Staying PCI DSS Compliant: The Annual Checklist

This guide provides a quarterly PCI DSS compliance checklist to maintain year-round readiness, covering scoping and planning (Q1), control testing and monitoring with internal/external vulnerability scans (Q2), validation via penetration testing and incident response exercises (Q3), and final assessment activities including ROC/SAQ, AOC submission, and ASV scan requirements (Q4). It highlights common pitfalls like scope drift and missed scans, stresses remediation of vulnerabilities with CVSS ≥ 4.0 for ASV passing status, and outlines how Outpost24’s ASV and managed services support scanning, validation, and evidence collection.