Which standard protects organizations handling cardholder information?

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is specifically designed to protect organizations that handle cardholder information. This standard was established in response to the increasing prevalence of credit card fraud and is aimed at enhancing the security of transactions made via card payments. It sets forth a series of requirements that organizations must follow to ensure the protection of cardholder data. These include implementing strong access control measures, maintaining a secure network, regularly monitoring and testing networks, and maintaining an information security policy.

In contrast, other options like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act primarily focus on ensuring financial transparency and accountability in corporate governance, rather than specifically addressing cardholder data. The General Data Protection Regulation targets the protection of personal data of individuals within the European Union but does not focus specifically on card transactions. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is centered around the protection of health information, not cardholder information. Therefore, PCI DSS is uniquely tailored to safeguard cardholder information, highlighting its importance in the realm of payment data security.