What is meant by "protecting cardholder data during transmission"?

The phrase "protecting cardholder data during transmission" emphasizes the importance of securing sensitive information as it travels from one point to another, such as from a payment terminal to a payment processor. This can include implementing security measures like encryption to make the data unreadable to unauthorized parties and ensuring that the data transfer methods are secure from interception or eavesdropping.

Minimizing risks related to data transfer covers various aspects, such as selecting safe transmission protocols (like HTTPS or TLS), implementing strong technical safeguards, regularly monitoring transmission pathways, and establishing a robust security posture. This concept is vital in preventing data breaches and ensuring compliance with security standards, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

The other options do not align with the goal of protecting cardholder data during its transmission. Sending data without encryption, allowing easy access to sensitive information, and not monitoring transmission are practices that could expose cardholder data to significant risks, making them unacceptable in any secure data handling scenario.