PCI DSS Pen Testing & VAPT
AI pen testing for PCI DSS v4.0 Requirement 11.4 and segmentation testing
Continuous PCI DSS pen testing and VAPT — Requirement 11.4 external and internal pen testing, segmentation testing (11.4.5) for CDE scope reduction, significant-change coverage, and QSA-aligned reports. Payment processor, aggregator, SaaS vendor, and merchant scope templates with multi-framework cross-mapping.
Four steps. One continuous pen testing loop.
CDE Scope & Segmentation
Define the Cardholder Data Environment (CDE) and the segmentation boundary. PCI DSS pen testing scope aligns to the systems that store, process, or transmit cardholder data — plus the segmentation controls that reduce the CDE scope.
External + Internal Pen Testing
Requirement 11.4.3 external pen testing and 11.4.4 internal pen testing — AI-driven coverage of web applications, APIs, infrastructure, and segmentation controls with QSA-aligned reporting format.
Network Segmentation Testing
Requirement 11.4.5 segmentation penetration testing validates that segmentation controls actually prevent lateral movement into the CDE. Testing proves the segmentation holds — the exact evidence QSAs look for in scope-reduction arguments.
QSA-Ready Evidence
Reports formatted per PCI DSS QSA report expectations — methodology, scope, findings catalogue, exploitation evidence, risk rating, remediation guidance, and retest validation. Auditor portal lets your QSA review evidence directly.
Key Features
Full PCI DSS v4.0 Requirement 11.4 pen testing coverage
11.4.3 External Pen Testing
External pen testing against the CDE perimeter — public-facing applications, network ingress, and internet-exposed infrastructure
11.4.4 Internal Pen Testing
Internal pen testing from an assumed-breach position — lateral movement, privilege escalation, and CDE access from a compromised internal host
11.4.5 Segmentation Testing
Segmentation penetration testing validating that segmentation controls prevent CDE access from out-of-scope networks — the specific evidence QSAs want for CDE scope reduction
Application-Layer PCI DSS Testing
Web application and API pen testing for payment pages, checkout flows, and tokenisation surfaces — OWASP Top 10 and OWASP API Top 10 with CDE-specific scope
Cardholder Data Environment Mapping
Automated discovery and mapping of systems storing, processing, or transmitting cardholder data — the CDE scope evidence underlying every PCI DSS pen testing engagement
Tokenisation Boundary Testing
Validation of tokenisation and encryption boundaries — ensuring sensitive authentication data is not leaking across the token boundary, a frequent QSA finding
WAF and Firewall Validation
Testing of WAF configuration, firewall rules, and network ACLs supporting the CDE — producing evidence that compensating controls operate effectively
Significant-Change Coverage
Automated pen testing on CDE-impacting production changes, satisfying the 'significant change' clause without requiring a fresh engagement per change
QSA-Aligned Report Format
Report format matching QSA expectations for the pen testing component of the Record of Compliance — methodology, scope, findings, evidence, remediation, retest
SAQ-D Service Provider Ready
Scope templates for Service Provider SAQ-D including payment processors, aggregators, and SaaS vendors — a different evidence set than merchant-side engagements
Level 1-4 Merchant Coverage
Scope templates calibrated to Level 1, 2, 3, and 4 merchants — the pen testing cadence and depth that each level requires
Continuous Between-Audit Coverage
Annual QSA review plus continuous AI pen testing between audits — the evidence density modern PCI DSS programmes need to support scope-reduction and significant-change arguments
Benefits
Why teams choose TigerStrike for their security needs
Requirement 11.4 Coverage
Full PCI DSS v4.0 Requirement 11.4 coverage — 11.4.1 external and internal pen testing methodology, 11.4.2 third-party pen testing, 11.4.3 external pen testing scope, 11.4.4 internal pen testing scope, and 11.4.5 segmentation testing.
CDE Scope Reduction
Segmentation testing produces the evidence QSAs need to accept scope-reduction arguments — the single biggest cost lever in PCI DSS compliance programmes. Defensibly reduce CDE scope with validated segmentation evidence.
AI Pen Testing for PCI DSS
ai pen testing pci dss moves beyond annual engagement cycles — continuous VAPT between annual QSA reviews, satisfying the 'significant change' clause automatically rather than scrambling for a new engagement after every production change.
Payment Processor & Aggregator Ready
Scope templates for merchants, payment processors, payment aggregators, payment gateways, and SaaS vendors handling cardholder data — including Level 1-4 merchants and Service Provider SAQ-D requirements.
Multi-Framework Efficiency
PCI DSS pen testing evidence auto-maps to SOC 2 CC6.6/CC7.1, ISO 27001:2022 Annex A.8.8/A.8.29, HIPAA Security Rule, GDPR Article 32, RBI cybersecurity framework, and CERT-In audit scope — one engagement, many deliverables.
Significant-Change Coverage
PCI DSS requires pen testing after any 'significant change' to the CDE. Continuous AI pen testing produces that evidence automatically rather than requiring a new engagement every time production changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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