Compliance Standards

ASV scanning (Approved Scanning Vendor scanning) is a critical requirement for businesses that handle debit or credit card transactions. The PCI Security Standards Council mandates ASV scanning to identify external vulnerabilities and protect payment systems from cyber threats.

This requirement goes beyond just merchants. Acquirers (banks), issuers, processors, and service providers must also undergo ASV scanning to ensure they remain PCI DSS compliant. In short, if your business touches payment card data in any way, ASV scans are essential for safeguarding both compliance and security.

An external vulnerability scan is one of the most important steps your organization can take to secure its network perimeter. These scans identify weaknesses before hackers can exploit them, reducing the risk of costly attacks. To put this in perspective, ransomware damage costs exceeded $5 billion last year, a staggering 15-fold increase compared to 2015.

Under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), merchants that process, store, or transmit cardholder data are required to conduct external vulnerability scans regularly. Yet many organizations remain unsure about how these scans work, when to run them, and how they fit into PCI DSS compliance. This blog will break down what to expect so you can prepare with confidence.