May | 2017 | Branden R. Williams, Business Security Specialist

Blockchain Fun standard

Two posts in one week? What is this, 2009? I’ve always been interested in payment and commerce. Blockchain and crypto-currencies have really captured my attention lately as the business applications are many and game-changing. I just published an article on the topic in this month’s Tactics & Preparedness that reviews some of the basics for folks who are not familiar with the technology. When people talk about the future of payments, you can’t leave the topic out. It’s certainly more exciting than anything PCI DSS can throw out there! For those looking for more, check out this great literature review by Peter Bailis, Arvind Narayanan, Andrew Miller, and Song Han. Blockchain isn’t just for Bitcoin! Possibly Related Posts: When Man Pages Go ...

Should you be a PCI Participating Organization? standard

What does it cost to be a PO? As if this writing it costs US$3,750 annually (originally US$2,000), For most companies, $3,750 per year is a drop in the bucket. Originally, the big benefit of being a PO was getting involved in the shaping of the Standard when the program was launched. Big changes meant huge benefits from collaboration as firms were dramatically overhauling their technology stack to comply with PCI DSS. The Standard was new, generated lots of questions, and early adopters needed collaboration. PO Benefits Review Let’s take a look at the current benefits on the PCI Council’s website. […] the opportunity for advance review of standards and supporting materials before release, with the opportunity to provide comments directly to the ...

Did you pre-order a Plastc? You might be able to recover your money! standard

Anyone who participates in a pre-order situation like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo is playing a little bit of a game of chance with their money. The most recent example is from a company called Plastc, which I have written about here in this blog before. Unfortunately, it appears they have run out of money and vanished with $9M of pre-orders and no product to deliver. Depending on how you paid for this order, you may be able to recover the $135 to $155 you put in as a deposit. Companies like American Express stand behind their consumers and I know of one person who was able to get his deposit back. Other companies may have different policies. Regardless, I hope that ...

Monthly ArchivesMay 2017