Advancement in technology has been challenging the cyber criminals to change their game from time to time. They are finding new methods to exploit weaknesses in networks, software, and systems.
To shield companies against such evolving cyber threats, industry experts leaned towards “Vulnerability Scanners“.
Vulnerability Scanners emerged as indispensable tools in the battle against cyber threats.
What are Vulnerability Scanners?
- Vulnerability scanners are software tools designed to identify, assess, and analyze security flaws or gaps within systems, applications, and networks.
- It pinpoints vulnerabilities that need fixing. It helps companies to prepare themselves before Cybercriminals get a chance to exploit security flaws.
- Vulnerability scanners are available as open-source solutions or cloud-based services. They are also available as commercial tools.
- Each vulnerability scanner has its unique set of features and capabilities that caters to companies across various industries.
Vulnerability Scanners helps companies be proactive in mitigating potential security risks.
How Vulnerability Scanners Work?
There are different phases in the vulnerability scanning process. Let us see what they are:
Discovery Phase
The vulnerability scanning process starts with the discovery phase, where the scanner identifies all devices and systems connected to the network. It performs a thorough scan to create an inventory of assets, such as servers, workstations, routers, and other network devices.
The discovery phase is crucial as it sets the foundation for the subsequent vulnerability assessment.
Vulnerability Scanning
During this phase, the scanner examines the identified assets for potential security weaknesses. There would be a database of known vulnerabilities that is up to date with emerging threats. These databases contain information about software flaws, misconfigurations, and other potential issues that Cybercriminals might exploit.
Vulnerability Assessment
Once the vulnerability scan is complete, the scanner analyses the collected data and assigns severity levels to each identified vulnerability.
Vulnerability Assessment helps companies prioritize their remediation process accordingly. So, companies could focus on fixing critical issues & enhance their security posture better.
Reporting
The output of the vulnerability scan is presented in the form of detailed reports, highlighting the identified weaknesses and their respective risk levels. These reports provide valuable insights into the company’s current security posture. It helps companies make informed decisions about necessary security improvements.
Remediation
After identifying the vulnerabilities and prioritized, the companies’ security team proceeds with the remediation process. It could be fixing the revealed vulnerabilities, applying patches, updating software, or reconfiguring settings to eliminate the security loopholes.
Some advanced vulnerability scanners might have automation capabilities where remediation process is part of the entire process along with finding vulnerabilities.
Benefits of Using Vulnerability Scanners
- Discovering potential security flaws before Cyber attackers exploit them.
- Defining the level of potential security risks on the network.
- Inventory list of all the systems in the organization that would be used for planning and future updates.
- Prioritizing remediation strategy based on risk severity.
- Continuous monitoring, cost & time efficient.
Wrap Up
As digital footprints are increasing in every industry along with spike in cyberattacks, vulnerability scanning & assessment plays a crucial role. These scanners reveal the underlying threats in a companies’ digital infra and help them make better security decisions.
Vulnerability scanners play a crucial role in securing the digital assets and data protection from cyber threats. By scanning and identifying potential security flaws, companies could take proactive measures to mitigate cyber risks.
Vulnerable Web Server, Database Servers, Application Servers, Mobile Apps & APIs are becoming victims of Cyber-attacks. Companies must invest in Web & Application Security Testing solutions, Network Security Solutions, API Security Testing solutions etc to enhance their security posture.
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