ControlScan Blog


Stay informed with the latest security + compliance updates, news and best practices.



September 21, 2020Published by

Early on in my security career, while studying for my CISSP certification, the author of the book I was reading presented a concept of how to treat risk once it is known. Management has the choice of treating, accepting, deferring, or denying the risks that are found or identified. While most all security frameworks require […]

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July 27, 2018Published by

A PCI DSS readiness assessment (also known as a gap analysis) is an effective method for finding and fixing compliance holes efficiently and economically. Read this post to learn if your business can benefit from a readiness assessment.

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December 12, 2017Published by

Penetration tests have always had a higher price tag, but their overall cost to you is about to increase in 2018. Here’s what’s changing and how you can keep these costs contained in 2018 and beyond.

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October 30, 2017Published by

On October 5th, 1953, the New York Yankees became the only team in baseball history to win five championships in a row. Today I’m pleased to tell you that ControlScan has passed the PCI Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) revalidation test, also for the fifth consecutive year!This was no easy feat. Read on to learn how we did it.

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August 16, 2017Published by

I’ve been an information security assessor (PCI, HIPAA, ISO, etc.) for a long time and it’s always interesting to find out why a company has brought me in to do an assessment.Is the goal to shore up their existing security environment, or just check a compliance box to make one of their clients or vendors happy? The answer to that question will usually determine the assessment’s success.

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March 31, 2017Published by

Historically speaking, tax season is prime for tax-themed scams and social engineering attacks. Specifically, the number of W-2 phishing scams have peaked recently. Attackers and social engineers begin by targeting finance and HR departments with spear phishing emails that spoof C-level executives and request employee W-2 forms.

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January 13, 2017Published by

It’s Friday the 13th and there’s a “fear factor” in health IT. If you don’t know where your HIT organization’s security and compliance weaknesses lie you’re likely feeling that fear—today and every day.But don’t try to fight off cyber criminals with monster spray! Read this blog post and learn how to arm your organization appropriately.

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December 1, 2016Published by

Employees are one of the most overlooked and most dangerous areas of security risk in an organization. The human element is susceptible to all types of attack and error, not to mention their ability to act with malicious intent.While human security risk can never be completely eliminated, it can be significantly reduced. Read this ControlScan blog post to learn how.

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October 13, 2016Published by

At a recent debt collection industry event I was asked numerous times: “Do I really need an SSAE 16?” Well, the answer to that question depends on the intention of the request. Read my blog post to learn what you need to know before pursuing an SSAE 16 audit.

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May 20, 2016Published by

Your Company is Under Attack Your company’s networks are being probed, prodded and attacked countless times every day. Unless you’re watching your logs, you’re likely unaware all this activity is taking place. Awareness, being a critical element of an effective defense, is important to cultivate and nurture. The Science Behind the “Pen Test” How do […]

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