The Last Stop: Blog moving!
Yep, it's finally done. Nearly two years after our business unit was listed for divesting, we've closed on a buyer. VeriSign's Consulting Group is now part of AT&T Consulting Solutions. If you are seeing THIS post, you have a small action to take! You need to update your RSS Reader or bookmark to: Website: http://blog.brandenwilliams.com/ RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/BrandenWilliamsSecurityConve

The Definition of Cardholder Data
The definition of cardholder data for most of us usually stops at the Primary Account Number, or PAN. Those pesky digits that we have to protect as they run through our systems cause CIOs to cringe and security professionals to salivate over potential budget money. Before you can embark on your information security journey, you need to understand what you must secure, and where it is. I've posted about this before. At this year's community meeting, the definition of cardholder data was a hot topic in both general sessions and o

Ask the Council
Vegas is in the bo0ks, baby! I'd call it a successful community meeting. The networking opportunities were fantastic, and the sights were awesome ((including seeing Russo dress up like Elvis which I did not take a picture of... see Bob? I can play within the rules :). More on the handling of social media later.... it was not handled well.)). For those staying in THEhotel, we got to walk off calories consumed with the long walk from the room to the conference center that we made at least twice daily. Of course, it is Las Vegas. It's REALLY hard to concentrate when you know that you d

Why You Should Love a PCI Hater!
Ahh, the haters. Everyone that deals with PCI on a regular basis knows one. Sometimes they take the form of a guy that doesn't want to actually do his job, or an armchair security gal, or your nemesis that uses his industry position to irresponsibly spread false propaganda, or true security experts that point out serious concerns or flaws with the standard. As security professionals, we key stakeholders (including QSAs, ASVs, payment brands, and the framers of the standard itself) need to listen to the last group intently to ensure that we understand the risks as it pertains to the changing threat landscape, making adjustments where ap

PCI Community Meeting, Vegas!
I hope to see many of you next week at the PCI Community Meeting in Las Vegas! VeriSign will have a booth and is a sponsor for the event. If you are going, please do stop by our booth and attend our sponsored cocktail hour! We'll have some goodies and some exciting news for everyone that stops to chat! At this point, I'm not sure what kind of coverage I'll be able to provide from the meeting, but more on that soon. Before you arrive for the sessions, I urge you to review the myriad of information available on the PCI Security Standards Council website, including th