Various embodiments include systems and methods of automated scan engine assignment. Responsive to determining to initiate a scan of a target asset, a scan engine assignment strategy may be determined for automatically assigning one or more scan engines to perform the scan. Determining the scan engine assignment strategy may include implementing a strategy selection scheme that defines a hierarchy of scan engine assignment strategies, which may include at least one of a passive discovery strategy, an active discovery strategy, or a scan engine subnet strategy. Using the scan engine assignment strategy, the one or more scan engines may be automatically assigned to perform the scan. The scan may be performed using the one or more scan engines.