What is a significant risk that requirement 3 seeks to minimize?

Requirement 3 focuses on minimizing the risk of unauthorized access to cardholder data. This is critical because cardholder data is highly sensitive information that, if accessed by unauthorized individuals, can lead to data breaches, identity theft, and financial fraud. Implementing strong access controls, encryption, and other security measures ensures that only authorized personnel can access such data, thereby protecting it from potential threats and vulnerabilities.

The importance of protecting cardholder data is emphasized in various security standards, where the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of the data are paramount. By addressing the risk of unauthorized access, Requirement 3 contributes to a more secure environment, helping organizations comply with regulations and maintain consumer trust.

In contrast, while excessive data retention periods, increased costs of data storage, and physical theft of cardholder data are significant considerations in data management and security practices, they do not directly align with the primary focus of Requirement 3, which is explicitly aimed at controlling and restricting access to sensitive cardholder information.