20 PCI DSS Interview Questions and Answers

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards that are designed to protect cardholder data. Any organization that processes, transmits or stores credit card information must comply with these standards. During a job interview, you may be asked questions about PCI DSS to gauge your understanding of the requirements. In this article, we review some commonly asked questions about PCI DSS and how you can answer them.

PCI DSS Interview Questions and Answers

Here are 20 commonly asked PCI DSS interview questions and answers to prepare you for your interview:

1. What is PCI DSS?

PCI DSS is the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. It is a set of security standards that were created by the major credit card companies in order to protect cardholder data. Any company that processes, stores, or transmits credit card information must comply with PCI DSS.

2. Can you explain what the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is?

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards created by the major credit card companies to help protect cardholder data. The PCI DSS covers everything from how data is collected and stored, to how it is transmitted and processed. Any organization that accepts credit cards must comply with the PCI DSS in order to avoid hefty fines and penalties.

3. How do you ensure that your organization complies with payment card industry data security standards?

There are a number of ways to ensure compliance with PCI DSS, but some of the most important include encrypting all sensitive data, ensuring that all systems are up to date with the latest security patches, and implementing strong access control measures.

4. What are some common best practices used by organizations to comply with PCI DSS standards?

Some common best practices used to comply with PCI DSS standards include encrypting all sensitive data, ensuring that all systems are up to date with the latest security patches, and implementing strong access control measures.

5. What’s the difference between a Qualified Security Assessor and an Approved Scanning Vendor?

A Qualified Security Assessor is a company that is authorized by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council to validate compliance with the PCI DSS. An Approved Scanning Vendor is a company that is authorized by the PCI SSC to perform external vulnerability scans of PCI DSS systems.

6. If a merchant doesn’t process or store any credit cards, does it need to be compliant with PCI DSS?

No, a merchant does not need to be compliant with PCI DSS if it does not process or store any credit cards.

7. What are some of the consequences for non-compliance with PCI DSS?

The consequences for non-compliance with PCI DSS can be severe, and can include large fines, loss of business, and even jail time.

8. What are some penalties for not complying with PCI DSS?

Some penalties for not complying with PCI DSS can include being fined by the credit card companies, being placed on the TMF/MATCH list which can make it difficult to get a merchant account, and losing your ability to process credit cards.

9. Do all online merchants need to be PCI DSS compliant?

No, not all online merchants need to be PCI DSS compliant. Only those that accept, process, or store credit card information are required to comply with the PCI DSS.

10. Who needs to be PCI DSS compliant?

Any business that accepts, processes, or stores credit card information is required to be PCI DSS compliant. This includes both online and brick-and-mortar businesses.

11. What are the main benefits of being PCI DSS compliant?

The main benefits of being PCI DSS compliant are that it helps to ensure the security of credit card transactions and helps to protect businesses and consumers from fraud. PCI DSS compliance also helps to ensure that businesses are handling customer data in a safe and secure manner.

12. What are the 12 requirements for compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards?

The 12 requirements for compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards are as follows:

1. Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect data
2. Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters
3. Protect stored data
4. Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks
5. Use and regularly update anti-virus software
6. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications
7. Restrict access to data by business need-to-know
8. Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access
9. Restrict physical access to cardholder data
10. Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data
11. Regularly test security systems and processes
12. Maintain a policy that addresses information security

13. What happens if we don’t meet the deadline for becoming PCI DSS compliant?

If you don’t meet the deadline for becoming PCI DSS compliant, you may be subject to fines from your credit card processor or bank. You may also be placed on a higher risk tier, which could result in higher fees.

14. Does having multiple firewalls installed at different locations suffice as meeting our PCI DSS obligations?

No, multiple firewalls installed at different locations does not suffice as meeting our PCI DSS obligations. The PCI DSS requires that all systems in the cardholder data environment (CDE) be properly segmented from one another in order to prevent unauthorized access. Having multiple firewalls installed at different locations does not guarantee that systems in the CDE are properly segmented.

15. How can I find out more about PCI DSS?

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards designed to protect cardholder data. Any organization that processes, stores, or transmits credit card information must comply with PCI DSS. You can find more information about PCI DSS on the PCI Security Standards Council website (https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/).

16. What is the primary benefit of using tokenization instead of encryption in payment applications?

Tokenization provides an extra layer of security for payment applications by replacing sensitive data with a random string of characters, or token, that has no value outside of the specific application. This makes it much more difficult for hackers to access and use sensitive data, even if they are able to penetrate the system.

17. What’s the difference between tokenization and encryption?

Tokenization is a process of replacing sensitive data with a non-sensitive equivalent, called a “token.” This token can be used in place of the sensitive data for any purpose, but cannot be reverse-engineered to obtain the original data. Encryption, on the other hand, is a process of transforming data using an algorithm to make it unreadable by anyone who does not have the key needed to decrypt it.

18. Which companies must use point-to-point encryption?

Any company that processes, stores, or transmits credit card information must use point-to-point encryption. This includes companies that are part of the payment card industry, such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

19. In order to validate PCI DSS compliance, which controls should the auditor check during a penetration test?

The auditor should check for the presence of a firewall at the perimeter of the network, proper configuration of security settings on all systems, and the presence of intrusion detection and prevention systems. They should also check for proper access control measures, such as user authentication and authorization.

20. What are some examples of compensating controls?

Some examples of compensating controls are:

-Using encryption to protect data in transit
-Using two-factor authentication
-Restricting access to systems and data to only those who need it
-Regularly monitoring and auditing systems and data
-Implementing strong security policies and procedures