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Top Posts from 2015 standard

2015 is over and in the books. It was a pretty busy year for those of us in security & payments. My company went IPO, the largest compliance provider sold (instead of IPO), adult websites were hacked and in some cases extorted, new books and publications, lots of blogs, a step back on SSL restrictions, and EMV. Thanks for continuing to stop by and check out my content. Looking forward to a great 2016 and I will see you at a conference soon! Here’s what you folks liked the most in 2015: Is The Council Trying to Kill the QSA Program? Obviously, any post where you reference Christina Aguilera is going to be something you all will love. The Council finally ...

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October 2015 Roundup standard

What a month October was! From wrapping up one of my favorite seasonal global festivals to the finals days of the State Fair of Texas to First Data’s IPO, there was a lot to take in. More flooding and destructive weather, this time in central Texas.  The Central Texas Red Cross chapter is accepting donations and volunteers for those that wish to help. I also posted a fun discussion about loyalty and AirBnB/HomeAway. I’ve had a few responses to it so far, so I may end up doing a follow-up soon. Here’s what you folks liked the most last month: The Only Customer Service Script You Will Ever Need. OK, so I am still confused on why this is one ...

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September 2015 Roundup standard

Cooler weather and horrible flooding seem to be topping the news lately. My thoughts are with any of you who are affected. For information on how you can help, and I urge you all to do so, check out this page on Weather.com. We just wrapped up the PCI North American Community Meeting in Vancouver last week. Some of you may have remember me saying that last year was my last year. Alas, I was mistaken. That said, I hope everyone who went sends in their feedback. Frankly, I found the content (with the exception of Tim Horton’s talk) mundane and rehashed, almost to the point of being insulting. Next year may provide some relief as it is a release ...

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August 2015 Roundup standard

Phew, summer is almost over. The kids are all going back to school and we’re getting back into our normal traffic patterns around our homes, schools, and favorite coffee shops. I got to do something extremely cool last month. I went to Space Camp—yes, the very same in Huntsville that every single kid who grew up in the 80s and was fascinated with rockets begged their parents to go to. It was amazing. If you get the opportunity to go as an adult for the weekend or as a family, take it! Even though the Shuttle is no longer in operation, it was so cool to sit on the flight deck and do missions. Here’s what you folks liked the ...

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June-July 2015 Roundup standard

It finally happened last month. In May, North Texas set a record for being the wettest may on record. For those of you who have been watching from afar, check out this great infographic that shows how much 35 trillion gallons of water will cover. In other news, we had a major breach that is having bigger impacts than many realize, we are seeing the first reports and fall-out from PCI DSS 3.1, and key provisions of the Patriot Act expired. Here’s what you folks liked the most last month: The Only Customer Service Script You Will Ever Need. Maybe the economy is heating up? Who knows why this one is still at the top. Regardless, more people inquiring about ...

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The 50-Minute MBA for Sec Pros, Part Deux standard

James Adamson & I recently followed up our 50-Minute MBA for Information Security Professionals RSA session with a webcast to describe how to apply the concepts. The entire session was recorded and is available on-demand. We’re currently exploring more ways we can take this message to information security professionals. Would you all be interested in “office hours” every other week to call in and ask questions? How about smaller group sessions with lots of 1:1 interaction? Let us know in the comments below! Possibly Related Posts: Top Posts from 2015 October 2015 Roundup September 2015 Roundup August 2015 Roundup June-July 2015 Roundup

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May 2015 Roundup standard

It finally happened last month. In May, North Texas set a record for being the wettest may on record. For those of you who have been watching from afar, check out this great infographic that shows how much 35 trillion gallons of water will cover. In other news, we had a major breach that is having bigger impacts than many realize, we are seeing the first reports and fall-out from PCI DSS 3.1, and key provisions of the Patriot Act expired. Here’s what you folks liked the most last month: The Only Customer Service Script You Will Ever Need. Maybe the economy is heating up? Who knows why this one is still at the top. Regardless, more people inquiring about ...

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March-April 2015 Roundup standard

Shush it. I know it’s been a little slow around here. There are some major things in the works! I started a new gig, for one, which is consuming the bulk of my time. I’m also working on a 3.1 addendum to our book, which should be out by the summer. March and April were some busy months for many of us. Three major shows (MAC, ETA, and RSA Conference) all happened in those months. PCI DSS 3.1 was released. You paid your taxes (hopefully). Here’s what you folks liked the most last month: The Only Customer Service Script You Will Ever Need. Maybe the economy is heating up? Who knows why this one is still at the top. Regardless, ...

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Updates to the Definition of Cardholder Data Post standard

I wrote a post in 2009 that is now the all-time, third most popular post on this blog entitled, The Definition of Cardholder Data. I wrote it after leaving the 2009 PCI Community Meeting where there was more bickering and positioning on what constitutes cardholder data than I had ever seen. My experiences there prompted the post, and I figured it was time to go back and revisit it for PCI DSS 3.0. Go check out the updates and see if it is any more helpful! On a side note, I have formally accepted a new, exciting position with an amazing company. More on that in the coming weeks! Possibly Related Posts: Top Posts from 2015 October 2015 Roundup September ...

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February 2015 Roundup standard

How much snow do you have? Can it be measured in feet or inches? February kept piling it on for many of you, and it even affected the kids here in Texas! Snow days! Don’t forget, the latest edition of our book finally hit the shelves. Thanks for sending pictures of you with your new books! If you need to order your copy, head over to the website at www.pcicompliancebook.info. Here’s what you folks liked the most last month: The Only Customer Service Script You Will Ever Need. It’s the holidays, and possibly the time when we encounter trouble with transactions the most. Thus, more people inquiring about customer service! Check out this diversion from security that will make you ...

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