Pass the PCI SSC Assessor_New_V4 Exam Assessor_New_V4 Questions and answers with ValidTests

According to the PCI DSS v3.2.1 Quick Reference Guide1, system configuration and parameter files must be monitored by a change-detection mechanism (for example, a file-integrity monitoring tool). This is one of the requirements for ensuring that changes to system configuration and parameter files are detected and verified.

According to the PCI DSS v3.2.1 Quick Reference Guide1, audit logs must be retained for at least 1 year, with the most recent 3 months immediately available. This is one of the requirements for ensuring that audit logs are available for review and analysis.

 The Software Security Framework (SSF) is a collection of standards and programs for the secure design and development of payment software1. The SSF replaces the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS) with modern requirements that support a broader array of payment software types, technologies, and development methodologies2. The SSF applies to any payment software that is part of the cardholder data environment (CDE), which is the people, processes, and technologies that store, process, or transmit cardholder data or sensitive authentication data3. Therefore, the correct answer is option A.

The other options are not true regarding the applicability of the SSF to different software types. Option B is not true because the SSF is not limited to software that runs on PCI PTS devices, which are hardware devices that accept payment card data at the point of interaction. The SSF covers software that runs on various platforms and devices, such as web servers, mobile devices, cloud services, and embedded systems. Option C is not true because the SSF is not limited to validated payment applications that are listed by PCI SSC and have undergone a PA-DSS assessment, which are payment applications that have been validated by PA-DSS assessors and meet the PA-DSS requirements. The SSF covers payment software that may not be eligible for PA-DSS validation, such as software that is developed by merchants or service providers for their own use, or software that is not sold, distributed, or licensed to a third party. Option D is not true because the SSF is not limited to software that is developed by the entity in accordance with the Secure SLC Standard, which is one of the two standards that are part of the SSF and provides security requirements and assessment procedures for software vendors to integrate into their software development lifecycles. The SSF covers payment software that is developed by any entity, whether it is a software vendor, a merchant, a service provider, or a third party, as long as it meets the security requirements and validation procedures of the Secure Software Standard, which is the other standardthat is part of the SSF and provides security requirements and assessment procedures for payment software products. References:

Understanding the PCI Software Security Framework: New Educational Resources

PCI Software Security Framework Provides a Modern Approach to Payment Software Security

PCI DSS v3.2.1

[PCI PTS POI Security Requirements]

[Software Security Framework Secure Software Standard]

[Payment Application Data Security Standard]

[Software Security Framework Secure Software Life Cycle (Secure SLC) Standard]

[PCI DSS v4.0: Is the Customized Approach Right For Your Organization?]

According to the PCI DSS v3.2.1 Quick Reference Guide1, settlement occurs when a merchant receives payment from a card issuer for a completed transaction and delivers goods or services to a customer or another party as agreed upon in advance by both parties, subject to any conditions imposed by either party upon delivery or payment, including but not limited to acceptance, rejection, return, exchange, refund, cancellation, modification, suspension, termination or revocation by either party upon delivery or payment; or any other conditions imposed by either party upon delivery or payment; or any other conditions imposed by either party upon delivery or payment; or any other conditions imposed by either party upon delivery or payment;

The Secure SLC standard is one of the two standards that are part of the PCI Software Security Framework (SSF), which provides security requirements and assessment procedures for software vendors to integrate into their software development lifecycles and to validate that secure lifecycle management practices are in place12. The Secure SLC standard is designed to offer a more flexible approach to how the security and integrity of payment software is tested, and to address the evolving threat landscape and changes in software development practices3.

The PCI DSS Requirement 6 states that entities must develop and maintain secure systems and applications, and it includes several sub-requirements that cover variousaspects of software security, such as change control, secure coding, vulnerability management, and patching4. By using custom software that is compliant with the Secure SLC standard, an entity may be able to meet some or all of these sub-requirements, as the Secure SLC standard covers similar topics and ensures that the software is developed and maintained in a secure manner throughout its entire lifecycle1. However, this does not automatically make the entity PCI DSS compliant, as there are other requirements and controls that the entity must implement and validate, such as network security, access control, monitoring, and incident response4. Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

The other options are not true regarding the impact of using custom software that is compliant with the Secure SLC standard on the PCI DSS assessment. Option A is not true because, as explained above, the entity still has to comply with other PCI DSS requirements and controls that are not covered by the Secure SLC standard. Option C is not true because there is a positive impact to the entity, as it may help the entity to meet several requirements in Requirement 6 and to demonstrate that the custom software is secure and reliable. Option D is not true because the custom software cannot be excluded from the PCI DSS assessment, as it is part of the cardholder data environment (CDE) and it may store, process, or transmit cardholder data or sensitive authentication data. The entity must ensure that the custom software meets the PCI DSS requirements and controls that are applicable to it, and that the assessor validates its compliance4. References:

Software Security Framework Secure Software Life Cycle (Secure SLC) Standard

PCI Security Standards Council Publishes Version 1.1 of Secure Software Lifecycle (SLC) Standard and Program

PCI Security Standards Council Publishes Version 1.1 of Secure Software Standard and Program

PCI DSS v3.2.1

According to the PCI DSS v3.2.1 Quick Reference Guide1, security policies and operational procedures should be distributed to and understood by all affected parties, such as management, staff, contractors, vendors, and service providers. This is one of the requirements for ensuring that security policies and operational procedures are communicated and followed consistently.

According to requirement 3.1.2, multi-tenant service providers must ensure that customers cannot access another entity’s cardholder data environment, which means they should isolate each customer’s cardholder data from other customers’ cardholder data and prevent unauthorized access or disclosure. This is one of the requirements for ensuring that multi-tenant service providers protect each customer’s cardholder data.

 One of the best practices for hardening a firewall is to disable any firewall functions that are not needed in production, such as unused services, ports, protocols, or features. This reduces the attack surface and minimizes the potential for exploitation. According to the PCI Card Production Logical Security Requirements, section 3.2.1, “The firewall must be configured to deny all traffic by default and allow only traffic that is explicitly required for the card production environment.” Furthermore, section 3.2.2 states, “The firewall must be configured to block all unnecessary services, ports, protocols, and IP addresses.” References: PCI Card Production Logical Security Requirements, Card Production Security Assessor - Logical - Credly

According to the PCI DSS v3.2.1 Quick Reference Guide1, track equivalent data on the chip of a payment card is sensitive authentication data, which means it can be used to authenticate a cardholder or a transaction, but it should not be stored or transmitted by merchants after authorization if encrypted. This is one of the requirements for preventing unauthorized access to sensitive authentication data.

According to the PCI DSS v3.2.1 Quick Reference Guide1, screening and background checks for personnel with access to the cardholder data environment are required, as they may pose a risk if they have compromised or stolen cardholder data in the past or present. This is one of the requirements for ensuring that personnel with access to cardholder data are qualified and trustworthy.