What must a QSA implement as part of their quality assurance requirements?

The implementation of a quality assurance program is essential for a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) as it ensures that the assessment processes adhere to the required standards and practices outlined by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). A quality assurance program systematically measures and improves the effectiveness of the QSA's assessment processes, leading to consistent reporting and risk identification.

This program typically includes procedures for conducting internal and external reviews, maintaining and improving the QSA’s methods of assessment, and ensuring compliance with the latest PCI standards. By doing so, QSAs can uphold the integrity and credibility of their assessments, ensuring that they provide valuable and reliable insights into a client’s security posture.

While feedback forms, comprehensive security policies, and annual compliance reports may play important roles in a QSA’s work or the broader scope of security assessments, they do not specifically address the continuous improvement of assessment quality, which is the primary focus of a quality assurance program.