Associate Qualified Security Assessor (AQSA) Certification Practice Exam

The correct choice highlights a critical requirement within the SAQ-C category, where merchants are allowed to process cardholder data by manually entering it into a secure website. This is particularly relevant for merchants that have a limited scope of card processing and may not employ sophisticated payment processing hardware or automated workflows.

This manual entry process directly relates to ensuring that cardholder data is handled securely and made compliant with the PCI DSS requirements. The guidelines stress the importance of keeping sensitive data protected from unauthorized access during entry and transmission, which makes the option of manual entry into a secure website a stipulation to control risk effectively.

Other considerations, like the use of payment processing hardware or direct banking integration, typically align with different categories or security requirements. Automated transaction workflows, while they can enhance efficiency for larger businesses, are less relevant for those categorized under SAQ-C, which focus more on specific secure manual interactions with cardholder information. Therefore, the emphasis on secure manual entry is essential for compliance in this specific context.