- A
System administrator
Why wrong: System administrators are not independent auditors and cannot perform a PCI DSS audit.
- B
Internal auditor
Why wrong: Internal auditors may perform internal assessments, but PCI DSS requires an external QSA for certification.
- C
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Why wrong: CPAs may be involved in financial audits, but PCI DSS specifically requires a QSA.
- D
Qualified Security Assessor (QSA)
A QSA is an external auditor qualified to assess PCI DSS compliance.
Question 925 of 1,000
CISSP Security Assessment and Testing Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security assessment and testing. 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 preparing for an external audit to comply with PCI DSS. Which type of auditor is typically required to perform this assessment?
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
✓
Qualified Security Assessor (QSA)
PCI DSS requires assessments to be conducted by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) because QSAs are certified by the PCI Security Standards Council to validate compliance with the standard's technical and procedural controls. Unlike internal or general external auditors, QSAs have specific training in PCI DSS requirements, including network segmentation, encryption protocols (e.g., TLS 1.2+), and logging mechanisms (e.g., audit trails per Requirement 10).
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.
- ✗
System administrator
Why it's wrong here
System administrators are not independent auditors and cannot perform a PCI DSS audit.
- ✗
Internal auditor
Why it's wrong here
Internal auditors may perform internal assessments, but PCI DSS requires an external QSA for certification.
- ✗
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Why it's wrong here
CPAs may be involved in financial audits, but PCI DSS specifically requires a QSA.
- ✓
Qualified Security Assessor (QSA)
Why this is correct
A QSA is an external auditor qualified to assess PCI DSS compliance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'external auditor' with any certified accountant or general IT auditor, overlooking that PCI DSS mandates a specifically certified QSA for compliance validation, not just any third-party assessor.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A QSA must follow the PCI DSS ROC Reporting Template and validate controls such as the use of strong cryptography (e.g., AES-256 for stored cardholder data) and the implementation of compensating controls per Appendix B. In practice, a QSA will review firewall rule sets against the documented baseline, verify that wireless networks are segmented via a firewall (not just VLANs), and confirm that quarterly external ASV scans are passing (e.g., no critical or high vulnerabilities per CVSS 3.x).
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Security Assessment and Testing — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISSP question test?
Security Assessment and Testing — This question tests Security Assessment and Testing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) — PCI DSS requires assessments to be conducted by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) because QSAs are certified by the PCI Security Standards Council to validate compliance with the standard's technical and procedural controls. Unlike internal or general external auditors, QSAs have specific training in PCI DSS requirements, including network segmentation, encryption protocols (e.g., TLS 1.2+), and logging mechanisms (e.g., audit trails per Requirement 10).
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CISSP 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 CISSP exam.
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