According to the PCI DSS standards, who is responsible for the ongoing compliance of service providers?

In the context of PCI DSS standards, ongoing compliance is primarily the responsibility of the service provider itself. This responsibility includes maintaining the security controls and processes necessary to protect cardholder data and ensuring adherence to the PCI DSS requirements on an ongoing basis. The service provider must regularly assess its own compliance status, implement necessary security measures, and address any vulnerabilities or gaps that may arise.

While merchants and other stakeholders play significant roles in the overall compliance ecosystem—such as ensuring contracts with service providers include clauses related to PCI compliance—ultimately, it is the service provider that must actively manage and demonstrate its compliance with the PCI DSS standards. This includes regular security assessments, vulnerability management, and maintaining security policies and procedures.

Involvement from the merchant, payment brands, and acquirers is crucial, as they all have specific obligations related to PCI compliance, such as validating the compliance status of their business partners and ensuring that data security practices are in place. However, the primary duty for ongoing compliance rests with the service provider, making it the focal point in the PCI compliance framework.