Managed Hosting Segmentation for PCI Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Online merchants using third-party hosted electronic commerce platforms face challenges in customizing their network sites due to security concerns and compliance requirements with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), limiting their flexibility and control over stylistic and content aspects.
Innovation Solution
A cloud computing resource is configured by merchants to host network site resources, allowing them to upload page generation code for execution, with a data aggregation framework that isolates direct data source access and implements automatic monitoring and scaling, enabling control over network page generation while ensuring compliance with security standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If merchants use third-party hosted electronic commerce platforms to ensure PCI DSS compliance, then security compliance is improved, but flexibility in customizing network sites deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the hosting environment into distinct layers: a managed hosting platform that handles security and compliance, and a customer-controlled cloud computing resource that enables customization. This segmentation allows merchants to gain flexibility in one layer without compromising security in another layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a data aggregation framework as an intermediary between the hosted platform and external data sources. This framework aggregates data before making it available to page generation code, preventing direct access to sensitive data sources while still enabling customized page generation. The intermediary layer maintains security compliance while allowing merchant flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If merchants use self-managed solutions to maintain flexibility in customizing network sites, then customization flexibility is improved, but security compliance burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the security management burden from the merchant's responsibilities and places it in the hosted platform's domain. The hosted platform manages PCI DSS compliance, security standards, and data source protection, while merchants focus solely on customization through their cloud computing resources. This extraction reduces complexity for merchants while maintaining flexibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If merchants upload custom page generation code to hosted platforms, then customization control is improved, but security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The data aggregation framework serves as a mediator between custom page generation code and external data sources. The framework aggregates data from multiple sources and presents it to the code in a controlled manner, preventing direct access to potentially harmful data sources. This intermediary approach enables customization while mitigating security risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of data access from direct connection to aggregated data provision. Instead of allowing page generation code to directly connect to data sources (high security risk), the system transforms the data access model to provide aggregated data through controlled interfaces (reduced security risk) while maintaining customization capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various embodiments for network site hosting in a managed environment. A request for a network page is obtained, where the network page is associated with a network site hosted by a hosting provider on behalf of a customer. Aggregated data is obtained from a data aggregation service. The aggregated data is aggregated by the data aggregation service from multiple data sources. Page generation code supplied by the customer is executed in one or more machine instances to generate the network page in response to the request. The page generation code has access to the aggregated data. A resource management application facilitates configuration of the machine instances by the customer.