A company that controls or could impact the security of another entity's cardholder data is considered to be a?

A company that controls or could impact the security of another entity's cardholder data is classified as a service provider. This designation is crucial within the framework of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) because service providers are responsible for services that could potentially compromise sensitive information, including cardholder data.

Service providers have specific obligations under the PCI DSS, ensuring that they adhere to security measures that protect the integrity and confidentiality of cardholder information. Their role can encompass a range of activities like payment processing, data storage, or providing secure transmission of data, thus influencing the overall security posture of the payment ecosystem.

In contrast, a merchant primarily refers to businesses that accept card payments for goods or services but do not necessarily have overarching control over cardholder data security. An acquirer is a financial institution or bank that processes credit or debit card transactions on behalf of a merchant, while a gateway typically refers to a technology or service that authorizes credit card or direct payments for e-commerce transactions. While these entities are important in the payment process, they do not fit the specific definition related to impacting the security of cardholder data in the same manner as a service provider.