Which standard is specifically associated with third-party payment applications?

• A. PCI DSS
• B. PCI P2PE
• C. PA-DSS
• D. PCI PTS - POI

Answer: (C)

The standard that specifically targets third-party payment applications is the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS). It focuses on the security of the software itself—the apps that merchants use to process, store, or transmit cardholder data—ensuring they are designed and maintained securely and do not expose sensitive data. This is different from the broader PCI DSS, which covers overall merchant and environment security; and from PCI P2PE, which is about encrypting card data from the point of entry to the processor; and PCI PTS-POI, which concerns the security of point-of-interaction devices. Since PA-DSS is aimed at the software used by merchants and developers of payment applications, it’s the standard most closely associated with third-party payment applications.