Script Inventory: Security and PCI DSS Compliance

Monday, January 12, 2026

5 min read

A script inventory is a structured list of every script your site loads first-party and third-party, inline and external. Knowing exactly what runs on your pages is the first step to securing them and meeting compliance requirements such as PCI DSS. CentralCSP's Script Inventory and real-time alerting help you maintain that list and react quickly when something changes.

Why a Script Inventory Matters

Websites often pull in dozens of scripts: analytics, ads, chat widgets, A/B testing, and frameworks. Each one is a potential vector for abuse if it is compromised or replaced. Without a clear inventory you cannot:

Enforce a Content Security Policy that allows only known scripts
Prove to auditors which scripts run on payment or sensitive pages (e.g. for PCI DSS)
Detect new or changed scripts that might indicate a compromised dependency or a malicious injection

A script inventory answers: What scripts run, from where, and with what integrity (hashes)?

What to Track

A useful inventory includes at least:

Source URL : Where the script is loaded from (your domain, CDN, third party)
Integrity (SRI) hash : If you use Subresource Integrity, the expected hash
Purpose : Why the script is there (e.g. “checkout”, “analytics”)
Owner / review : Who is allowed to add or change it

Over time you can add version, last-seen date, and whether it's required for PCI scope. The goal is to treat scripts as a controlled set of assets, not an unknown list.

PCI DSS and Script Inventories

PCI DSS v4.0 expects you to manage scripts on pages that handle cardholder data. Requirement 6.4.3 calls for maintaining an inventory of scripts and ensuring they are authorized and tamper-resistant. A documented script inventory, combined with CSP and SRI, shows that you know what is executing and that you limit it to approved sources and hashes. CentralCSP's PCI DSS monitoring for payment pages aligns with this by helping you see which scripts load on those pages and whether they match your policy.

Detecting Malicious or Unexpected Scripts

Attackers often inject scripts via compromised third-party code, vulnerable plugins, or XSS. If you have a baseline inventory and continuous monitoring, new or changed scripts stand out. CentralCSP's Script Inventory tracks what loads on your site and can alert when:

A new script appears
A known script's URL or hash changes
A new origin is used ot load scripts

Real-time alerting means you can react quickly, investigating new scripts before they become a breach and tightening your CSP or reporting as needed.

How CentralCSP's Script Inventory and Alerting Help

CentralCSP provides:

Script Inventory : A view of scripts observed loading on your site, including source and integrity where available, so you can build and maintain your list.
Real-time alerting : Notifications when specific events occur (e.g. new script, CVE), so you can respond instead of discovering issues later.

Together, these features turn “we have a lot of scripts” into “we know exactly what runs and we're notified when it changes.” That supports both security and compliance.