System vulnerabilities are behind many ransomware attacks and data breaches. The number of new vulnerabilities is staggering and increasing rapidly, with nearly 30,000 vulnerabilities detected in 2023 and over 50,000 in the first half of 2024. To have strong cybersecurity, enterprises must perform periodic vulnerability scanning. This guide explains what vulnerability scanning is, what it requires, and how organizations can deploy it effectively.
What Is Vulnerability Scanning and What Does It Involve?
Vulnerability scanning involves analyzing your organization’s network, systems, cloud storage platforms, software applications, and other digital resources. The process searches for vulnerabilities, program flaws, configuration problems, and other issues that bad actors can exploit. Flagging weaknesses in the system allows your team to take preventative and corrective actions, strengthening cybersecurity and reducing the risks of data breaches.
Continual Assessments
Given the rapid appearance of zero-day exploits and supply-chain risks, vulnerability scanning should be performed regularly. Many organizations implement continuous scans for high-risk resources and systems. The goal is to locate, eliminate, and mitigate the impact of bugs before cybercriminals have an opportunity to use them against you.
Types of Vulnerabilities
Enterprises need to be aware of external and internal threats, from malware and man-in-the-middle attacks to employee theft and accidental exposures. Modern vulnerability scanning tools can detect a wide range of weaknesses, including:
- Endpoint vulnerabilities: Unprotected access points and exposed open ports, such as the outdated SMB ports targeted in the devastating WannaCry ransomware attack that impacted more than 200,000 computers
- Configuration vulnerabilities: Incorrect or dangerous system settings, such as storing sensitive files in publicly accessible locations or not enabling access controls
- Coding errors: Bugs in software and website code that allow for SQL injection attacks, cross-site scripting, improper privilege escalation, and even operating system vulnerabilities
- Access control problems: Weak passwords, unsecured systems, and suspicious permissions
- IT and security flaws: Outdated software updates, missing security patches, and misconfigured firewall settings
Your enterprise faces a unique list of potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities; it depends on the software, cloud computing resources, and systems you employ, as well as the type of devices your workers use to access the network.
How Does Vulnerability Scanning Work?
These days, vulnerability scanning is an automated process, similar to the way antivirus tools analyze computer systems searching for malware. Performing intensive analysis by hand would be impossible given the huge volume of assets involved in modern computing.
The Scanning Process
Vulnerability scanning works slightly differently depending on its scope and features. Some scanners target network resources and computer systems only, and others focus primarily on code vulnerabilities in software applications. Scanning falls into several categories:
- Network scans look at servers, routers, firewalls, workstations, and network-connected devices, including IoT devices
- Website scans check website code and cloud-based applications for SQL injection weaknesses and XSS vulnerabilities
- Operating system scans verify security patches and software configurations
- Application security testing (static, dynamic, and interactive) reviews code, application behaviors during runtime, inputs, outputs, and execution paths
Organizations can perform both credentialed and uncredentialed vulnerability scans. An uncredentialed scan checks your system from the point of view of an average user, identifying public-facing vulnerabilities. Credentialed scans dig deeper, looking for weaknesses that a bad actor could exploit from inside.
Vulnerability Matching
As the scanner analyzes your network and systems, it probes for security weaknesses, configuration errors, and other potentially harmful flaws. All of these elements are compared against a vast and regularly updated database of known vulnerabilities.
Advanced vulnerability scanners may also provide endpoint monitoring and kernel-level detection. These systems monitor devices for suspicious activity and analyze the behavior of installed applications. Other tools offer real-time monitoring of network assets and traffic, blocking potentially harmful connections, flagging strange user activity, and providing early warning of potential breaches.
Creating a Scanning Program
Like antimalware software, vulnerability scanning tools allow for diverse configurations. You can customize which resources to scan and how often. Creating a thorough and effective vulnerability management program starts with good planning.
The first step is to identify all of your IT assets, IP addresses, and potential attack surfaces. This process is known as a vulnerability assessment.
Next, your organization must decide which resources to prioritize for scans. High-risk areas need more intensive scanning. Other assets can adhere to the minimums required by industry regulations. This approach reduces the load on your system and allows for continuous monitoring of critical systems.
Generating Reports
After the scanner finalizes, it creates a report of all detected vulnerabilities. These are generally organized by categories, such as misconfigurations, program flaws, and cybersecurity weaknesses. Many tools provide a brief description of the vulnerability, and some also compare current results with previous scans.
Threat Scoring
Advanced scanning software can rate vulnerabilities automatically. The Common Vulnerability Scoring System rates vulnerability severity as low (0.1 to 3.9), medium (4.0 to 6.9), high (7.0 to 8.9), and critical (9.0 to 10.0).
Algorithms rate detected issues based on factors like vulnerability scope, complexity, privileges required, availability, and attack vector. The purpose is to help your personnel identify critical flaws ASAP and implement urgent remediations.
Does Your Organization Need Vulnerability Scanning (and How Often)?
Aided by AI tools, today’s cybercriminals can capitalize on vulnerabilities quickly. Static defenses aren’t sufficient to deal with cybersecurity threats. You need to be proactive, staying one step ahead of attackers.
Every Organization
Vulnerability scanning is one of the best ways to mitigate cybersecurity risks. No industry is exempt from attacks by malware, ransomware, or cybercriminals. These incidents number in the billions, affecting finance, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and more.
Regulatory Compliance
Quarterly network vulnerability scanning by an approved vendor is a requirement for PCI DSS compliance. Many other frameworks have similar or stricter controls. NIST SP 800-172, CIS Controls, and ISO 27001 require weekly or continuous scanning, depending on the system.
Learn More About Vulnerability Scanning, Compliance, and Automation
Vulnerability scanning is most effective when configured specifically for your organization. The scope of scanning can also include regulatory compliance requirements. Discover how Compyl’s advanced scanning, risk assessment, and automation tools can help you safeguard your system. Contact us for more information today.
