Which term describes mechanisms that limit availability of information to authorized persons or applications?

• A. AAA
• B. Access Control
• C. Account Data
• D. Acquirer

Answer: (B)

Access control is the practice of restricting information and resources so that only authorized people or applications can access them. It enforces policies that determine who can view, modify, or use data, typically through authentication (confirming identity) and authorization (granting the right to perform actions) plus permissions and roles. This aligns with the PCI DSS goal of restricting access to cardholder data by business need to know. AAA is related as a framework that covers authentication, authorization, and accounting, but the mechanisms that limit access are described by access control. The other options don’t refer to the methods used to restrict who can access information.