EvidenceSheet
PCI DSS v4.0.1 · Req 11: Test Security Regularly

11.3.2 Quarterly ASV external vulnerability scans

External vulnerability scans must meet these conditions: they run at least every three months; an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) listed by the PCI SSC performs them; with vulnerabilities resolved and the ASV Program Guide conditions for a passing scan met; and with rescans run as needed to confirm resolution under those passing-scan conditions. Applicability: for the first PCI DSS assessment against this requirement, four passing scans within 12 months are not required if the assessor confirms (1) the latest scan passed, (2) documented policies and procedures mandate quarterly scanning, meaning at least every three months, plus (3) rescans show the reported vulnerabilities were fixed. From the second year onward, a passing scan is needed for every three-month period. Details of the target environment (load balancers, third parties, ISPs, configurations, protocols, scan interference) are for the ASV and the scan customer to settle between them, with the ASV Program Guide describing scan customer responsibilities. Customized approach objective: not eligible for the customized approach.

Source: PCI DSS v4.0.1, 11.3.2. The statement above is our statement of the clause, read from the published text and cited so you can check it against the official text, not the instrument verbatim. Open PCI DSS v4.0.1 in the compliance library.

Version 4.0.1 is the active version; 4.0 has been retired. Appendix A1 applies only to multi-tenant service providers, A2 only to card-present POS POI terminals that still use SSL or early TLS, and A3 only when a payment brand or acquirer requires it. Which requirements apply to you follows your validation type.

5
artefacts
1
held by a system
3
at each review
hard
to go live
Vulnerability scanner / patch tooling
where the evidence lives
teal = a system already holds it · olive = produced at each review. To go live: easy when half or more of the artefacts are already held by a system, moderate from a quarter to a half, hard below a quarter.

These are the artefacts auditors commonly ask for on this requirement, our guidance rather than text from the standard. Your assessor decides what is sufficient in your context, and asks for samples across the period when a report covers one.

system holds itEvidence a system already holds

  • Four quarterly passing ASV scan reports with attestation of scan compliance · Vulnerability scanner / patch tooling

periodic reviewEvidence produced at each review

  • Rescan reports demonstrating failed items were fixed · Vulnerability scanner / patch tooling
  • Evidence the ASV is on the PCI SSC approved list · Vulnerability scanner / patch tooling
  • Dispute or false-positive records submitted to the ASV · Vulnerability scanner / patch tooling

governing documentDocuments that govern the control

  • External IP and domain scope list agreed with the ASV · Policy repository / GRC workspace

First move

Mostly documents and reviews. Pull the 1 system-held artefact from your Vulnerability scanner / patch tooling on a schedule; put the documents under version control with an owner and review date, and log each review as a dated record with a named reviewer.

Common gaps auditors find

Do this for your whole sheet

Paste the rows you run your controls from and get this mapping for every control at once, with the periodic-review ones flagged and a first move per row. No account for the first run.

Build my evidence sheet

11.3.1.3 Internal scans after significant change · 11.3.2.1 External scans after significant change