What PCI DSS Requires for Vulnerability Scanning
Under PCI DSS Requirement 11, businesses must conduct internal vulnerability scans at least quarterly and after any significant change to the network. External vulnerability scans must also be run quarterly by a PCI SSC-approved Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) — and those scans must pass (no failing vulnerabilities) before your compliance can be validated.
For many businesses, this is where compliance breaks down. Scans come back with dozens of findings, nobody knows which ones are blocking compliance, and remediation priorities are unclear.
Note: Operatiqs is not itself an ASV. We do not conduct the external scans that must be performed by an ASV-approved vendor. What we do is help you understand your scan obligations, support your scanning operations, and work through scan results to prioritize remediation.
How We Support Your Scanning Program
Scan Scope Review
We review which systems, IP addresses, and network segments need to be included in your internal and external scans based on your CDE scope. Incomplete scan coverage is a common compliance gap and a common reason scans fail QSA review.
Findings Analysis & Triage
When scan reports come back, we review every finding and categorize them by compliance impact. You'll understand which findings are blocking your compliance validation, which are lower priority, and which may be candidates for false positive documentation.
Remediation Prioritization
Not all vulnerabilities carry the same compliance risk. We help you build a prioritized fix list organized around what needs to be addressed before your next scan or assessment, and what can be addressed in a longer remediation window.
Evidence & Documentation Support
Passing scans generate evidence that auditors and QSAs will want to review. We help you organize and retain scan documentation in a format that supports your compliance validation.
Re-scan Preparation
After remediation, scans often need to be re-run to confirm that failing vulnerabilities have been addressed. We support that process and review re-scan results before they're submitted.
What We Don't Do (and Why It Matters)
| Function | Who Does It | Operatiqs' Role |
|---|---|---|
| External ASV scans (PCI-required) | PCI SSC-approved ASV vendor | Help you select one, review results |
| Internal vulnerability scans | Your team or a vendor | Support execution, review findings |
| Penetration testing | Qualified penetration tester | Help interpret results, plan remediation |
| Findings analysis & triage | Operatiqs | Core service |
| Remediation planning | Operatiqs | Core service |
| Evidence organization | Operatiqs | Core service |
Common Scan Scenarios We Handle
First-time scan setup
Never run a PCI-required scan before. We help you understand what needs to be scanned, which ASV vendor to work with, and what a passing result looks like.
Failed scan — now what?
Your external scan came back with failing findings. We review the report, explain what's actually failing versus informational findings, and build a remediation plan to get you to a passing result.
Scan report review & evidence packaging
Your scans are running but you're not sure what to do with the results. We review your quarterly reports and help organize evidence for your assessor or QSA.