Who manages the decryption environment and all decrypted account data in PCI P2PE solutions?

Who manages the decryption environment and all decrypted account data in PCI P2PE solutions?

• A. Merchant
• B. Solution Provider
• C. Payment Brand
• D. Auditor

Answer: (B)

In PCI P2PE, the decryption environment and all decrypted cardholder data are under the control of the P2PE solution provider. This provider maintains the secure cryptographic environment, handles key management, and performs decryption of card data before it reaches processing systems. The merchant only processes encrypted data, which keeps sensitive data out of the merchant’s systems and reduces PCI scope. Payment brands oversee standards but do not run the cryptographic infrastructure, and auditors verify compliance rather than manage the decryption environment. So, the party responsible for the decryption environment and decrypted account data is the Solution Provider.

In PCI P2PE, the decryption environment and all decrypted cardholder data are under the control of the P2PE solution provider. This provider maintains the secure cryptographic environment, handles key management, and performs decryption of card data before it reaches processing systems. The merchant only processes encrypted data, which keeps sensitive data out of the merchant’s systems and reduces PCI scope. Payment brands oversee standards but do not run the cryptographic infrastructure, and auditors verify compliance rather than manage the decryption environment. So, the party responsible for the decryption environment and decrypted account data is the Solution Provider.