PCI DSS advisory services help organisations understand payment-data scope, assess control readiness and organise remediation before the applicable self-assessment or independent validation process. The service is intended for merchants, service providers and technology teams that store, process, transmit or can affect the security of payment account data.
This work turns compliance and risk ambiguity into fundable, evidenced, owned decisions.
We agree the precise scope up front. Depending on the objective, environment and authorised access, the engagement may cover:
Document how account data enters, moves through and leaves the environment.
Identify in-scope components, connected systems, service providers and opportunities for validated scope reduction.
Review design, implementation and operating evidence against applicable requirements.
Prioritise gaps and coordinate technical testing or evidence preparation.
Support the customer’s SAQ or engagement with the appropriate assessor without overstating CTG’s role.
Outputs are prepared for executives and for the technical teams doing the remediation. Depending on scope, they may include:
CTG confirms the decision to be supported, the evidence threshold, responsible stakeholders and the distinction between advisory work, implementation, legal interpretation and independent assurance. Findings are linked to owners, dependencies and measurable next actions.
The engagement may draw on PCI DSS current version, PCI SSC official guidance, applicable SAQ and testing requirements. Where we cite a standard, it explains our method only - it is not a certification, accreditation or official determination.
We confirm the timeline at scoping; it reflects the environment's complexity, the evidence on hand and access to the right people.
CTG must not imply Qualified Security Assessor or Approved Scanning Vendor status unless current evidence confirms it. Final validation requirements and assessor acceptance depend on the organisation’s role, acquiring arrangements and applicable PCI SSC programme rules.
Discuss PCI DSS Advisory with CTG. In a focused scoping call we agree the objective, scope, evidence, delivery model and outputs, then send a proposal.
We agree the precise scope up front. Typical areas include payment flows, systems, people, locations and third parties, Network segmentation and scope validation, Secure configuration, vulnerability management and testing, and Access control, authentication and logging. The proposal documents what is out of scope, what access we need, what you provide and how success is judged.
Deliverables depend on the agreed objective and may include payment-data flow and scope map, PCI DSS gap assessment, Segmentation and scope observations, and Prioritised remediation plan. We connect each key conclusion to its evidence, its impact, its priority and an accountable action.
CTG normally requests the policies, registers, governance records, technical evidence and previous assessments relevant to the agreed scope. The evidence request is tailored so that the customer does not collect material that will not be used.
No. CTG provides cybersecurity assessment and implementation support within the agreed scope. Formal legal interpretation, statutory assurance and accredited certification remain separate.
We confirm the timeline at scoping; it reflects the environment's complexity, the evidence on hand and access to the right people.
They address adjacent but separate needs. Scoping identifies whether PCI DSS Advisory, External and Internal Penetration Testing, or a coordinated programme is the smallest useful approach without duplicating work.
CTG must not imply Qualified Security Assessor or Approved Scanning Vendor status unless current evidence confirms it. Final validation requirements and assessor acceptance depend on the organisation’s role, acquiring arrangements and applicable PCI SSC programme rules.
