Which term is defined as 'mechanisms that limit availability of information or information-processing resources only to authorized persons or applications'?

Which term is defined as 'mechanisms that limit availability of information or information-processing resources only to authorized persons or applications'?

• A. Access Control
• B. AAA
• C. Account Data
• D. Acquirer

Answer: (A)

Access control is the mechanism that ensures information and processing resources are accessible only to those who are authorized. It enforces who can view, modify, or use data and under what conditions, aligning with the need-to-know principle in PCI DSS. While AAA (authentication, authorization, accounting) covers related processes, the description focuses on the control mechanism itself—restricting access to authorized entities. The other terms aren’t about controlling access: account data is data, and an acquirer is a payment processor entity, not a security mechanism.

Access control is the mechanism that ensures information and processing resources are accessible only to those who are authorized. It enforces who can view, modify, or use data and under what conditions, aligning with the need-to-know principle in PCI DSS. While AAA (authentication, authorization, accounting) covers related processes, the description focuses on the control mechanism itself—restricting access to authorized entities. The other terms aren’t about controlling access: account data is data, and an acquirer is a payment processor entity, not a security mechanism.