Which organization reserves the right to audit QSAs?

The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) is the organization responsible for developing and managing the PCI Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). As part of its role, the PCI SSC establishes and maintains the standards and compliance programs for Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs), who are tasked with assessing merchants and service providers for PCI compliance.

The PCI SSC also reserves the right to audit QSAs to ensure they are adhering to the standards and guidelines set forth by the council. This includes monitoring the performance and qualifications of QSAs to maintain the integrity of the compliance assessment process, thereby protecting cardholder data within the payment card industry.

Other organizations such as the Federal Trade Commission, the International Organization for Standardization, and the American National Standards Institute do not have authority over the PCI compliance assessments or QSAs. Their focus lies in different areas of regulation, standardization, or governance, which does not intersect directly with PCI DSS auditing responsibilities. Therefore, the correct answer is clearly linked to the PCI SSC's authoritative role in the oversight of QSAs.