommendations for small businesses helpful.

Talk to the PCI Compliance Experts for Small Businesses

Wherever you’re located and whatever your business is, if you’re involved in the storage, processing, and/or transmission of cardholder data, then becoming PCI DSS compliant is an absolute must.  Getting there, however, can be a whole different story, particularly for small businesses owners who need to save time and money.  It all starts with documentation, so visit pcipolicyportal.com today and instantly download any number of the PCI compliance policy toolkits and templates from the world’s leading provider of PCI compliance documents.

PCI DSS Best Practices for Merchants for PCI Certification

PCI DSS best practices for merchants consists of businesses understanding a number of key components relevant to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).  While many merchants – and service providers – often get into a costly and time-consuming engagement regarding PCI compliance, it’s something that can often be avoided.  What you need is the knowledge and understanding of the entire PCI DSS landscape, and that begins by taking note of our PCI DSS best practices for merchants.

PCI DSS best practices for merchants consists of businesses understanding a number of key components relevant to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).  While many merchants – and service providers – often get into a costly and time-consuming engagement regarding PCI compliance, it’s something that can often be avoided.  What you need is the knowledge and understanding of the entire PCI DSS landscape, and that begins by taking note of our PCI DSS best practices for merchants.

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards are not going away, in fact, they’ll continue to increase in terms of complexity and security requirements, so now’s the time to get serious about PCI compliance.

PCI Policy Templates for Merchants for Instant Download

Before we get into the PCI DSS best practices list, just a quick note that one of the most time-consuming and demanding requirements for PCI compliance is documentation. More specifically, you need to have in place a wide-range of InfoSec policies and procedures for becoming PCI DSS compliant.  But it’s much more than just policies, it’s also about implementing key operational initiatives, such as performing a risk assessment, undertaking security awareness training, monitoring third-party providers.  These mandates require documentation to fulfill the task, and it’s why pcipolicyportal.com offers PCI policy templates and toolkits for instant download today.

Looking to save hundreds of operational hours and thousands of dollars on PCI DSS compliance, then consider downloading the PCI policy templates and toolkits today. We offer SAQ policy packets, along with documentation for Level 1 onsite audits, so visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more.  Now, back to the PCI DSS best practices list!

6 Important PCI DSS Best Practices for Merchants/Service Providers

1. Understand the True Intent and Scope of PCI:  Many merchants and service providers start off poorly with PCI compliance largely because they fail to understand the true meaning of what PCI compliance actually means.  Here’s what you need to know. It’s not some simple, check-the-box assessment that can be done in a few hours.  It’s not something you can ignore and pick up on the 11th hour of a deadline and hope to become compliant.  PCI compliance is about a change in culture and ideology for an organization.

It requires a true commitment to understanding today’s security issues, challenges, threats – and best practices – facing businesses.  Additionally, PCI compliance is an assessment process that “can” potentially require a large number of security tools/solutions to be acquired, along with developing a wide-range of PCI policies.  Both the technical and documentation aspect of PCI compliance can become challenging, so keep this in mind.  Bottom line, just be forewarned that PCI compliance is often not a “walk in the park”.  So, where to start, with a scoping & readiness assessment – our next PCI DSS best practices recommendation.

2. Be Aware of Critical Scoping Considerations: What business functions do you perform that result in the storing, processing, and/or transmittal of cardholder data for your business? What actual system components, people, physical locations, and third-party organizations are in scope for PCI compliance? How does one determine the maturity of each of the PCI test requirements and what steps have to be taken for remediating such issues?  Questions look and sound familiar to you? If so, that’s because these are common concerns businesses have with PCI compliance, and they can be fully addressed with a well-planned and executed PCI DSS scoping & readiness assessment.

Getting the answers before such scoping issues become a problem is one of the real benefits of performing a PCI scoping & readiness assessment, and it’s why Materdei Consulting – the founders of pcipolicyportal.com – offer fixed-fees for such services.  Contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more about our PCI scoping & readiness assessment services and other PCI DSS best practices for merchants and service providers.

3. Know that REMEDIATION is Coming: We like to call it the big R.  Remediation is just a way of life in the world of PCI DSS compliance as no organization has a fully mature, completely PCI compliant environment.  That’s ok, because remediating gaps and deficiencies serves two (2) great purposes. One, it’s helps in establishing industry leading, best practices relating to the broader subject of information security, and secondly, you become PCI compliant.  It’s a win-win, so let Materdei Consulting, LLC help get you there with our proven PCI remediation services.

Specifically, we can assist in finding the right security tools and solutions, developing outstanding PCI policies and procedures for you, actively assist in completing the applicable PCI Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ), and more. Merchants and service providers have been turning to Materdei Consulting, LLC since 2009, so consider us for all your PCI DSS needs.  To learn more about PCI DSS Best Practices for Merchants for PCI Certification, visit pcipolicyportal.com today.

4. PCI Policies and Procedure are Essential: While we touched on the importance of documentation, let’s expand on this topic to provide a better understanding of the need for PCI policies and procedures, and other supporting documents.  Remember, authoring documentation in terms of policies can be an incredibly time-consuming process, something that can become even more frustrating if you try and modify existing policy documents.  One of the most common answers we receive when asking businesses if they have InfoSec documents in place is, “Yes, and we’ll just modify them for purposes of PCI compliance.”

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy as re-writing and changing existing policies for PCI compliance is actually more time-consuming than completely starting over and using our documents – it really is!  Our PCI policy templates and toolkits contain all the necessary policies, forms, templates, checklists – and more – for helping meet the rigorous documentation needs for PCI – and the material is available for instant download today at pcipolicyportal.com.

Yet the PCI policy toolkits offer more than just policies, you’ll also receive security awareness training materials, risk assessment forms, vendor management templates, and much more.  Policies are important, but so are the numerous operational initiatives that must be carried out for PCI compliance.  As to the specific policy packets, they’re available for Level 1 onsite assessments, along with the following PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaires:

• SAQ A
• SAQ A-EP
• SAQ B
• SAQ B-IP
• SAQ C
• SAQ C-VT
• SAQ P2PE-HW
• SAQ D for Merchants
• SAQ D for Service Providers

Want to save thousands of dollars and dozens of operational hours, then visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more about our services and solutions for businesses all throughout the globe.  When it comes to PCI DSS best practices for merchants, documentation is one element you need to be vitally aware of.

5. Assess your Third-Party Vendors:  Do you outsource critical services to another business? If so, does any element of your outsourcing activities include a third-party storing, processing, and/or transmitting cardholder data? If so, such organizations need to be PCI DSS compliant, and you have an obligation for ensuring security controls are in place for protecting cardholder data.  One of the challenges, however, is putting in place a formalized, structured plan for assessing a third-party’s security controls, but not anymore, thanks to pcipolicyportal.com, who now offers a vendor and third-party management solution that’s comprehensive, easy-to-use and available for instant download today at pcipolicyportal.com.

6. Engage in “Continuous Monitoring”: So, you’ve become PCI DSS compliant, that’s great, but now the real fun begins with continuous monitoring; the process of inspecting, assessing, and enhancing one’s control environment on a regular basis for ensuring continued compliance with the PCI DSS framework.  We can assist, as our documentation helps for ensuring continuous monitoring efforts are performed – and successful!  To learn more about PCI DSS Best Practices for Merchants for PCI Certification, visit pcipolicyportal.com today.

PCI SAQ Compliance & Certification – Manhattan/New York City Merchants

Materdei Consulting, LLC offers PCI SAQ compliance & certification services for merchants and service providers in Manhattan and the greater New York City metropolitan area. If you’re a business storing, processing, and/or transmitting cardholder data, then becoming compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) is a strict requirement.

Have you begun the PCI DSS certification process only to become frustrated by the never-ending questions and requirements? Unsure of where to start concerning PCI SAQ compliance & certification? Turn to Manhattan’s PCI experts today at Materdei Consulting, LLC, the founders of pcipolicyportal.com, the world’s leading source for high-quality, industry leading PCI policies and procedures.

We offer the following PCI SAQ compliance & certification services to merchants and service providers in Manhattan and within the greater New York City metropolitan area:

Fixed-Fee PCI DSS Scoping & Readiness Assessments

There are literally thousands of business in Manhattan that need to be PCI DSS compliant – we know, we’ve worked with hundreds of them – and luckily, most can become PCI DSS certified through the SAQ process. The only problem is that performing a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) for becoming PCI compliant is sometimes much more challenging than one would think. How so? As you get into the more complex SAQ requirements – such as SAQ A-EP and SAQ D – they require a deep commitment to putting in place all necessary policies, procedures, and processes – and this can take time.

What’s needed is a fixed-fee, cost-effective PCI scoping & readiness assessment that helps in examining your current control environment. With such an engagement, you’ll walk away with a clear understanding of scope in terms of business and system boundaries, what gaps and deficiencies exist that need to be remediated, deliverables and milestones to be met, future expectations for subsequent PCI reporting, and much more. There’s simply not a better way to begin your PCI process, so contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more about our PCI SAQ compliance & certification services for businesses in Manhattan and the greater New York City metropolitan area.

Expert Assistance with Vendor Tools Selection

Many of the areas within the relevant SAQ documents often require the use and implementation of a handful of security software solutions and tools. Think File Integrity Monitoring (FIM), two-factor authentication (2FA), external and internal vulnerability scanning, audit logs and audit trails, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), and more. Do you have these tools in place? If not, have you began the process of sourcing vendors? Very quickly, this task can spiral out of control as there are literally hundreds of security providers just waiting to take your money, often selling you the wrong product at the wrong price.  We can help assist in choosing the right vendor at the right product. It’s something we do every day with our client list. Contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more.

PCI Policies and Procedures from the Global Leader in Compliance

Sure, the entire PCI SAQ compliance & certification process can be incredibly complex from an I.T. perspective, but what’s often more time-consuming is developing all of your PCI policies and procedures. From Requirement 1 to Requirement 12 of the PCI DSS standards, there’s up to fifty (50) different policies, procedures, forms, and documents that will need to be in place. Who really has the time to author PCI policies from scratch – not your business, not any business – so do what other Manhattan and greater New York City businesses have been doing for years, and that’s downloading the industry leading PCI policies and procedures for the following SAQ requirements:

• PCI SAQ A
• PCI SAQ A-EP
• PCI SAQ B
• PCI SAQ B-IP
• PCI SAQ C
• PCI SAQ C-VT
• PCI SAQ P2PE-HW
• PCI SAQ D

Along with offering Manhattan businesses PCI policies for the various SAQ requirements, we also provide a comprehensive package for both merchants and service providers having to perform an actual Level 1 onsite assessment by a Payment Card Industry Qualified Security Assessor (PCI-QSA). Visit pcipolicyportal.com today to learn more about our professionally developed, easy-to-use and implement PCI policies and toolkits for businesses in Manhattan and within the greater New York City metropolitan area.

Continuous Monitoring Service for PCI DSS Compliance

Becoming PCI compliant is one thing, but maintaining your certification if often a more challenging battle. After all, you’ll need to ensure that your policies, procedures, and internal control processes are continuously being monitored and updated – a process collectively known as “Continuous Monitoring”. It can be a time-consuming process, but not with the professionally developed documents offered by Materdei Consulting, LLC that allow organizations to build and maintain a successful and efficient “Continuous Monitoring” program. Learn more today about our products and services by visiting pcipolicyportal.com, or simply contact us at pci@pcipolicyportal.com. Since 2009, we’ve helped hundreds of Manhattan businesses – from street corner vendors to large publishing companies – and we’re ready to help you succeed.

PCI Compliance & Certification for Small Businesses Overview

PCI compliance & certification for small businesses – specifically, small merchants and service providers – can be an incredibly time-consuming and taxing proposition as many businesses simply don’t have the operational and financial resources. The key is understanding exactly what the PCI DSS requirements are, what’s important from a scope and risk assessment perspective, and how do businesses go about becoming certified. From policies and procedures to security awareness training requirements, PCI compliance & certification for small businesses does require documentation and other supporting materials, which we provide for instant download today at pcipolicyportal.com. Our industry leading PCI policy packets and compliance toolkits are simply the most sought after documentation available for helping small businesses become compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) requirements.

Our Toolkits save Small Businesses Thousands of Dollars on PCI Compliance

Forget about the high-priced consultants and costly fees for software tools and applications, simply download our industry leading PCI policy packet and compliance toolkits and you’ll be on your way in no time to complying with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).What’s included in our award-winning PCI toolkits – essentially everything a small business needs for becoming PCI DSS compliant. That’s right, from essential policies and procedures to critical risk assessment documentation, security awareness training materials, third-party monitoring documents, and more, it’s all available for instant download today at pcipolicyportal.com.

Our toolkits will save you literally hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on PCI DSS compliance, no question about it. Additionally, the PCI compliance toolkits are always updated to reflect changes and enhancements made to the actual PCI DSS standards, which has been occurring rather quickly as of late. Best of all, the documentation received has been professionally researched and developed by one of North America’s longest licensed Payment Card Industry Qualified Security Assessors (PCI-QSA). Visit pcipolicyportal.com today and see how we’re helping small business succeed in the world of PCI compliance.

Merchant vs. Service Provider Debate for Small Businesses

Are you a merchant or a service provider? This is something you’ll need to define very quickly as there are different reporting requirements for merchants vs. service providers. Additionally, while merchants have the ability to utilize a large number of Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ), service provider don’t have that luxury. Moreover, merchants need to really spend time in assessing which of the SAQ’s to use, as there are now more SAQ’s than ever before. Thus, depending on which of the SAQ documents you to choose to complete, your annual PCI DSS compliance mandates can consist of a rather small footprint – such as SAQ A – to a rather large footprint, such as SAQ D. Whichever of the SAQ documents you choose to use, policies, procedures, and processes – call it the three (3) P’s – have to be in place. It’s why pcipolicyportal.com was developed; for providing small businesses all throughout the world the very best PCI DSS compliance policy templates found anywhere today.

SAQ vs RoC for Small Business PCI Compliance?

While the vast majority of merchants and service providers can assess with the numerous Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ) – probably up to 99% of merchants – there are still instances where both merchants and service providers have to perform an actual Level 1 onsite assessment by a PCI-QSA. Hopefully, you can stay away from the dreaded Level 1 onsite assessments, but if not, you’ll need to find a proven, high-quality PCI-QSA. Word to the wise – there are a number of Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ) to choose from – especially if you are a merchant – and many merchants will thus need assistance and guidance in determining which SAQ to use.

The SAQ’s, though they stand for “Self-Assessment Questionnaire”, is somewhat misleading, because many of the respective SAQ’s are actually quite detailed and complex, ultimately requiring assistance from an expert, such as a PCI-QSA. The much-dreaded SAQ D is incredibly long and complex, often confusing businesses on how to actually complete the document. Please visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more about all the products, services, and solutions we offer.

What you’ll want to do is visit pcisecuritystandards.org and download the applicable Self-Assessment Questionnaire for your business. Again, keep in mind that there are numerous SAQ’s, so choosing the right one is important. If you cannot seem to find the right SAQ, then you’ll need to default to SAQ D, which is the longest of all the SAQ’s. How do you know which SAQ is right for you; at the beginning of each SAQ is a list of bullet points asking you a series of questions, thus if you can readily agree to the criteria, then you’re good to go in using that actual SAQ. We provide assistance with completing the SAQ documents, to contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to and ask about our services and solutions.

Why a PCI Readiness Assessment is Essential

It’s best to perform an actual PCI DSS readiness assessment with a PCI expert for helping better assess and understand the environment in question. From missing policies to critical scope considerations, a readiness assessment – when properly performed – is absolutely invaluable for long-term PCI DSS success. We provide such assessments for a fixed-fee, so contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more or call us at 424-274-1952. A PCI DSS readiness assessment is absolutely critical – particularly for small businesses new to the PCI DSS standards – as it helps ensure your long-term PCI goals and overall success. A highly reputable organization – such as Materdei Consulting, LLC – can provide PCI DSS readiness assessments that are brief, cost-effective, and highly invaluable.

Expect to Perform PCI Remediation

Hey, nobody’s perfect in life in anything we do, that we can all admit. The same goes for compliance regarding the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) mandates for small businesses. Specifically, every merchant and service provider will have some degree of remediation that needs to be undertaken, from developing policies and procedures to making necessary security implementation changes. The key to successful remediation is having documentation to work with, such as the PCI Policy Packets we offer for instant download today at pcipolicyportal.com. Remediation just became that much easier, thanks to the global experts who’ve been helping businesses with PCI compliance since 2009 – and that’s pcipolicyportal.com.

PCI Policies and Procedures are Critical for Compliance

Ask any small business owner that’s been through the rigorous PCI DSS compliance mandates what’s the most time-consuming and taxing process, and they’ll almost always tell you it’s developing the policies and procedures. Mundane, taxing and not too terribly invigorating, policy writing can be a real drain, and it’s why small businesses turn to us for authoring all the necessary PCI DSS specific policies, procedures, and processes.

You can also save a tremendous amount of money by customizing the templates yourself, because the documentation is that good. Browse our extensive list of policy packet toolkits today at pcipolicyportal.com. When it comes to saving hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on PCI DSS compliance, leave the PCI policy writing to the experts at Materdei Consulting, LLC. Visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more, or call us today at 424-274-1952.

Small Businesses will have to Perform Vulnerability Scans

Vulnerability Scanning: Depending on which of the Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ) you need to comply with, vulnerability scanning – both internal and external – will most likely be a requirement. If so, don’t look at a short-term solution – rather – source a scanning vendor you can use for the long-term as vulnerability scans are required quarterly, but as a best practice, should be performed regularly (such as monthly). There are a number of reputable vendors offering such services, so simply look at qualys.com or even search for other providers. Try netboundary.com, as they also offer cost-effective scanning services at reasonable prices. Just because you’re a small businesses, it doesn’t ultimately mean you can escape the mandate for vulnerability scanning.

Small Businesses “Might” have to Perform Penetration Tests

Penetration Testing: Performing an annual penetration test is a really good idea in terms of information security and cybersecurity best practices, and it’s also a mandate for PCI DSS compliance. They “can” be expensive and time-consuming, all the more reason to find and work with a proven organization – such as Materdei Consulting, LLC- who can provide a list of resources for performing such a test. Additionally, the PCI mandates – particularly version 3.2 and subsequent directives – are mandating that penetration tests be performed more frequently now, as the once a year test is seen as inadequate.

While not all merchants and service providers have to perform an annual penetration test, it’s a best practice that should be considered, no question about it, as growing cybersecurity threats are penetrating networks more and more. The thought of a data security breach that results in the leakage of customer data is an absolute nightmare, and it’s why more companies are testing their networks to determine how secure they truly are. And because penetration tests often simulate real-world attacks, you’ll get a very good idea on how secure your network actually is.

PCI Compliance for Small Businesses begins with our PCI Policy Toolkits

When it comes to PCI DSS compliance for small businesses, look to the experts at pcipolicyportal.com, providers of industry leading PCI policies and procedures and other compliance toolkits for merchants and service providers. From New York to LA, pcipolicyportal.com has been offering high-quality, cost-effective services and solutions for small businesses, so contact us today at 424-274-1952 to learn more. Small businesses are the heart of the U.S. economy, which means ensuring the safety and security of cardholder data is now more important than ever. Lastly, if you’re in need of a Payment Card Industry Qualified Security Assessor (PCI-QSA), then contact PCI-QSA Charles Denyer at cdenyer@ndbcpa.com today.

Final Words of Wisdom for PCI Compliance for Small Businesses

PCI compliance & certification for small businesses doesn’t have to be an expensive and laborious proposition – not at all – especially if you take the time to truly understand the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) mandates. Each of the PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ) have their own nuances, to be sure, but documentation is still the biggest and largest mandate for any of the SAQ’s. This ultimately means sourcing the very best, high-quality PCI DSS policies and procedures – and other essential documents – for allowing rapid and complete compliance with the PCI mandates.

Even SAQ A and SAQ B, the much shorter and more condensed PCI DSS SAQ reporting forms, contain requirements for policies and procedures – there’s just not getting around it. Do what small businesses all throughout the country – and the globe – have been doing for years and that’s relying on the PCI Policy Toolkits from pcipolicyportal.com. Since 2009, we’ve been the industry leader when it comes to PCI documentation, so visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more. And lastly, many of the payment processors provide online reporting portals allowing you to validate and report on PCI compliance each year, so make sure to use the helpful websites.

PCI Compliance & Certification for Healthcare Providers

PCI compliance & certification for healthcare providers is a strict mandate if such entities are storing, processing, and/or transmitting cardholder data. The healthcare industry is incredibly large, complex, and bureaucratic, ultimately creating immense challenges for regulatory compliance, especially with the PCI DSS provisions. From small, single office practitioners to large Third Party Administrators (TPA) of medical claims, you need to get the facts about PCI compliance, and it’s why pcipolicyportal.com offers the following best practices and guidelines for helping healthcare providers become compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).

Save Thousands of Dollars on PCI Compliance with our Toolkits!

Before you dive into the 9 essential points you need to know about for PCI compliance and certification for healthcare providers, keep in mind that complying with the actual Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) is often a time-consuming process because of one large issue – documentation. Specifically, you need PCI policies and procedures, forms, checklists, and other essential materials for compliance, and that’s exactly what you’ll receive when downloading the award-winning PCI Compliance Toolkit for Healthcare Providers today at pcipolicyportal.com.

Ditch the thought of having to write information security policies and procedures from scratch, it’s simply not necessary with our toolkits. Moreover, you’ll receive everything you need – policies, procedures, forms, checklists, risk assessment documents, security awareness training materials, business continuity and disaster recovery documents, and so much more – so visit pcipolicyportal.com today.

PCI Compliance & Certification for Healthcare Providers – 9 Things to Know

1. Compliance is Mandatory: First things first, and if you are storing, processing, and/or transmitting cardholder data (i.e., credit card information), then becoming compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) is a strict mandate – no options. With heavy fines looming for non-compliance, can you really afford to ignore the PCI DSS standards – probably not, so now’s the time to get serious about data security and pcipolicyportal.com can help.

While there are technically millions of Merchant ID’s (MIDS) currently assigned to businesses throughout North America – and only a handful of personnel responsible for enforcement within each of the major payment gateways – mandating PCI DSS compliance has been a challenge, to say the least. Even with that said, payment gateways, processors, ISO’s, acquiring banks – everyone in the payment lifecycle – are getting smarter, stricter, and more demanding when it comes to complying with PCI. Huge fines and penalties are being handed out for non-compliance, so keep this in mind should you decide to continue to ignore the warnings.

2. Understand the Merchant vs. Service Provider Scenario: First and foremost, you’ll need to identify your status in terms of PCI DSS compliance. Are you a merchant or a service provider? What’s the difference and are their actual reporting differences? For an ounce of clarity and simplicity, note that merchants are defined as the following: Any entity that accepts payment cards bearing the logos of any of the five members of PCI SSC (American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard or Visa) as payment for goods and/or services. Note that a merchant that accepts payment cards as payment for goods and/or services can also be a service provider, if the services sold result in storing, processing, or transmitting cardholder data on behalf of other merchants or service providers.

3. SAQ vs. Onsite Assessments: If you’ve taken the time to determine your “level” for PCI DSS compliance, then you’re well aware of the four (4) respective levels for compliance, Level’s 1 – 4. While most merchants – if you are defined as a merchant – can self-assess with any number of the PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ), service providers often must perform either a Level 1 assessment, or self-assess via SAQ D. And because many healthcare providers do not operate in the traditional sense of a merchant, most will fall under the category of a service provider for PCI DSS compliance. While you may escape the wrath of having to perform a Level 1 assessment, compliance with SAQ D can be challenging, as it’s an extremely long and detailed document.

4. Begin with a Readiness Assessment: Do yourself a favor by beginning your PCI DSS initiatives with a comprehensive scoping and readiness assessment. PCI compliance for healthcare providers is not going away – more and more healthcare entities are storing, processing, and transmitting credit cards – so the importance of understanding one’s environment for PCI is critical.

5. Policies and Procedures are essential for Compliance: Are you aware of the importance of having PCI policies and procedures in place for PCI DSS compliance? Did you know that there are approximately fifty (50) different policies, procedures, forms, checklists and other supporting documents that need to be in place for PCI DSS compliance? It can be an incredibly time-consuming process, no doubt, and it’s why both merchants and service providers turn to the experts at pcipolicyportal.com for industry leading PCI policies and procedures for helping enable rapid compliance.

After all, who really wants to start from scratch and author information security policies and procedures? Even if you have policies and procedures currently in place, are they current, do they map to the existing PCI DSS standards, and have they even been reviewed for accuracy? Such initiatives could take dozens of hours to implement – and time is money, as the old saying goes – so do yourself a favor and instantly download any one of our award-winning PCI DSS toolkits today from pcipolicyportal.com.

6. Implement Key Operational Mandates: From assessing risk to mandating security awareness training, there’s much to be done in the world of PCI compliance that goes above and beyond just basic PCI policies. While PCI policies and procedures are without question critical, so are the numerous operational initiatives. Policies mean little to nothing if there are no actual procedures put in place for the likes of security awareness training, assessing risks annually, handling security incidents, having users acknowledge usage rights, and more. Take action today by implementing these critical requirements for PCI DSS compliance.

7. Protecting Cardholder Data and PHI is Essential: PCI compliance for healthcare providers essentially means protecting both cardholder data and Protected Health Information (PHI), which means you’ve now got a two-front battle to fight. Challenging indeed, but it’s got to done, so consider downloading our HIPAA policies and procedures today from hipaapoliciesandprocedures.com. Both Covered Entities (CE) and Business Associates (BA) can benefit from having high-quality, industry leading HIPAA information security policies and procedures in place. Much like PCI DSS, HIPAA also mandates that CE’s and BA’s have well-written, comprehensive InfoSec documentation in place.

8. Say Hello to “Continuous Monitoring”: What’s “Continuous Monitoring”, it’s the efforts put in place by businesses for continuing to monitor, assess, and enhance – as necessary – one’s internal controls as it relates to policies, procedures, and processes. It’s about ensuring the continued safety and security of organizational assets, from customer data (i.e., PHI, cardholder data, etc.) to confidential information (i.e., employee H.R. file, trade secrets, etc.). PCI compliance for healthcare providers will no doubt have to include provisions for “Continuous Monitoring”, so keep this in mind. Visit pcipolicyportal.com today to learn more about the industry leading PCI policies and procedures that are available for instant download for healthcare providers.

9. Conduct Scanning and Penetration Testing: PCI compliance for healthcare providers also means that vulnerability scanning and penetration testing will often be a strict requirement. While many companies loathe at the costs and operational time in setting up and establishing such services, its highly needed, even if PCI were not required. How so? Simple. Vulnerability scanning, both internal and external, is an excellent tool/service for identifying threats and other problems with your network. Penetration testing is also an excellent tool/service as such testing actually tries to exploit and “penetrate” your network to see if your network can be compromised and possibly even brought down. With increased cybersecurity risks and threats in today’s business landscape, scanning and penetration testing are two important initiatives all businesses must be performing.

The World’s Leading Provider of PCI Compliance for Healthcare Providers

From small physician’s offices to large national insurance companies, if you’re in the healthcare space and need PCI DSS assistance, then you’ve found the right company. Since 2009, Materdei Consulting, LLC has assisted thousands of businesses throughout North America in becoming compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). Visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more today about our products and solutions for healthcare providers.

PCI Compliance Checklist for Nonprofits – Overview & Guidelines for Certification

Materdei Consulting, LLC, offers the following PCI compliance checklist for nonprofits, an essential overview complete with guidelines on helping nonprofits throughout North America achieve certification – comprehensively and cost-effectively – in accordance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).

1. Understand what PCI DSS is. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) can be an incredibly difficult mandate for nonprofits, as many organizations are not only challenged with financial costs for compliance, they also struggle to maintain adequate I.T. and operational personnel for assisting with PCI endeavors. The more you understand what PCI DSS is – and what it’s not – the better you’ll better be able to slay what’s arguably the biggest regulatory compliance mandate facing nonprofits in North America. So, what do you need to know about PCI? Here are the essentials for giving you a quick primer on the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), courtesy of Materdei Consulting, LLC:

2. Compliance is About Documentation: More specifically, regardless of one’s industry, sector, or size, businesses will need to develop comprehensive information security policies and procedures for the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) mandates – approximately 50 + policies. This can be an incredibly challenging, time-consuming and taxing process – especially for nonprofits – and it’ why sourcing high-quality PCI policy templates – such as those offered for instant download at pcipolicyportal.com – is the best approach to take.

3. Compliance is also About Implementing Various Initiatives: Both security awareness training and risk assessments are two (2) fundamentally important mandates for PCI DSS compliance, and they’re much more than just developing policy statements. Specifically, they’re about undertaking various actions for helping ensure the safety and security of cardholder data. You actually have to roll up your sleeves and put in place these initiatives – and after all – they’re best practices you should be performing regardless of PCI DSS compliance or not, particularly in today’s world of regulatory compliance.

The documentation we offer for nonprofits – available for instant download – includes material for implementing both a security awareness training program, along with a risk assessment platform. Visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more about our industry leading policy packets and compliance materials.

4. Compliance is about “Continuous Monitoring”: What’s “Continuous Monitoring”, it’s about assessing and monitoring your controls on a regular basis for helping ensure the safety and security of cardholder data and other organizational-wide assets. While every business that stores, processes, and transmits cardholder data must become PCI DSS compliant – which often means having a third-party assessor validate compliance (i.e., PCI-QSA) – the real compliance initiatives take root long after the assessors are gone.

Specifically, monitoring your own environment for nonprofits is really what provides long-term security for your organization, not a once-a-year validation for a PCI-QSA. For nonprofits, this means putting in place initiatives for monitoring your internal controls – the policies, procedures and processes – for maintaining PCI DSS compliance. We can help put such a program in place – we’ve done it numerous times for nonprofits all across the country, so email us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com today.

5. Learn about the reporting requirements for nonprofits: Unless you take credit card information in a traditional merchant scenario, either as a card-present function or through any number of e-commerce platforms, then you’ll likely be considered a service provider for terms of Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) compliance. This means that as a service provider, you’ll either be conducting your PCI assessment in accordance with Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) D or via an actual Level 1 onsite assessment via a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA). As to what are the parameters for deciding between SAQ D or a Level 1 onsite assessment, that can be a tricky answer, so call and speak with the PCI compliance nonprofit experts today at 424-274-1952.

6. Are you a merchant or a service provider nonprofit? Good question, because nonprofits can really be both. If you’re selling products and services via an e-commerce portal, you’re a merchant, and if you have some type of credible nexus to cardholder data, you’re a service provider. Don’t get too caught up in the merchant vs. service provider comparison because at the end of the day, the reporting requirements for both still entail the same: policies, procedures, and documented processes have to be in place.

7. Begin with a scoping & readiness assessment: The very best way to begin understanding, assessing – and properly planning – for PCI DSS compliance for nonprofits is by performing a PCI scoping & readiness assessment. Why? Because you need to truly gain insight into important issues, such as scoping boundaries, areas of remediation, personnel needs, etc. Without conducting any type of meaningful scoping & readiness assessment, you’re jeopardizing the long-term success of your PCI endeavors. What’s more, our PCI DSS scoping & readiness assessments are cost-effective, brief, and yield valuable results for helping plan and successfully complete compliance in a timely manner for your organization.

8. Remediate all gaps and issues: From missing policies to internal controls that are simply not functioning correctly, becoming – and staying – compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) “can” be a time-consuming and challenging task for nonprofits. If you choose the right provider for assisting you – and if you have the correct documentation in place, such as what we offer for instant download – then becoming compliant is that much easier. Depending on how mature your control environment is, you may have only marginal areas to remediate – it all depends on your current posture relating to one’s operational, security, and technical controls for nonprofits.

9. Obtain critical PCI policies and procedures templates: Regulatory compliance is often difficult and time-consuming, and adding to its complexities are the heavy requirements for documentation – specifically – policies and procedures. Nobody likes to author them, it’s a mundane process that often gets pushed off to somebody with little time or knowledge of the materials, thus it flounders. What you need are high-quality, well-written, and easy-to-use templates available for instant download today, and that’s exactly what’s offered at pcipolicyportal.com today. From Requirement 1 to Requirement 12, there’s almost fifty (50) PCI policies and supporting procedures that need to be in place, and we’ve got them for you.

10. Perform essential security awareness training: One of the very best initiatives you can do – and also one that’s quite cost-effective – is training all your nonprofit employees on today’s emerging information security best practices for helping ensue they stay abreast of security threats, challenges, and other dangers. Your employees – yes, your human skillset – is without question your first line of defense against threat vectors facing your network, so shouldn’t you take the time to train and educate these individuals – you should – and security awareness training is easy-to-do, cost-effective, and provides a high return on investment (ROI). pcipolicyportal.com offers an incredibly comprehensive security awareness training packet that’s available for instant download today as part of our industry leading PCI Policy Packets. Visit pcipolicyportal.com today to learn more.

11. Undertake an annual risk assessment process: Nonprofits will also need to perform an annual risk-assessment if you choose to go with SAQ D or a Level 1 onsite assessment with a Payment Card Industry Qualified Security Assessor (PCI-QSA). There seems to be quite a bit of chatter on the Internet as to what constitutes a risk-assessment for PCI compliance, at least in terms of scope, mechanisms to use, and the final deliverable. The easy answer is to simply use our all-in-one, comprehensive risk assessment package that includes a well-written policy and procedures templates, along with an easy-to-use risk management spreadsheet. Together, these documents will help you meet the PCI requirements of performing an annual risk assessment. The documentation is available for instant download today at pcipolicyportal.com.

12. Determine any third-party applicability for PCI DSS compliance: Do you have third-parties providing critical services that could impact the safety and security of cardholder data? Are these entities also storing, processing, and/or transmitting cardholder data for which you have a responsibility to protect for your clients? If so, then it’s time to put in place a comprehensive third-party monitoring program. Sure, it’s a requirement for PCI DSS compliance, but it’s also a best practice that any business should be implementing, regardless of industry, size or sector. We can help as we offer our industry leading PCI DSS monitoring packet for download today.

13. Engage in “Continuous Monitoring”: As stated earlier in this article, (and stated again now because of the importance of continuous monitoring!) the efforts needed for ensuring the continued safety and security of one’s cardholder data environment in terms of PCI DSS compliance is widely known as “Continuous Monitoring”. Specifically, it’s about establishing processes and procedures for assessing, reviewing, and enhancing, if necessary, one’s internal controls relating to PCI DSS compliance. Becoming PCI compliant is a notable milestone, but staying compliant, well, that can be a challenging endeavor indeed.

It’s why we offer nonprofits a proven process for monitoring one’s internal controls on a regular basis, complete with forms, checklists, and other processes to compliment your existing checks and balances. Staying compliant with the PCI mandates is a must, and it all begins with comprehensive continuous monitoring initiatives, so contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more.

Proven PCI Solutions for Nonprofits in North America

If you’re a nonprofit seeking expert guidance, open dialogue, straight talk and fixed-fee services for PCI DSS compliance, then it’s time to talk. From PCI scoping & readiness assessments to assistance with completion of the various PCI Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ), and more, we can help. Contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more about our capabilities for nonprofits regarding PCI compliance and subsequent certification. We’re ready to help nonprofits succeed in the often costly and complex world of PCI compliance.  We hope you’ve found the PCI compliance checklist for nonprofits helpful in your quest for becoming PCI DSS compliant.

PCI DSS Compliance, Certification, Consultant Oklahoma

Are you a merchant or service provider in Oklahoma and in need of PCI compliance and certification assistance from a proven, trusted provider – a firm that offers fixed-fee pricing and superior services? Then contact the Oklahoma PCI DSS compliance and certification experts at Materdei Consulting, LLC at pci@pcipolicyportal.com today. As Oklahoma natives – our founding partners were raised in Waynoka and Clinton, OK – the Sooner State is home to us, so turn to the PCI professionals today.

Comprehensive PCI DSS SAQ Solutions for Oklahoma Businesses

We offer numerous PCI compliance and certification services for Oklahoma businesses, such as PCI scoping & readiness assessments, PCI policies and procedures packets, strategy and consulting services, assistance with selecting security tools and solutions for compliance, and much more. Look at us as your one-stop shop for Oklahoma PCI compliance. Visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more about our products, services, and solutions, especially our award-winning PCI Policy Packets, available for instant download for both Level 1 onsite QSA assessments, and for the following SAQ requirements:

• SAQ ASAQ A-E
• SAQ B
• SAQ B-IP
• SAQ C
• SAQ C-VT
• SAQ P2PE-HW
• SAQ D for Merchants
• SAQ D for Service Providers

Oklahoma’s PCI Compliance Experts – Fixed-Fee Prices – Let’s Talk

You don’t have to spend tens of thousands of dollars on PCI compliance, and you don’t have to allocate hundreds of internal man-hours for PCI compliance. Let Materdei Consulting, LLC show you a better way – contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more. Merchants and service providers in Oklahoma now have a proven and trusted source for PCI DSS compliance and certification. As a full-service compliance firm to Oklahoma businesses, Materdei Consulting, LLC offers the following PCI solutions:

PCI DSS Scoping & Readiness Assessments: One of the most fundamentally important initiatives to undertake for ensuring a successful PCI compliance certification process is performing a scoping & readiness assessment. No, it’s not just another expense to add to your engagement, it’s a highly beneficial process that yields significant findings for helping Oklahoma businesses identify and remediate critical gaps, while also confirming essential scoping boundaries. The more you know in terms of PCI compliance, the greater your chances of achieving certification on time, within budget, and with minimal headaches.

PCI compliance for Oklahoma businesses can be an incredibly challenging and expensive proposition, but it doesn’t have to be, all the more reason for performing a scoping & readiness assessment. Having a clear roadmap in front of you in terms of deliverables, milestones, and expectations is the real benefit of a scoping & readiness assessment, so contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com to learn more.

Policy Writing: Our signature product we’ve been offering since 2009 are PCI policies and procedures for merchants and service providers. Professionally researched, easy-to-use, and implement, they’ve been saving clients thousands of dollars. If you need that extra level of policy customization, we offer policy writing services for Oklahoma businesses.

PCI SAQ Help: Performing a PCI DSS Self-Assessment via any number of the actual Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) documents can be an incredibly trying experience. Sure, its’ an SAQ, which means you don’t need the services of a Payment Card Industry Qualified Security Assessor (PCI-QSA) or some other PCI compliance expert, but it’s probably best you seek out such an individual. Why? Because the SAQ documents have become longer, more in-depth, complex, and demanding. Self-assessing is easier said than done, and it’s why Materdei Consulting, LLC offers comprehensive SAQ consulting and compliance services for Oklahoma businesses. Two of the most commonly utilized SAQ forms – SAQ A-EP and SAQ D – are notorious for being extremely challenging as they require upwards of almost 200 different mandates to be in place within the twelve (12) PCI DSS “Requirements.”

Oklahoma’s PCI SAQ Experts for Merchants and Service Providers

Going it alone on any number of the PCI SAQ documents can get tricky, as you’ll need to ask yourself the following questions for each mandate: (1). Is it in scope and why? (2). Does is require a policy, procedure, or process, and must it be documented? (3). Can a compensating control be used if we cannot meet the original intent of the control? These questions, and many more, often prove challenging to merchants and service providers, so let the PCI experts at Materdei Consulting, LLC assist your business today.

One of the more eye-opening experiences for becoming PCI DSS compliant is the realization that numerous security tools and products often have to be acquired and implemented into one’s environment. With the PCI framework being heavily weighted towards information security – and understandably so – tools such as anti-virus, File Integrity Monitoring (FIM), intrusion detection systems, two-factor authentication, audit and logging mechanisms – and more – are needed. Should you use open source, or not? What are the best tools available for UNIX/Linux and Microsoft systems? Do many of the products offer provisioning services or must we go it alone? These are just a handful of the common questions we help answer for clients by assisting in choosing the right products and services.

There’s literally hundreds of vendors offering viable products and services, but who has time to assess their viability for your environment? We do, as Materdei Consulting, LLC has been helping Oklahoma merchants and service providers for years in finding the right solutions at the right price. Choosing the wrong vendor can cost you thousands of dollars, not to mention endless headaches for PCI compliance, so contact us today to learn more. The healthy balance when it comes to sourcing PCI security solutions is knowing exactly what you need, what works in your environment, and getting it successfully implemented – initiatives Materdei Consulting, LLC can assist with.

Contact Oklahoma’s PCI DSS Experts Today

PCI compliance is a strict mandate for businesses in Oklahoma involved in storing, processing, and transmitting of cardholder data. With rising data breaches resulting in the compromise of highly sensitive consumer data – often credit cards – securing your network is now more important than ever. The PCI DSS standards were developed for ensuring a comprehensive information security platform is in place for merchants and service providers all throughout the globe who work with cardholder data, and we’re here to help you with implementation and compliance.

Looking for guidance on critical scooping issues? We can assist. Need help authoring PCI policies and procedures? Our toolkits are the best in the business? Have questions about interpreting the actual PCI DSS standards? Talk to us and we’ll answer the tough questions. Whatever Oklahoma businesses are looking for in terms of PCI compliance, Materdei Consulting, LLC can deliver. Contact us today at pci@pcipolicyportal.com or visit pcipolicyportal.com to learn more.