For the external PCI DSS vulnerability scan, choose a provider currently listed by the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) as an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV), and confirm it will use its approved ASV scan solution for Requirement 11.3.2. Then compare scan coverage, administration, reporting, remediation and rescan support, and recurring-scan ownership. Internal scanning is a separate activity: a general-purpose scanner does not automatically satisfy the external ASV requirement, and a passing ASV report does not certify your overall PCI DSS compliance.
Do you need an ASV scan for PCI DSS?
PCI DSS requires internal and external vulnerability scans at least once every three months. Findings must be addressed and rescanned as part of the process. For the external scan under Requirement 11.3.2, the scan must be performed by a PCI SSC-listed ASV using that vendor’s approved ASV scan solution. See PCI SSC FAQ 1152 on scan frequency and the PCI SSC ASV program information.
That qualification is specific to the external ASV scan. Internal vulnerability scanning supports the entity’s own process for identifying vulnerabilities and ranking risks; it is not a substitute for the separate ASV requirement. PCI DSS describes the internal and external scanning requirements in its overview of PCI DSS, and its guidance on risk-ranking vulnerabilities explains the internal risk-ranking role.
How to compare ASV services and internal scanners
There are two related but distinct needs. Compare them by purpose before looking at product features.
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| Capability | ASV service and approved scan solution | Internal vulnerability scanning |
|---|---|---|
| Primary scope | External, public-facing assets in the approved ASV scan workflow | Internal environment, to support vulnerability identification and risk ranking |
| Qualification | Provider must be currently listed by PCI SSC as an ASV; the provider’s approved solution must be used for Requirement 11.3.2 | No ASV qualification is established as the requirement for internal scanning; use qualified internal staff or a third party appropriate to the entity’s process |
| Cadence | At least once every three months; remediation and rescanning are part of the process | At least once every three months; remediation and rescanning are part of the process |
| Evidence use | ASV report documents the external scanning requirement; it does not establish overall PCI DSS compliance | Results inform the entity’s vulnerability and risk-ranking process |
The cadence and roles are described in PCI SSC FAQ 1152, the PCI DSS overview, and its risk-ranking FAQ. The Council’s ASV program page describes ASV qualification and listing. Do not assume one general-purpose scanner covers both needs.
What to check before choosing an ASV
Verify current listing and scope
Check the provider against the current PCI SSC ASV listing before purchase; listings can change. Confirm that the public-facing assets you need scanned can be included in the provider’s approved ASV workflow, and ask how targets are identified and kept current. The Council’s ASV program information describes the listing and qualification framework.
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Ask how scan administration works
PCI SSC assesses scan administration as part of ASV qualification. Ask how the service handles target setup, scan preparation, scheduling, changes to public-facing assets, and requests for rescans. These are practical comparison questions, not capabilities that can be assumed to be identical across providers. The Council’s ASV program guidance outlines its qualification areas.
Understand findings and remediation support
ASV qualification includes testing whether a solution can find vulnerabilities and misconfigurations on the Council’s test infrastructure. Ask how findings are explained, prioritized or routed to the people who can fix them, and how a rescan is requested to verify remediation. The organization remains responsible for its environment and fixing findings; a service can assist with the workflow but does not take over that responsibility. PCI SSC’s scan-frequency guidance describes remediation and rescanning as part of the process in FAQ 1152.
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Review report quality and evidence handling
PCI SSC tests ASV report output and requires official report templates. Ask to see a sample report and clarify how any supplemental certificate or letter is labeled relative to the official report. Confirm who retains the report and what your acquirer or other program stakeholders expect you to submit. PCI SSC explains report limitations in FAQ 1234; its SAQ workflow FAQ addresses the broader self-assessment process.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does an ASV report mean you are PCI DSS compliant?
No. An ASV report is evidence for the external scanning requirement, not proof that the rest of PCI DSS has been reviewed or met. PCI SSC states: “this scan report is not an indication that any other PCI DSS requirements have been reviewed or are in place.” The statement appears in FAQ 1234, dated June 2025. Acquirers and payment brands may request scan reports or other documents, so confirm submission expectations with whoever manages your compliance program.
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Does outsourced payment processing remove the scan requirement?
Not necessarily. PCI SSC’s June 2026 FAQ says PCI DSS v4.x SAQ A includes Requirement 11.3.2 ASV scanning for covered e-commerce merchant webpages even when payment processing is outsourced to a third-party service provider. The FAQ specifically covers pages that redirect a transaction to the provider and pages that embed the provider’s payment page in an iframe. Check the current FAQ and the applicable SAQ instructions against your actual scope: PCI SSC FAQ 1604 on SAQ A and outsourced processing.
Build recurring scans into operations
Assign an owner for quarterly scheduling, changes to scanned assets, missed-scan escalation, remediation follow-up, report retention, and rescan requests. PCI SSC says periodic controls cannot be made timely by running them later and backdating the result; a missed period needs to be treated as missed, not retroactively cured. See PCI SSC FAQ 1572 on missed periodic activities. The ASV program page also says successful vendors undergo annual recertification, another reason to confirm current listing status rather than relying on an old procurement record.
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