Which organization is responsible for compliance assessments under PCI-DSS?

The organization responsible for compliance assessments under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) is indeed the one referred to as Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs). QSAs are individuals or entities that are certified by the PCI Security Standards Council to perform assessments of an organization's compliance with PCI-DSS requirements. They have the expertise and qualifications to evaluate whether a business meets the established security standards for handling cardholder data.

The role of a QSA is critical because they conduct detailed evaluations of a company's security posture and provide recommendations for security improvements as needed. They also help organizations understand the specific requirements of PCI-DSS and guide them through the compliance process. This oversight is essential for maintaining a secure environment for payment card transactions and protecting sensitive payment information from potential breaches.

In contrast, Approved Scanning Vendors (ASVs) focus on conducting external security scans but do not perform comprehensive assessments of compliance. Security Scanning Vendors may refer more broadly to companies that provide scanning services but do not have the specific designation that qualifies them to verify compliance under PCI-DSS. Therefore, the responsibility for conducting compliance assessments under PCI-DSS lies specifically with Qualified Security Assessors.