What is the average penalty for PCI DSS non-compliance?

The average penalty for PCI DSS non-compliance can indeed range from thousands to millions of dollars, largely dependent on the volume of transactions processed by the entity. This variability reflects how financial penalties are directly influenced by the potential risk and harm that could arise from non-compliance, particularly in the context of data breaches and the subsequent financial impacts.

Entities that handle a higher volume of payment card transactions may be subject to greater fines due to the larger scale of potential exposure to cardholder data breaches. Additionally, these fines can include not only direct penalties from payment brands but also costs related to forensic investigations, customer notification, and potential lawsuits. Each case of non-compliance is evaluated on an individual basis, considering factors such as the severity of the breach and the entity's history of compliance.

In this context, the other options do not align with the reality of PCI compliance. Penalties are applicable to all entities, regardless of size, and they are not solely limited to fines, as they can also involve additional costs and consequences related to data protection failures. Moreover, stating that there are no penalties for non-compliance overlooks the critical enforcement measures already in place by payment card networks and regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with PCI DSS standards.