When I speak to security professionals about vulnerability management, I find that there is still a lot of confusion in the market. Most people immediately think I’m referring to getting rid of the vulnerabilities in the hardware and software within their network, but vulnerability management encompasses a much broader scope.
Vulnerability management is not just vulnerability scanning, the technical task of scanning the network to get a full inventory of all software and hardware and precise versions and current vulnerabilities associated with each. Nor is it vulnerability assessment, a project with a defined start and end that includes vulnerability scanning and a report on vulnerabilities identified and recommendations for remediation. Vulnerability management is a holistic approach to vulnerabilities – an ongoing process to better manage your organization’s vulnerabilities for the long run. This practice includes vulnerability assessment which, by definition, includes vulnerability scanning, but also other steps as described in the SANS white paper, Implementing a Vulnerability Management Process.
Just as the process of vulnerability management is broader than you might think, the definition of a vulnerability is as well. A vulnerability is the state of being exposed to the possibility of an attack. The technical vulnerabilities in your network are one component, but there is another important aspect that is often overlooked – the vulnerabilities specific to your company, industry and geography. You can’t only look internally at the state of your assets. You must also look externally at threat actors and the campaigns they are currently launching to get a more complete picture of your vulnerabilities and strengthen your security posture more effectively.
In The Art of War, Sun Tzu captured the value of this strategy well when he stated, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” ... read full article
