Welcome
Manual exploring
Manual exploring enables you to explore specific parts of your application, filling in fields and forms as you go. This can be a way of ensuring that particular areas of the site are covered, and that AppScan has the information needed to complete forms correctly.
Using a browser
For web applications, you can usually use the build-in AppScan browser for manual exploring. Where necessary an external browser can be used.
Model Context Protocol (MCP) scanning
Use manual explore workflows to test applications that use the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and analyze MCP tool calls during the scan.

Welcome
Welcome to the documentation for HCL AppScan Standard version 10.12.0
Getting started
This section provides a short tour of basic product features and procedures, including using the wizard to set up a scan.
Configuration
You configure a scan by choosing settings that best describe your application, and the kind of testing you want.
Intelligent Finding Analytics (IFA)
Intelligent Finding Analytics (IFA) uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to analyze data, discover patterns, and make predictions, ultimately transforming data into actionable insights. IFA goes beyond regular data analysis by using advanced methods to find deeper meanings and make smart decisions.
Manual exploring
Manual exploring enables you to explore specific parts of your application, filling in fields and forms as you go. This can be a way of ensuring that particular areas of the site are covered, and that AppScan has the information needed to complete forms correctly.
- Using a browser
  For web applications, you can usually use the build-in AppScan browser for manual exploring. Where necessary an external browser can be used.
  - Recording with a browser
    Describes recording Manual Explore data with a browser.
  - Exporting Manual Explore data
    Standard procedures can be "recorded" in the form of a Manual Explore, and then imported to future scans.
  - Importing Manual Explore data
    If you have saved a standard procedures in the form of a Manual Explore, you can import it to another scan to test it again, even on a different server.
  - Model Context Protocol (MCP) scanning
    Use manual explore workflows to test applications that use the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and analyze MCP tool calls during the scan.
  - Recording with an external browser
    You can set AppScan to act as a proxy server and then manually explore your application using a third part browsing utility. In this mode of operation, AppScan records the HTTP/HTTPS traffic going through it, analyzes it, and creates the appropriate tests.
- Using an external client
  You can manually explore RESTful or other non-SOAP web APIs - or SOAP APIs that do not require security envelopes - using a mobile phone, simulator, or emulator. AppScan displays the domains and requests in its External Traffic Recorder, and create appropriate tests from the input.
Scanning
Learn how to start a scan, and what happens during the scan; how to manually manipulate the Explore stage, and how to export the results of a scan.
Data
Data view is populated with information about the structure of the site during the Explore stage of the scan.
Issues
Issues view provides access to the results of a scan. You can view results at a high level or select specific tests or objects and access more details. These details include how to fix, requests/responses, and differences between the test variants that resulted in issues. You can manipulate the severity of issues, resend tests (with or without modifications), and create reports based on Issues.
Reports
Tools
This section explains how to use additional tools provided with HCL AppScan Standard.
Integrations
This section describes integrations of other applications with AppScan Standard:
Best practices
This section contains some best practices and use cases for advanced users.
FAQ & Troubleshooting
CLI
This section describes the syntax and options available using the Command line interface.
References
Menus and toolbar summaries, and glossary

Model Context Protocol (MCP) scanning

Use manual explore workflows to test applications that use the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and analyze MCP tool calls during the scan.

AppScan now supports security testing for applications that use the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This capability is available through manual explore workflows and allows AppScan to capture traffic, analyze MCP tool calls, and perform a comprehensive security analysis.

Workflow and configuration

MCP scanning is supported through manual exploration workflows using tools such as Postman. For Postman-based workflows, use Postman version 11.42.3 or later.
When starting a scan, select the dedicated MCP template to ensure appropriate coverage for MCP-based traffic. The new MCP.scant template is located in the Templates folder of the AppScan Standard installation directory and is recommended for all MCP scans. The default location is:
```
C:\Program Files (x86)\HCL\AppScan Standard\Templates\MCP.scant
```
For AppScan Connect, first load the MCP template, then open Postman to perform manual crawling. You can then run the scan through AppScan Connect as usual.

Current limitations

Direct import of Postman collections for MCP scanning is currently not supported because Postman cannot export collections that include MCP requests.
The current implementation relies on a manual process and is intended as a specialized workflow for this release. Automatic scanning is planned for a future release.