PCI DSS Segmentation testing is a very important security evaluation procedure that an organization should carry out to safeguard the cardholder information and ensure that it fulfills the requirements of the payment card industry. Since the cyber threats are also evolving, payment card businesses should take the necessary measures to protect their cardholder data environment (CDE) and isolate it from the rest of the business networks.
Segmentations on networks have become a necessary initiative in organizations hoping to narrow down their PCI DSS windows of compliance, while at the same time improving the complete protection of the system. Nevertheless, it is not enough to just have segmentation controls in place. It is necessary to test and verify these controls frequently so that they protect breaches of unauthorized access to sensitive cardholder data.
What Is PCI DSS Segmentation Testing?
PCI DSS segmentation testing is a niche security assessment that tests the efficiency of network segmentation controls utilized to isolate the cardholder data environment from other network segments. Such a testing procedure makes sure that there are appropriately established segmentation boundaries that will not be broken by hackers looking to get access to sensitive data on payment cards.
The main pillar of segmentation testing is verification of the inability of out-of-scope systems to communicate with and hence affect the security of systems within the CDE. According to the PCI DSS requirements, organizations should verify that the implemented segmentation controls are functioning as they are supposed to and are protecting cardholder data adequately.
PCI DSS segmentation testing involves both automated and manual testing techniques to evaluate:
- Network firewall configurations and rule sets
- Access control lists and routing protocols
- Virtual network configurations and hypervisor security
- Physical network isolation mechanisms
- Authentication and authorization controls
- Monitoring and logging capabilities
This testing should be thorough to reveal vulnerabilities or misconfigurations that may permit unauthorized access to the network. This incorporates testing internally as well as externally in an attempt to exercise wide attack scenarios.
Read More: PCI Compliance Test: What It Is and How to Prepare Your Business
Resource: https://qualysec.com/pci-dss-segmentation-testing/
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