Securing our networks is an essential part of navigating the twenty first century business climate, and integral to a strong security posture is vulnerability scanning. Vulnerability scanning, sometimes referred to as a vulnerability assessment, is the process of identifying any flaws or weaknesses in our organizational networks, including the systems themselves, as well as every person and application that uses them.
Understanding exactly how our security posture stands up to the sophisticated threats that threaten our company assets is crucial to keeping hackers and other bad actors from inflicting financial and reputational damage on the organization. It may seem like a simple step, but it’s one that carries significant security ramifications.
Why Vulnerability Scanning Matters
There are a lot of reasons we conduct vulnerability scans. They help us understand our current level of risk, the vulnerabilities that are most susceptible to attack, and how to set up our networks so they pass regulatory muster when it comes to compliance. In short, vulnerability scanning leads to a stronger security posture and provides peace of mind. Here are some of the reasons vulnerability scanning is so important.
It Identifies Vulnerabilities
This first item may be self-evident, but it is the main reason we conduct vulnerability scans in the first place. Identifying vulnerabilities through cyberscans before they can be exploited by bad actors greatly reduces the chance of experiencing incidents that could compromise our most valuable assets.
It Improves Risk Management Strategies
After vulnerability scanning has been completed, we are able to create a weighted scale by which to prioritize our remediation efforts. The most severe vulnerabilities, those capable of delivering the most devastating impacts, are handled first. The less severe vulnerabilities are typically handled down the line in order of descending importance.
It Keeps Us Compliant
Certain industries, such as finance, healthcare, and transportation, require that we adhere to a stringent set of regulations in order to remain compliant. In many instances, vulnerability scanning is one of those requirements. Regular system reviews help us safeguard our data and remain compliant.
It’s a Cost-Effective Security Measure
Dealing with data breaches and other security incidents after they have occurred can force organizations to incur devastating financial blows as they work to remedy the situation. It is always much easier and more cost-effective to proactively prevent incidents from occurring.
It Creates a Culture of Continuous Improvement
The regular practice of important security measures improves an organization’s security posture through both knowledge and the taking of proactive prevention steps. Creating this awareness in our teams gives them the tools they need to practice better cyber hygiene and avoid opening the network up to hackers.
It Helps with the Management of Asset Inventory
Since vulnerability scanning occurs on all of our important assets, conducting regular scans gives us better visibility into our asset inventories. Maintaining up to date inventories, in turn, allows us to ensure we are employing proper protective measures at every turn.
Main Types of Vulnerability Assessments
Now that we’ve looked at some of the reasons why vulnerability scanning is such an important security tool, let’s look at the main types of vulnerability scans available to us. Each one is a little different, and understanding the different types is helpful in identifying which type best fits your use case. There are a few main categories, and each one provides a different set of benefits.
Credentialed Scans
Credentialed scans, also known as authenticated scans, are the most comprehensive type of scans available. Credentialed scans are authenticated and log in with a set of credentials that gives them an in-depth view of each environment, making them far better at uncovering vulnerabilities than non-credentialed scans.
Non-Credentialed Scans
Non-credentialed scans, or unauthenticated scans, do not gain the kind of access to our systems that credentialed scans do. They are not authenticated with login credentials, so they can only provide an outside view of the environments they are scanning. This means they are not able to catch as many vulnerabilities as credentialed scans do, and may provide less benefit to the organizations conducting them, depending on needs. Non-credentialed scans can be run both externally and internally.
External Vulnerability Scans
External vulnerability scans focus on flaws that could allow an outside actor to break into our networks. They may include scans on things like public IP addresses, web applications, network perimeters, and cloud services. Regular external vulnerability scans help protect our assets against external threats.
Internal Vulnerability Scans
Internal vulnerability scans focus on identifying vulnerabilities that could be exploited by someone already inside the network, including insiders or hackers that have already gained access. They are effective in identifying issues such as unpatched software, misconfigurations, weak passwords, and vulnerabilities tied to internal applications.
Each type of vulnerability assessment may take place in a different environment. The environments we scan for vulnerabilities should be prioritized by the specific threats we face. Some of the most common types of scans include:
- Network Vulnerability Scans
- Web App Vulnerability Scans
- Database Vulnerability Scans
- Host-Based Vulnerability Scans
- Cloud Vulnerability Scans
- Wireless Network Vulnerability Scans
- Application Programming Interface (API) Scans
- Compliance Scans
Benefits of Vulnerability Scanning
We have looked at the importance of conducting regular vulnerability scans, as well as the main types of scans out there, but we haven’t yet looked at some of the incredible benefits we gain from vulnerability scanning. In this section, we will dig into exactly that.
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities are an inherent part of modern computing. We are constantly updating systems and adding users, and with each transition, there is the possibility that something gets missed along the way that results in new vulnerabilities. Regular reviews give us the information necessary to identify and patch these vulnerabilities before hackers have a chance to act on them.
Risk Reduction
By identifying, assessing, and addressing vulnerabilities, we streamline the vulnerability management process and reduce our risk of being affected by attacks.
Enhanced Security Posture
Conducting regular vulnerability assessments gives us the information necessary to mitigate risks and enhance our security postures. This reduces the chances that we will be subject to cyberattacks.
Enhanced Insight
The more data and insight we have into our security postures, the better able we are to make informed decisions regarding risk management and resource allocation.
Integration with Other Security Tools
Vulnerability scanners are compatible with the majority of our other security tools, such as SIEM and EDR, and help them to be more effective.
Implementation Strategies
Vulnerability scanning isn’t as simple as plugging in and hitting play. In order to get the most useful information from them, we must consider some key strategies that will get us where we want to go.
Define Your Goals
Your goals and objectives must be clearly defined to get the biggest benefit out of your vulnerability scans. Determining which systems, networks, and applications will be included in the scan will ensure that all the most important bases are covered.
Choose the Right Tools
Once you have defined your goals, choosing the most appropriate tools to complete your objectives is the next step. The tools that are right for you depend on your individual needs and the requirements of regulatory bodies.
Keep a Schedule
Vulnerability scanning is at its most effective when it is kept to a regular schedule. Conduct assessments every week, month, or quarter, depending on your needs. Highly regulated industries may require more regular scanning than others, but keeping to a schedule will ensure your security is as effective as it can be.
Prioritize Scanning Types
Again, the scans you conduct should be prioritized based upon your needs. If your organization relies heavily on cloud-based applications and databases, this may be of high importance. If your organization relies upon very few of these, the importance of your cloud vulnerability scans may slide down the ladder a bit. Always make sure to prioritize the most important environments based on the specific types of threats you face.
Integrate with Asset Management
It is important that we scan all our important assets. Integrating our vulnerability scanners with our asset management protocols will help you identify what needs to be scanned and assist in the prioritization process.
Develop a Remediation Process
Identifying vulnerabilities is one thing, but we must act on that information if we want to improve our security posture. By developing a clear process for addressing those vulnerabilities in a weighted way, we can minimize the chances that we must deal with a data breach or other security incident.
Vulnerability Scanning vs Penetration Testing
Many people think vulnerability scanning and penetration testing are the same thing. They are not. While there are some similarities, the two serve different purposes and have differences that set them apart.
While vulnerability scanning solutions aim to detect vulnerabilities within the system that hackers might use to gain access, penetration testing focuses on vulnerability exploitation, actively trying to evade security measures to breach defenses and gain access. That means that vulnerability scanning alerts us to where defects lie and penetration testing alerts us to how vulnerable those defects are when attacked by a skilled hacker. Both are essential parts of shoring up a solid defense.
The Takeaway
Vulnerability scanning is an essential part of cybersecurity. It gives us the information we need to make the changes that substantially improve our security posture and help us remain compliant with regulatory bodies. That said, it is not always an easy task to accomplish with in-house security teams.
Many companies, large and small, rely on vulnerability scanning services to ensure their systems are well positioned to ward off attacks. Engaging with a service provider puts state of the art technology at our fingertips and allows us to utilize teams of experienced security specialists. If you are interested in learning more about how our robust vulnerability scanning service can help support your security needs, reach out for a consultation.