- A
The company must sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with the cloud provider.
Why wrong: BAA is for HIPAA, not PCI DSS. PCI DSS requires a shared responsibility matrix.
- B
The company must conduct its own on-site audit of the cloud provider's data centers.
Why wrong: On-site audits may not be practical or permitted; assessment via SAQ or by a QSA is typical.
- C
The company must ensure that the cloud provider encrypts all cardholder data at rest and in transit.
Why wrong: Encryption is required, but the primary step is to validate the provider's compliance status.
- D
The company must obtain a copy of the cloud provider's PCI DSS Attestation of Compliance (AOC) and ensure the provider is assessed by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA).
The customer must verify the provider's PCI DSS compliance through a valid AOC.
CCSP Legal, Risk, and Compliance Practice Question
This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of legal, risk, and compliance. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is subject to PCI DSS because it processes credit card transactions. It plans to use a cloud provider that is not specifically listed as a PCI DSS validated service provider. What is the most important step the company must take to ensure compliance?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The company must obtain a copy of the cloud provider's PCI DSS Attestation of Compliance (AOC) and ensure the provider is assessed by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA).
PCI DSS requires that if a cloud provider is not already validated, the customer must ensure the provider undergoes a PCI DSS assessment. The shared responsibility matrix (SRM) is used to delineate which controls are the provider's and which are the customer's.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The company must sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with the cloud provider.
Why it's wrong here
BAA is for HIPAA, not PCI DSS. PCI DSS requires a shared responsibility matrix.
- ✗
The company must conduct its own on-site audit of the cloud provider's data centers.
Why it's wrong here
On-site audits may not be practical or permitted; assessment via SAQ or by a QSA is typical.
- ✗
The company must ensure that the cloud provider encrypts all cardholder data at rest and in transit.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption is required, but the primary step is to validate the provider's compliance status.
- ✓
The company must obtain a copy of the cloud provider's PCI DSS Attestation of Compliance (AOC) and ensure the provider is assessed by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA).
Why this is correct
The customer must verify the provider's PCI DSS compliance through a valid AOC.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which CCSP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CCSP question test?
Legal, Risk, and Compliance — This question tests Legal, Risk, and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The company must obtain a copy of the cloud provider's PCI DSS Attestation of Compliance (AOC) and ensure the provider is assessed by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA). — PCI DSS requires that if a cloud provider is not already validated, the customer must ensure the provider undergoes a PCI DSS assessment. The shared responsibility matrix (SRM) is used to delineate which controls are the provider's and which are the customer's.
What should I do if I get this CCSP question wrong?
Identify which CCSP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CCSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CCSP exam.
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