What is a vulnerability scan and how does it work for network security?

From my experience as a CISO, understanding the different types of vulnerability scans is crucial for proactive security. External and internal scans provide a comprehensive view of potential threats from both outside and inside the organization. Credential and non-credential scans offer a deeper look into potential vulnerabilities, helping to create a culture of security. Regularly conducting these scans can aid in security monitoring and ensuring regulatory compliance.

A vulnerability scan for your network is akin to checking your home for unlocked doors and open windows. If you are worried about an intruder, you're likely making sure everything is locked up at night. Vulnerability scans allow you to identify vulnerable systems in your environment and appropriately correct (e.g. lock the door) before a bad actor takes advantage of the easy opportunity. Continuing with our analogy, we wouldn't check our doors only once per year, so frequency of scanning is an important element to a mature vulnerability management practice.

Based on the requirements the scan goes surface to immersive. In general we have two kinds 1.Internal/External 2.Authenticated/ Un authenticated. We have to select according to the risk you are concerned about. Mostly external authenticated scans reveal potential insecure contents. Since it is starting from DMZ we will get more clear idea about our vulnerable attack surface. Internal scans reveals the assets and it's vulnerable areas. It is very usefull to identify the patching misses.

A vulnerability scan systematically identifies security weaknesses or vulnerabilities in a network, system, or application. It scans network devices, servers, and software applications for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and security flaws that attackers could exploit to compromise data and resources' confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Discovery Phase Port Scanning Service Identification Vulnerability Detection Risk Assessment Reporting Remediation Planning By conducting vulnerability scans regularly and addressing identified security weaknesses promptly, organizations can proactively identify and mitigate risks.

A vulnerability scan in network security for an organisation usually means running automated scanners like Nessus, Qualys, etc. These automated scanners can have a customised policy for scanning which a security engineer defines after having a close look at network diagrams and the scope of scanning. The scope can include wide range of organization's assets like network devices (such as routers, switches, physical firewalls, etc.), internal computers or workstations.

?A vulnerability scan is a systematic process involving discovery, enumeration, and assessment of network vulnerabilities. ? Employing tools like Nessus or Qualys, it detects known vulnerabilities, prioritizes them based on severity, and provides actionable reports. ? The workflow includes authentication for deeper insights and post-remediation follow-up scans for continuous improvement. ?Example: A financial institution uses scans to identify and address vulnerabilities, enhancing its security posture over time.

Think of vulnerability scanner as a property Inspector that comes to your house for inspections. They would check everything to make sure there’s no problem(s) be it because of the way things are built or due to external factors. Vulnerability scanner will scan the network for any shortcomings that might lead to a catastrophe if they were exploited.

A vulnerability scan consists of automated scans that you do to spot the potential security risks in your network. A vulnerability scan looks for weaknesses that threat actors could exploit to break into your network. It works by scanning your network for known vulnerabilities in a software, configurations, or systems.

A vulnerability scans works by selecting the target network, system or application to scan. It IDs IP addresses, domains, and services associated with said target. scanning techniques: port scanning, service detection, banner grabbing. Scanners compare discovered services and version against known vulnerabilities. A database sucj as CVE, CPE and CWE to match vulnerabilities to specific software versions. there two type of scanning: passive and active. credential based scans. You can get false positives and accuracy in a scan. reporting and remediation. Continuous scanning.

A vulnerability scan interacts with a service, to determine how much information it's giving out, and determines if that information can be leveraged, because of known and sometimes unknown issues, to make it do something it's not designed or intended to do. This would typically involve a port scan for network services like ssh, rdp, http/s as well as more probing scans utilizing those protocols to discover version numbers, identifying information, etc. Once this is done the information is collected into a report and presented to whomever it concerns.

? Risk Identification: Pinpoints potential vulnerabilities in network and systems. ? Prioritization: Ranks vulnerabilities by severity, aiding focused mitigation efforts. ? Compliance Assurance: Assists in meeting regulatory and industry standards. ? Continuous Monitoring: Enables ongoing surveillance for emerging threats. ? Cost-Efficiency: Reduces financial impact by preventing potential breaches. ? Improved Response: Facilitates quicker and more effective incident response. ? Enhanced Security Posture: Strengthens overall network and infrastructure defenses. ? Data Protection: Safeguards sensitive information against potential exploits.

Vulnerability scans help identify weaknesses in systems and networks, allowing businesses to: Prevent Attacks: By finding and fixing vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them. Maintain Trust: By demonstrating commitment to security, enhancing customer and stakeholder trust. Save Costs: By avoiding costly data breaches and downtime associated with cyber attacks. Meet Compliance: By fulfilling regulatory requirements and industry standards. Improve Efficiency: By streamlining security processes and optimizing resource allocation.

It gives you an oversight about the existing vulnerabilities that required an action with CVSS (patch, correct configuration, open unused port, etc) It helps to harden servers against possible attacks and to enhance security posture. To increase the cybersecurity maturity, it requires to develop vulnerability and patch management policy

Early detection, risk assessment, compliance and audits, reduced attack surface, cost effective, improved patch management, visibility and reporting and continuous monitoring.

?False Positives: Sorting through non-exploitable findings can be time-consuming. ?Network Disruption: Scanning may impact network performance and availability. ?Limited Scope: Scans may miss vulnerabilities due to incomplete coverage. ?Dependency on Accuracy: Accuracy of vulnerability databases influences results. ?Credential Management: Securely handling credentials for accurate scans is crucial. ?Patch Management: Identifying vulnerabilities is only effective if patches are applied. ?Complex Environments: Large or intricate networks pose challenges in scanning. ?Scan Timing: Finding optimal time for scans without disrupting operations is critical.

Understanding the context and perceived risks that the vulnerability presents. - Does it identify a lack of the 'Least Functionality' principle? Is the associated software/application required or can it be removed or disabled?

One of the challenges for vulnerability scan of the device is setting up the correct frequency of the check. Ideally, it should be after each configuration change on device.

False Positives False Negatives: Organizations need additional security measures beyond scanning. Complex Networks. Scanners may miss hidden or segmented systems. Credential Management. Network Performance Impact. operational impact. Dynamic Environments. Lack of Context. Overwhelming Reports: Analysts need to focus on critical vulnerabilities. Compliance vs. Security. Human Expertise.

Vulnerability scans help businesses find weaknesses in their systems and networks to prevent cyber attacks. However, these scans come with challenges: Complex Systems: With many devices and networks, scans can be hard to manage. False Positive Alarms: Sometimes, scans report issues that aren't real, or miss real problems. Timing: Scans need to happen often, but they can disrupt work if not scheduled carefully. Integration: Making scans work well with other security plans can be tricky.

Better prevent than fix! Reduced Risk: Preventing vulnerabilities eliminates the possibility of attackers exploiting them, significantly reducing the risk of data breaches, system outages, and reputational damage. Cost Savings: Fixing vulnerabilities post-deployment often involves significant time, resources, and potential disruptions to ongoing operations. By preventing them from the outset, you save on these costs and maintain a smoother development lifecycle. Improved Security Posture: A proactive approach to security fosters a culture of secure coding within your development teams, leading to a more robust security posture overall.

It is important to remember that the vulnerability scan results do not know the context of the associated IT assets. Consequently, the 1-10 score represents the potential severity of the identified vulnerability and NOT the risk score. Vulnerability remediation activities must be based on the perceived risk scores and NOT the severity ratings. Therefore, risk assessments are essential in helping to prioritise any remediation activities. Many vulnerabilities can be remediated and made easier to manage through the application of the principle of least privilege, through effective configuration management.

Les tests et analyses de vulnérabilités régulières (une à deux fois par ans) sont indispensables pour maintenir un système sécurisé, surtout si il est exposé à l'extérieur. Néanmoins il ne faut pas oublier que des tests et des scans ne servent à rien sans sécurisation et remédiation de tout ce qui est identifié. également ne pas oublier que ces test et scans ne sont pas exhaustif et vous pouvez toujours avoir des vulnérabilités et problèmes non remontés et donc cachés, les mesures de sécurités préventives et de détections d'intrusions sont donc tout aussi importantes et indispensables.

Dependiendo del alcance y el tipo de scan que se va a realizar se pueden usar una o varias herramientas, algunas dedicadas a ciertos servicios o aplicativos. Por ejemplo un vulnerability assessment web. Vale la pena agregar que después de realizar las pruebas y hacer las correcciones, se recomienda ejecutar nuevamente el scan de vulnerabilidades para validar que la superficie de ataque se ha reducido y que se han corregido todos los hallazgos presentados en el reporte.

Ever wondered how we keep our networks safe? Enter vulnerability scans! ???♂? These scans are like detectives, sniffing out potential weak spots in our network armor. ?? How it works: 1. Discovery: They hunt down all devices lurking on our network. 2. Enumeration: Digging deeper, they uncover the software running on each device. 3. Vulnerability Detection: Matching what they find against a database of known threats. 4. Assessment: Delivering a report card with security grades and action plans. 5. Remediation: Armed with this intel, we shore up our defenses. ?? Why it matters: By staying one step ahead with regular scans, we fend off cyber threats and keep our networks fortress-strong! #CyberDefense #VulnerabilityScans ?????