ASNs identify network operators. An ASN lookup maps an IP to its announced ASN and organization, typically based on CIDR ranges in routing tables.
ASN data is especially helpful for understanding who routes traffic for a given IP. It is not a precise ownership record, but it shows the network announcing the IP range in global routing tables. This is why ASN lookup is a common first step in abuse investigations, troubleshooting connectivity, or validating an ISP.
Results can vary based on how IP ranges are delegated. Large organizations may announce multiple CIDR blocks, while hosting providers may reassign ranges to customers. In those cases, pairing ASN data with WHOIS/RDAP gives you both routing and registration context.
If you want to validate ownership details beyond ASN, use WHOIS/RDAP for registrant information and DNS tools to confirm hostnames and services.