Unleash the Power of Vulnerability Management

A vulnerability scanner is a tool that helps organizations detect security vulnerabilities in their networks, systems and applications that could potentially be exploited by cybercriminals. Based on different configurations and scripts, vulnerability scanning tools run tests on assets that could be exploited. Overall, they bring to light information about the vulnerabilities in an IT environment, degrees of risk from each vulnerability and ways to mitigate a vulnerability.

Vulnerability scanner software only scans what it is configured for. Depending on the type of scan, the tool scans specific interfaces to invoke a response from the targeted devices. For example, if you want the tool to detect outdated operating system versions in your network, it will test the network devices accordingly.

Once it detects a device running on an outdated operating system, it will flag it as a vulnerability in the final scan report. Besides just identifying a vulnerability, certain vulnerability scanning software also review a vulnerability against a database of vulnerabilities to classify it and assign a risk rating to it. In the end, the tool generates a report with all these details.

Vulnerability scanning tools can be divided into five major categories based on the type of assets they scan:

• Network-based scanners: These scanners are focused on identifying security vulnerabilities across a network, for example, unauthorized remote access servers. They assess practices and policies related to both public and private networks.
• Host-based scanners: Such scanners identify vulnerabilities in workstations, servers and other network hosts. In the process, ports and services are scanned vigorously to provide greater visibility into the configuration settings and patch history of assets.
• Wireless scanners: As the name suggests, these scanners specifically assess an organization's wireless network. They successfully identify rogue access points making them crucial in today's hybrid work environment.
• Database scanners: These scanners identify security loopholes, such as misconfigurations, unsecure test environments and other weaknesses, in databases and big data systems.
• Application scanners: This type of scanners play a crucial role in spotting vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in web applications used by an organization.

External vulnerability scans are run from outside an organization's network, targeting areas of the IT environment exposed to the internet such as firewalls, web applications, ports and networks. They unearth vulnerabilities in perimeter defenses like open ports in a network's firewall.

On the other hand, internal vulnerability scans are run from the inside of an organization's network. They detect issues such as vulnerabilities that could be exploited by a hacker who has already made it through perimeter defenses, and threats posed by malware inside a network and insider threats.

Vulnerability scanning helps organizations detect security vulnerabilities such as:

• Outdated and unpatched software
• Missing and poor data encryption
• Operating system and security misconfigurations
• Missing and broken authentication
• Poor cyber awareness and human error

Not only is vulnerability scanning a must-do in today's threat landscape, it is also mandated by nearly every major data protection regulation worldwide. Therefore, vulnerability scanning can't be ignored if an organization must comply with any such standard. Here are some examples:

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Under Article 32(1), GDPR clearly mandates “a process for regular testing, assessing and evaluation the effectiveness of technical and organizational measures.” Vulnerability scanning is such a process.
• Healthcare Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): Vulnerability scanning can help organizations — both business associates and covered entities — fulfil at least six specific requirements listed in the Security Rule and Privacy Rule of HIPAA.
• Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS): PCI DSS clearly states that any organization dealing with cardholder data must implement a process to identify security vulnerabilities and assign a risk rank to any newly discovered vulnerabilities. Vulnerability scanning can help any organization, even if it isn't in the finance industry, to comply with this requirement of PCI DSS.

Apart from these regulations, IT security frameworks suggest vulnerability scanning as a best practice. For example, NIST's Cybersecurity Framework recommends vulnerability scanning for all IT systems as a part of regular IT environment assessments.

Performing vulnerability scans monthly or quarterly can lead to major blind spots and hence, which is why the Center for Internet Security (CIS) recommends weekly or more frequent scans. However, it also recommends organizations to increase patching frequency along with the scanning frequency.