Achieving PCI DSS Compliance for a North American Telecommunications Company

Needs And Requirements:

This North American telecommunications company was facing increasing threats due to their handling of client credit card information. To address these vulnerabilities, they sought a comprehensive review of their payment systems, aligning them with the latest version of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). This compliance initiative was needed to protect sensitive customer data, prevent fraud, and meet essential regulatory requirements, fostering trust with customers.

Main Challenges:

• Compliance with PCI DSS Standards: The telecommunications company needed to ensure full compliance with the latest PCI DSS standards, a critical requirement for securing the handling of credit card information across its extensive and complex environment.
• Complex IT Infrastructure Management: Managing the inventory of all credit card information data flows was challenging due to the company’s large and multifaceted IT infrastructure. This complexity made it difficult to fully ascertain and manage the scope of their Payment Card Industry data environment.
• Gap Identification and Remediation: Identifying compliance gaps within their current systems and processes was crucial. The company required expert assistance to spot deficiencies, provide actionable recommendations, and assist in remediation efforts to secure data and align with PCI DSS requirements.
• Maintaining Data Security Amidst Expansion: As the company expanded its digital services, ensuring the security of an increasing amount of sensitive customer data became more challenging. Enhanced measures were necessary to protect against potential breaches and maintain customer trust.

Solution:

• Governance, Risk & Compliance: Hitachi Cyber conducted a thorough assessment of the client’s PCI-related systems to identify compliance levels and gaps. The process included a kick-off, preparation, and initial discovery phase, followed by in-depth documentation gathering, reviews, and interviews with Subject Matter Experts. Hitachi Cyber’s team reviewed and advised on the company’s information security policies and standards to ensure PCI DSS compliance. They developed and implemented IT operational procedures crucial for maintaining ongoing compliance. Hitachi Cyber assisted in creating data flow and logical network diagrams to define the scope of the Credit Card Holder Data Environment, ensuring all critical assets were protected under PCI DSS scopes.

Outcomes:

As a result of the engagement, the telecommunications company successfully updated its compliance with the latest PCI DSS standards. They completed the required Self-Assessment Questionnaires and received an Attestation of Compliance. This thorough review and update significantly enhanced the security of sensitive customer data and reinforced the company’s commitment to maintaining high standards of data protection.

Next Steps:

To ensure ongoing compliance and security, Hitachi Cyber will assist the client with regular security training and awareness programs, vulnerability assessments, and penetration testing of the credit card data environments. The company will also continue to update and improve policies and procedures surrounding PCI DSS compliance, ensuring that security measures evolve in line with emerging threats and industry standards.