What does PCI DSS stand for and what is its focus?

What does PCI DSS stand for and what is its focus?

• A. Public Cloud Infrastructure Data Security Standards
• B. Personal Computer Information Data Security Standard; securing desktops
• C. Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard; protecting cardholder data
• D. Private Customer Information Data Standards

Answer: (C)

PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Its focus is protecting cardholder data and ensuring secure handling of payment card information throughout its lifecycle—when cards are read, stored, transmitted, or processed. It applies to any organization that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data and prescribes a set of security controls across areas like network security, access control, encryption, vulnerability management, and monitoring. The other options misstate the acronym or the scope, describing standards unrelated to payment card data security.

PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Its focus is protecting cardholder data and ensuring secure handling of payment card information throughout its lifecycle—when cards are read, stored, transmitted, or processed. It applies to any organization that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data and prescribes a set of security controls across areas like network security, access control, encryption, vulnerability management, and monitoring. The other options misstate the acronym or the scope, describing standards unrelated to payment card data security.