A Brief Note On Mountain Top Security Specialists

The use of security alert programs, scanning services, or software can be used to warn the merchant of any vulnerable information. Software can be installed to recognize any modification by unauthorized personnel. Also, as mentioned before, vendor supplied security patches must be installed within one month to avoid exposing cardholder data. Furthermore, all information being transmitted must be encrypted when using the public networks. Network and platform vulnerabilities can also be assessed by a vulnerability scan. A vulnerability scan involves an automated tool that checks a merchant or service provider’s systems for vulnerabilities (pcicomplianceguide.org, 2015). The tool will conduct a non-intrusive scan to remotely review networks and Web applications based on the external-facing Internet protocol addresses provided by the merchant or service provider (pcicomplianceguide.org, 2015). The scan identifies vulnerabilities in operating systems, services and devices that could be used by hackers to target the company’s private network (pcicomplianceguide.org, 2015). As provided by an Approved Scanning Vendors (ASV’s) such as ControlScan, the scan does not require the merchant or service provider to install any software on their systems, and no denial-of-service attacks will be performed

Companies should develop a control that requires that routine vulnerability assessment of their customer facing web sites, network infrastructure, and associated systems (such as database systems). Vulnerability assessment can help identify potential weaknesses to systems and also provide a sort of feedback to the organization’s IT department on their current operational policy and security posture. The cost of performing a routine vulnerability assessment is considerably less than that of an actual data breach.

The penetration tools provided in this document allow us to review our network from a security standpoint. This paper focused predominantly on phase two of a penetration test, the exploitation phase; however, a successful penetration test typically starts with the reconnaissance phase. In this phase, the tester attempts to gain as much information about the target company and its network as possible. He or she will test the physical infrastructure (how do people gain access to the building?) and other organizational aspects of the company to find a weakness and a way to get in. Also during this portion of the test, the penetration tester will use tools such as NMAP, whois.com, and other resources to obtain information regarding the network

Phase 6 - conduct a vulnerability assessment according to NIST SP 800-115: Technical Guide to Information Security Testing;

As a business owner, protecting your property and customers is paramount. Unfortunately, maintaining a constant vigil is often out of the question. Hiring an overnight security patrol service can help minimize crime and violence while ensuring the safety of your premises throughout the evening hours. Below, the Kingman, AZ commercial security experts at Desert Mountain Security list five key reasons to hire an overnight security patrol service.

Michael’s Store, Inc. is an arts & crafts Retail chain. It has more than 1040 stores located in 49 US states & Canada. The company also owns and operates the Aaron brother’s retail chain, which happens to have an additional 115 stores across the Country. Michael’s store Inc. had a Security breach, which took place between May 8, 2013 and January 27, 2014. About 2.6 million cards or about 7 percent of payment cards used at its stores during the period were affected. Alarmingly, its subsidiary Aaron brothers also had been breached between June 26, 2013 and February 27, 2014. It was reported that Aaron brothers had 400,000 cards impacted. The duration of the treacherous attack in total was 8 months (Schwartz, 2014). In this report, security breach of Michael’s store Inc. is analyzed. The topics covered are how the breach occurred, what did the authorities do to educate the customers & how in future such attacks can be avoided.

Identity theft is, unfortunately, a commonplace in today’s world. Technology is ever advancing and evolving making today’s purchases obsolete. The obsolesces of technology plagued TJX. The company was attempting to get through under the radar with the enterprise security systems. “Because of the lax security systems at TJX, the hackers had an open doorway to the company 's entire computer system” (Weiss, 2014). TJX was cognizant of the breach and withheld information from stakeholders of the business. “Once a breach is discovered notification to consumers is paramount.”

Company XYZ, a mid-sized corporation, is in the middle of satisfying their regulatory compliance needs.  The manager of security at the company has been tasked by the CIO (Chief Information Officer) to report on the company’s current security posture. You are called upon as a 3rd party penetration tester, based on your industry reputation of being both careful and thorough to report on company XYZ’s security posture. The only information available about the company is the generalized information found on its company Website which includes a contact page, home page, customer login portal,

In a highly competitive market space, being compliant with PCI standards will make our organization more acceptable in the market, and also help build trust and confidence in our operation among healthcare providers seeking our services. In a constantly evolving threat environment with increased levels of data breaches in recent times, ensuring PCI compliance even though not mandated will help attract customers and would be good return on investment. Along with BAA signed with our clients, being PCI compliant would also ensure extra layer of protection by following the practices suggested by leading payment card brands like Visa, Mastercard, etc. who are constantly looking out for new emerging threats in the industry, and are proactive in incorporating changes to PCI DSS standards to minimize the impact of these new threats. Though complying with standards like PCI doesn’t ensure security, they provide a structure around which organizations can build their information security and assurance program, thereby helping them anticipate and mitigate new risks in the area of storing payment card

While strong security standers are necessary, they must be tested from time to time to evaluate their effectiveness. This is where vulnerability assessments come into play; by performing penetration testing on current systems/networks, security risks can be identified and addressed before cybercriminals are able to take advantage of them (Database Security,

A single data breach can severely impact a company’s reputation as well as their ability to conduct business in the future. For merchants that process, store and transmit credit card information, PCI DSS has never been more important.

The rigorous third-party examinations were administered by the professional IT assurance and compliance staff at 360 Advanced, a respected national Qualified Security Assessor, HITRUST CSF Assessor and Certified Public

A new type of credit card is starting to become more familiar in the Unites States, called a chip-and-PIN card. The chip-and-PIN cards contain an embedded security chip and a traditional magstripe. This embedded security chip ensures that the card cannot be duplicated, as it masks the payment data uniquely each transaction. The problem with this alternative is that they cost significantly more to make than traditional payment cards and most merchants do not have systems that are capable of accepting the new chip-and-PIN cards. However, in October of 2015 if you have not changed your systems to support chip-and-PIN cards, the liability of the data breach now falls on the merchant, rather than the banks.

As an information security analyst, I have been tasked with identifying the need for compliance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). A business accepting any amount of payment from credit cards is required to be in compliance. This report will provide a high-level explanation of PCI compliance, how to move through the process, and consequences of noncompliance.

This report contains an overview of the testing process and issues that were found, details of the testing process, results found, the risks associated with the vulnerability and recommendations for rectifying the vulnerability. The results of the test can be of assistance to Ernst & Young when making decisions regarding information security.