PCIP Security Monitoring 2

Question 1

Under PCI DSS, how long must audit log history be retained?

Accepted Answer

90 days online, 1 year archived

Answer

PCI DSS requires at least 12 months of audit log history, with the most recent 3 months immediately available for analysis.

Question 2

Which event type MUST be included in PCI DSS audit logs?

Accepted Answer

All successful and failed access attempts to cardholder data

Answer

PCI DSS Requirement 10 mandates logging all individual user accesses to cardholder data, including both successful and failed attempts.

Question 3

What is the primary purpose of a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system in PCI DSS compliance?

Accepted Answer

Aggregate and correlate log data to detect security events

Answer

A SIEM centralizes log collection and correlation to identify suspicious patterns and security incidents across the cardholder data environment.

Question 4

A merchant notices that logs from a point-of-sale terminal are missing for a 4-hour window. What is the BEST immediate action?

Accepted Answer

Investigate whether a security incident occurred during the gap

Answer

Log gaps are a red flag indicating possible tampering or a breach; the missing window must be investigated as a potential security incident.

Question 5

Which PCI DSS requirement specifically addresses the use of time-synchronization technology?

Accepted Answer

Requirement 10

Answer

Requirement 10.6 requires all systems to synchronize clocks using NTP or similar technology to ensure accurate timestamps in audit logs.

(PCIP) Payment Card Industry Professional Practice Test