What is Vulnerability Management and Why its Important?

 

Vulnerability management is a continual process, not only to detect risks on your network but to create a plan to prevent those vulnerabilities from causing future damage. A good vulnerability management system combines technology and a team of security experts to proactively detect and act upon security risk.A vulnerability is a weakness in your system that leaves you open to attacks. It can be caused by a flaw in hardware, software, or in the implementation of either one, which leaves your system open to potential risk.Many vulnerabilities are easy to detect and fix. Most software and hardware vendors keep an eye on potential vulnerabilities, writing and releasing patches. But as employees click to ignore these updates or potential vulnerabilities slip through the cracks, you’re opening yourself up to new risk and future losses.

 

Why is Vulnerability Management Important?

Look for vulnerability management software that is reliable, easy to deploy, navigate and interpret. It should be able to detect threats in real-time without complications.To remain competitive in today’s market, many businesses rely on various software solutions and applications, either developed in-house or from IT service providers. While these options help improve efficiency and the employee and customer experiences, they’re also prone to vulnerabilities that can put the company at risk of a cyberattack. Implementing a successful vulnerability management program is a necessary step in your overall IT risk management plan to protect your business from these threats.

The vulnerability management process

These are the steps to follow in a vulnerability management lifecycle.

Step 1: Identifying Vulnerabilities

This step revolves around identifying and classifying vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities are typically ranked using the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).

The role of the CVSS is more prominent in stage two; however, what takes center stage at this point is vulnerability scanning. Vulnerability scanning is often done as part of a penetration testing exercise by a pentester or a security team of penetration testers.

Step 2: Evaluating Vulnerabilities

After the vulnerabilities have been discovered, the next step is to evaluate the identified vulnerabilities for their degree of risk. In step 1, I briefly mentioned CVSS and how it is used as a ranking system for cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Step 3:Remediating Vulnerabilities

This step focuses on treating and mitigating the discovered vulnerabilities. Several strategies are put in place to prioritize and eliminate vulnerabilities based on the level of risk they pose to the business.

Step 4: Verify Vulnerabilities

This step ensures that the threats in the system have been eliminated through follow-up audits. Penetration testing should also be used to verify the efficacy of the remediation measures taken. In addition, it also makes sure new vulnerabilities weren’t inadvertently created during the process.

Step 5: Report Vulnerabilities

It is important to document not only the discovered vulnerabilities but a security plan on how to describe known vulnerabilities and monitor suspicious activity. These reports are vital because they leave records that help businesses improve their security responses in the future.