What is a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA)?

A Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) is an individual or organization that has been certified by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) to assess an organization's compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

The PCI DSS is a set of security standards that are designed to protect payment card data from unauthorized access and misuse. Organizations that handle payment card data are required to comply with the PCI DSS to ensure the security of their systems and to protect their customers' sensitive information.

A QSA is an independent security professional who has been trained and certified to perform PCI DSS assessments. They work with organizations to evaluate their compliance with the standard and provide recommendations for improving their security posture.

During a PCI DSS assessment, a QSA will review an organization's policies, procedures, and systems to ensure that they meet the requirements of the standard. They will also conduct interviews with employees and review documentation to verify that the organization is following the appropriate security procedures.

Once the assessment is complete, the QSA will provide a report that outlines any areas of non-compliance and recommendations for remediation. This report is used by the organization to improve their security posture and maintain compliance with the PCI DSS.