(ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity Practice Exam

The rules issued by the PCI Council for merchants are classified as what?

1. Law

2. Policy

3. Standard

4. Procedure

The correct answer is: Standard

The rules issued by the PCI Council for merchants are classified as standards because they provide a framework of guidelines and requirements that organizations must adhere to in order to ensure the secure handling of credit card information. These standards are designed to protect cardholder data, maintain security during transactions, and help prevent fraud. Standards are typically established to ensure consistency and reliability across multiple organizations and they often include technical specifications, best practices, and compliance criteria. In the case of the PCI (Payment Card Industry) Data Security Standard (DSS), it sets forth mandatory requirements for organizations that handle credit card data, outlining security measures that need to be in place. Other classifications like laws, policies, and procedures do not apply directly in this context. Laws are legislative regulations enforced by the government, policies are specific guiding principles or rules by an organization, and procedures detail the steps to achieve particular tasks. The PCI standards hold a unique position as they are widely recognized benchmarks for security practices in the payment card industry, not legally binding laws but essential guidelines for compliance to build trust and security in payment transactions.