Call us on 03450 21 21 51
Call us on 03450 21 21 51
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No business wants to hear that they could be the reason behind a payment card data breach. Such news throws a spanner into even the smoothest running retail business, whether you’re an e-commerce store or a small retail shop.
Finding out you’ve fallen victim to a data breach is catastrophic enough but discovering that your business operations may have granted the cybercriminals entry creates a whirlwind of stress and uncertainty.
In such times, it’s important to have actions you know you can take. This is where Independent Investigation comes in.
ALIs, or Independent Investigations, have historically been used when a retailer or e-commerce business gets hacked. They are usually started by banks that handle business payments, in order to investigate what has gone wrong and what can be done to fix it.
ALIs or Independent Investigations, putting the power back in businesses’ hands.
We’re going to take a look at what an ALI or Independent Investigation actually involves, outlining how it differs from other post-breach investigation services like mandated PFIs. Understanding more about the services available to you will help your business stand strong in the face of a data disaster.
In any incident response situation, the ability to move quickly is vital, and Independent Investigations have been developed with this in mind.
Independent Investigations offer a streamlined approach to data breaches. To better understand how they work, imagine there is a leaky pipe in your home, and you decide to fix the issue yourself rather than forking out for potentially costly external services. However, you aren’t a plumber, so to make sure you fix the issue properly, you have to follow the rules.
In this instance, your leaky pipe is a breach of cardholder data, and you’re investigating the matter yourself to see how the problem came about. To do this effectively, you must follow the rules and enlist the services of a qualified IT service provider or someone deemed suitable by your acquiring bank to undertake an Independent Investigation.
PFIs, or Payment Card Industry Forensic Investigations are the most comprehensive and robust analyses of payment card breaches. These certified experts are hired by businesses to figure out what went wrong, how damaging the breach has been (or could be), and what needs to be done to minimise damage or perform remedial work. They follow the rules outlined by the PCI Security Standards Council to ensure that breaches are handled correctly and that the impact on payment card holders is kept to a minimum.
In order to be accredited to carry out PFIs, experts must satisfy the Payment Card Industry Council and pay a significant fee.
But while a full PFI can mitigate the damage of a data breach and bolster an defences, it is an expensive investment. In fact, costs associated with PFIs typically runs into the thousands of pounds, which can be a particularly hard pill to swallow for smaller businesses.
SRM are equipped to perform Independent Investigation for organisations that have suffered a breach. Our specialist team have many years’ experience in forensic investigations and understand how to best support organisations that have suffered a data breach relating to card information.
From documenting findings to providing a comprehensive ‘Final Incident Report’, we take a pragmatic and empathetic approach to helping organisations recover from and secure their business.
We’re here to remind you that, in the face of a data disaster, you are not alone. Click here to reach out to the SRM team and we’ll be happy to help.
