The Secure SLC standard is one of the two standards that are part of the PCI Software Security Framework (SSF), which provides security requirements and assessment procedures for software vendors to integrate into their software development lifecycles and to validate that secure lifecycle management practices are in place12. The Secure SLC standard is designed to offer a more flexible approach to how the security and integrity of payment software is tested, and to address the evolving threat landscape and changes in software development practices3.

The PCI DSS Requirement 6 states that entities must develop and maintain secure systems and applications, and it includes several sub-requirements that cover variousaspects of software security, such as change control, secure coding, vulnerability management, and patching4. By using custom software that is compliant with the Secure SLC standard, an entity may be able to meet some or all of these sub-requirements, as the Secure SLC standard covers similar topics and ensures that the software is developed and maintained in a secure manner throughout its entire lifecycle1. However, this does not automatically make the entity PCI DSS compliant, as there are other requirements and controls that the entity must implement and validate, such as network security, access control, monitoring, and incident response4. Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

The other options are not true regarding the impact of using custom software that is compliant with the Secure SLC standard on the PCI DSS assessment. Option A is not true because, as explained above, the entity still has to comply with other PCI DSS requirements and controls that are not covered by the Secure SLC standard. Option C is not true because there is a positive impact to the entity, as it may help the entity to meet several requirements in Requirement 6 and to demonstrate that the custom software is secure and reliable. Option D is not true because the custom software cannot be excluded from the PCI DSS assessment, as it is part of the cardholder data environment (CDE) and it may store, process, or transmit cardholder data or sensitive authentication data. The entity must ensure that the custom software meets the PCI DSS requirements and controls that are applicable to it, and that the assessor validates its compliance4. References:

Software Security Framework Secure Software Life Cycle (Secure SLC) Standard

PCI Security Standards Council Publishes Version 1.1 of Secure Software Lifecycle (SLC) Standard and Program

PCI Security Standards Council Publishes Version 1.1 of Secure Software Standard and Program

PCI DSS v3.2.1