Technology vulnerabilities are an unfortunate side effect of innovation. When software companies push new updates, there are often weaknesses in the code that hackers exploit. Software makers then address the vulnerabilities with a security patch. The cycle continues with each new software or hardware update.
About 93% of corporate networks are estimated to be susceptible to hacker penetration. Assessing and managing these network weaknesses isn’t always a priority for organizations – and many suffer breaches because of poor vulnerability management.
61% of security vulnerabilities in corporate networks are over five years old.
Many types of attacks, including ransomware, account takeovers, and other common cyberattacks, take advantage of unpatched vulnerabilities in software code.
Whenever you see the term “exploit” when reading about a data breach, that’s an exploit of a vulnerability. Hackers write malicious code to take advantage of these “loopholes.” That code can allow them to elevate privileges, run system commands, or perform other dangerous network intrusions.
At IT Acceleration, we believe that putting together an effective vulnerability management process can reduce your risk. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just follow the steps we’ve outlined below to get started.
Vulnerability Management Process
Step 1. Identify Your Assets
First, you need to identify all the devices and software you will need to assess. You’ll want to include all devices that connect to your network, including:
- Computers
- Smartphones
- Tablets
- IoT devices
- Servers
- Cloud services
Vulnerabilities can appear in many places, such as the code for an operating system, a cloud platform, software, or firmware. So, you’ll want a full inventory of all systems and endpoints in your network. This important first step will help you know what you need to include in the scope of your assessment.
Step 2: Perform a Vulnerability Assessment
Next will be performing a vulnerability assessment. This project is usually done by an IT professional using assessment software and could also include penetration testing.
During the assessment, the professional scans your systems for any known vulnerabilities. The assessment tool matches found software versions against vulnerability databases.
For example, a database may note that a version of Microsoft Exchange has a vulnerability. If it detects that you have a server running that same version, it will note it as a found weakness in your security.
Step 3: Prioritize Vulnerabilities by Threat Level
The assessment results provide a roadmap for mitigating network vulnerabilities. There will usually be several, and not all are as severe as others. You will next need to rank which ones to address first.
Experts consider severe vulnerabilities at the top of the list. Many vulnerability assessment tools use the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), which categorizes vulnerabilities with a rating score from low to critical severity.
You’ll also want to rank vulnerabilities by your own business needs. If a software is only used occasionally on one device, consider it a lower priority to address. While a vulnerability in software is used on all employee devices, you may rank as a high priority.
Step 4: Remediate Vulnerabilities
Use the prioritized list to remediate vulnerabilities. Remediation often means applying an issued update or security patch. But it may also mean upgrading hardware that may be too old for you to update.
Another form of remediation may be ringfencing. This happens when you “wall off” an application or device from others in the network. A company may do this if a scan turns up a vulnerability for which a patch does not yet exist.
Increasing advanced threat protection settings in your network can also help. Once you’ve remediated the weaknesses, you should confirm the fixes.
Step 5: Document Activities
You’ll want to document when you performed the last vulnerability assessment and all the steps taken to remediate each vulnerability. Both are vital both for cybersecurity needs and compliance. Keeping these logs will be critical in the case of a future breach and can also inform the next vulnerability assessment.
Step 6. Schedule Your Next Vulnerability Assessment Scan
Once you go through a round of vulnerability assessment and mitigation, you’re not done. Vulnerability management is an ongoing process.
Over 26,447 new vulnerabilities were documented in 2023. Developers continue to update their software continuously, and each update can introduce new vulnerabilities into your network.
It’s best practice to have a schedule for regular vulnerability assessments. The cycle of assessment, prioritization, mitigation, and documentation should be ongoing. This fortifies your network against cyberattacks and removes one of the hackers’ main enablers.
Get Started with a Vulnerability Assessment
Take the first step towards effective vulnerability management. At IT Acceleration, we can help you fortify your network against attacks. Contact us today to schedule a vulnerability assessment to get started.
The article was used with permission from The Technology Press.