9.4 — Media with cardholder data is secured and destroyed

Requirement

All media containing cardholder data — paper and electronic — is physically secured, classified by sensitivity, tracked when moved, and destroyed when no longer needed so that the data cannot be reconstructed (cross-cut shredding, pulping, secure wiping or physical destruction).

What the engine looks for

Every group below must be satisfied — by an affirmative statement, not a plan, a hedge or a denial — for the control to count as covered. A term ending in … matches any word it begins. Supporting terms do not change the verdict — they raise confidence and distinguish a policy that names a mechanism from one that gestures at a category.

Equivalent controls elsewhere

Matched on shared topics. Satisfying this control usually moves these too.