Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards Practice Test

What should be reviewed daily in order to meet PCI DSS requirements?

1. Vulnerability scans and penetration testing reports

2. Data retention policies and procedures

3. Security events and logs from critical system components

4. Firewall and router rule sets

The correct answer is: Security events and logs from critical system components

In order to meet PCI DSS requirements, reviewing security events and logs from critical system components on a daily basis is essential. This practice is fundamental because it allows organizations to identify and respond to potential security incidents promptly. Monitoring logs helps in spotting unauthorized access attempts, anomalies, and other signs of compromise, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity and security of cardholder data. PCI DSS emphasizes the importance of monitoring and logging in its requirements. Regular reviews of logs provide insights into patterns of activity and can help in assessing whether security measures are effective. Furthermore, maintaining a continuous awareness of events can lead to a quicker response to incidents, thereby reducing the potential impact of breaches. While vulnerability scans, penetration testing reports, data retention policies, and firewall rule sets are also important components of a robust security posture, they do not have the same immediate relevance to daily monitoring needs as security events and logs. Vulnerability scans and penetration tests are typically performed on a scheduled basis rather than daily, and data retention policies, while critical for compliance, do not directly address real-time security events. Firewall and router rule sets are crucial for defining traffic that is allowed or blocked but require less frequent review as compared to the continuous nature of log monitoring.