CISP, SDP, PCI Compliance required for every business…

SDP /CISP / PCI is a standard that many businesses must adhere to to help protect consumer data. CISP (Cardholder Information Security Program) is a Visa security standard that is designed to help protect all levels of business from fraud and loss of data. MasterCard has a similar program called SDP (Site Data Protection). CISP / PCI is a standard that is designed to help secure and protect sensitive data specifically relating to the payment card industry. CISP compliance extends beyond online businesses and applies to Retail (brick-and-mortar), and Moto (keyed entry) businesses in addition to ecommerce. CISP compliance is outlined here rather than the SDP program because it is more restrictive and better organized.

PCI / CISP is designed to be implemented by any businesses that accepts of facilitates credit card transactions or the handling of sensitive credit card and user information. Businesses that do not store or handle credit card information, are not subject to CISP regulations.

Visa: Note that these Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Requirements apply to all Members, merchants, and service providers that store, process or transmit card-holder data. Additionally, these security requirements apply to all “system components” which is defined as any network component, server, or application included in, or connected to, the card-holder data environment. Network components, include, but are not limited to, firewalls, switches, routers, wireless access points, network appliances, and other security appliances. Servers include, but are not limited to, web, database, authentication, DNS, mail, proxy, and NTP. Applications include all purchased and custom applications, including internal and external (web) applications.

PCI / CISP Basic Requirements:

1. Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect data.
2. Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters.
3. Protect stored data.
4. Encrypt transmission of card-holder data and sensitive information across public networks.
5. Use and regularly update anti-virus software.
6. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications.
7. Restrict access to data by business need-to-know.
8. Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access.
9. Restrict physical access to card-holder data.
10. Track and monitor all access to network resources and card-holder data.
11. Regularly test security systems and processes.
12. Maintain a policy that addresses information security.

If you read the full CISP manual, you will find that each requirement is broken into several sub-requirements. CISP attempts to leave no stone unturned and no margin for error.

How To Implement PCI / CISP:
Most of the CISP requirements are simple common sense. CISP is heavily geared toward websites and other easily accessible systems where there is a huge potential for a loss of sensitive data. Many of the technical issues are very complex and the requirements are very strict. I have helped to secure several web servers for CISP compliance, and to say that the requirements are strict is a gross understatement. Not only are there basic firewall and network infrastructure requirements, but there are hundreds of update, software versions, and patch requirements that must be met for a web server to be CISP compliant. A single missing software version update, or patch, or a single compromised web port, will cause a server to fail CISP compliance.

To start on the road to compliance look at the Visa PCI / CISP Pdf linked at the bottom of this document. All of the requirements are listed to be CISP compliant. After you meet all of the requirements, you will need to get with a company that certifies businesses for CISP compliance. They will normally perform a series of checks on your server, and give you the results of their inspection. The checks that they perform are essentially an attack on your web server, and they will try to exploit any known vulnerability. They also check the software, and current versions of several applications on the server making sure they are all up to the current version. You can also start by doing a scan and fix whatever areas are not up to standard.

A Warning: Make sure your web host knows that you are going to be doing these tests, or they may mistake them for a true attack.

CISP non-compliance and loss of data penalties:
The fines for not complying with CISP are low, up until there is an actual loss of data. Visa and MasterCard can shut down or fine non-complying merchants, but due to the current lack of organization and the impossibility to monitor every business and organization, larger companies are the only ones who are currently monitored. It is the responsibility of a business to ensure that they take the steps to become CISP compliant. If a business is not CISP compliant and a loss of data occurs, there is a $500,000 fine from Visa alone for loosing data and an additional $100,000 fine just for not being CISP compliant. $600,000 for not-becoming CISP compliant and loosing data because of it, and this applies for any business that accepts credit or debit cards. A single credit card number that is lost and is traced back to a business is considered a loss of data.

Apart from the monetary penalties, it never looks good when a business looses data. News agencies jump on these stories, and instantly make a business look like a criminal organization. I’m sick of reading about them, and I’m sure you are as well, so protect your data.

Overview:
I personally don’t recommend storing credit card numbers at all in an online database. Not only is the CISP compliance very difficult to achieve, but it just isn’t a safe practice. If card information is stored online, it must also be encrypted so that if there is some sort of data loss, the data will be useless. Even with CISP compliance it is still possible for someone to gain access to a server. No matter how secure something is, there is almost always a way for the system to become compromised. Also for retail businesses, employees are one of the largest causes of loss of data. Card information should only be accessible by select people that need access to it.

PCI / CISP Resources:
Visa CISP / PCI Compliance PDF
ScanAlert – PCI CISP Certification

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