---
title: What does PCI DSS penetration testing validate within the Cardholder Data Environment (CDE)?
description: What PCI DSS penetration testing validates inside the Cardholder Data Environment.
---

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# What does PCI DSS penetration testing validate within the Cardholder Data Environment (CDE)?

PCI DSS penetration testing validates that segmentation controls, access protections, and system defenses effectively prevent unauthorized access to the Cardholder Data Environment. The goal is to confirm that cardholder data is properly isolated, and that attackers cannot move into sensitive systems from connected networks.

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