A mix of everything

Ever thought what happens when you swipe your card over the small "electronic box" in a consumer shop? If you haven't, well this post would be interesting to read!! Before we proceed further you should be familiar with the data on your card. Cardholder name, PAN (Card Number), Expiry data, CVV/CVV2, Track data on the magnetic strip are some of the key details on your card. OK! Lets get to the point! When you swipe your card at a POS terminal (tip: do a google search about POS) we may breakdown the transaction into three main phases. It would be: 1. Authorization 2.Clearing 3. Settlement Now lets see this in brief! Authorization:  This simply means that you are trying to prove the genuineness of the card which you carry, if it is genuine, also allowing the merchant to bill you for the product you purchased. Checkout the below pic: Understanding Issuer and Acquirer: Who provides a credit card to you?...............Issuer Where does...

Hi I'm preparing for my PCI-ISA examination which i'm about to take in a month. I have done a lot of research on web regarding the preparation for the examination. After studying many blogs and reading the experience of the individuals who cleared the exam, I have prepared a "Prep Plan" for the exam. Please download it if you like it.

For the SOC reporting space, the re codification of attestation standards (SSAE No. 18) is largely a simplified version of the existing standards. The net effect is that an “SSAE 16” SOC 1 will look nearly identical to an “SSAE 18” SOC 1 (those aren’t the authoritative terms for SOC 1 reports — they’re just for illustrative purposes). The practitioners performing the attestation engagements for SOC reports will not notice very many material changes in the standards; however, there are a few key areas of emphasis worth noting for SOC 1 reports: 1. Modification to assertion criteria 2.Monitoring the effectiveness of controls at a sub-service organization -Reviewing and reconciling output reports 3. Evaluating the reliability of evidence produced by the service organization. Below lines will give you an outline of the side-headings: 1. Modification to assertion criteria Periodic discussion with the subservice organization personnel. An ...