09 Oct Vulnerability Management is Essential to your IT Security
Just like everyone needs to get periodic X-ray scans when they visit the dentist, every computer network needs periodic vulnerability scanning as part of good IT security hygiene. Sometimes an X-ray will reveal hidden decay or other issues that need immediate attention. The same X-ray may also reveal minor problem areas that can wait until your next scheduled visit.
As with analysis of fuzzy X-rays, as a qualified IT professional, you need to review the results of each network vulnerability scan to determine what is a serious vulnerability that deserves immediate action and which vulnerabilities present a lower risk that can be addressed during a scheduled network clean-up session.
The frequency of scans and regularly scheduled network hygiene sessions depend on a variety of factors. Small organizations with just a few computers running in a workgroup may only need periodic scans when changes are made to the network. However, for most situations, a monthly scan with regularly scheduled quarterly security clean-up tasks is considered to be the minimum frequency. For any organization that collects, uses or stores sensitive data, a weekly scan with monthly network adjustments is recommended. Even more frequent scans may be needed for certain regulated industries and organizations that require the highest level of cybersecurity.
Vulnerability Management Doesn’t Have to be Difficult
VulScan has all the features you need for both internal and external vulnerability management. It includes the software needed to spin up an unlimited number of virtual network scanner appliances using Hyper-V or VMWare, and a cloud-based portal to control the scanners and manage the discovered issues.
For internal network scanning, the appliances can be installed on any existing computer that has excess capacity on the network. You can add multiple scanners and configure them each to scan separate parts of the network. You can use the external scanners to perform the same vulnerability tests on your firewall.
You can program it to run automatically at a specific time interval and set up a schedule for regular routine network adjustments based on the results of the scan data. The frequency of scans and scheduled security hygiene sessions will depend on your specific situation.
As soon as each network scan is complete, the system sends the results of the scan to your cloud-based vulnerability management platform along with an alert of any discovered issues. The alerts tell you the nature and location(s) of each discovered issue. This allows you to quickly address any high-risk vulnerabilities and creates a checklist of more routine items to take care of during regularly scheduled network hygiene sessions.
Root Canal or Checkup?
Nobody LIKES going to the dentist, but an annual checkup is far less costly, painful, and debilitating than ignoring routine inspections and ending up needing a root canal, crown, or something worse. The same can be said about vulnerability scanning. Ignoring vulnerabilities and pretending that they don’t exist will eventually result in a cyberattack that can cost millions of dollars in ransom, extortion, and remediation.
Don’t put your business (or your client’s business ) at risk by ignoring potential network vulnerabilities. The question is no longer “What if someone exploits a vulnerability on our network?” but rather “When will someone exploit a vulnerability on our network?” Eliminate the risks with VulScan by identifying and remediating those vulnerabilities before someone else discovers them.
Click here to get your demo of VulScan and learn more about how to better protect your networks.