Vulnerability

What is a Vulnerability?

As basic as this question may sound, a thousand-mile journey starts with one step. Vulnerabilities are flaws in a computer system that reduce the device's or system's overall security. Vulnerabilities can be flaws in the hardware itself or in the software that runs on it. A threat actor, such as an attacker, can exploit vulnerabilities to cross privilege boundaries (i.e. perform unauthorized actions) within a computer system. An attacker must have at least one applicable tool or technique that can connect to a system weakness in order to exploit a vulnerability.

What is Vulnerability in Cyber Security?

A vulnerability in cyber security refers to any flaw in an organization's information system, system operations, or internal controls. These vulnerabilities are targets for lurking criminality and can be exploited through the points of vulnerability. These hackers are capable of gaining unauthorized access to networks and causing significant harm to data privacy. As a result, cybersecurity vulnerabilities are critical to monitor for overall security posture since weaknesses in a network can result in a full-scale attack of an organization's systems. Vulnerabilities mostly happened because of Hardware, Software, Network and Procedural vulnerabilities. Hardware Vulnerability : A hardware vulnerability is a flaw that may be exploited to physically or remotely attack system hardware. For examples: ? i. Old version of systems or devices ?ii. Unprotected storage iii. Unencrypted devices, etc. Software Vulnerability : A software error that occurs during development or setup, such as execution, might breach the security policy. For examples: i. Lack of input validation ii. Unverified uploads iii. Cross-site scripting iv. Unencrypted data, etc. Network Vulnerability: A weakness happen in network which can be hardware or software. For examples: i.?Unprotected communication ii.?Malware or malicious software (e.g.Viruses, Keyloggers, Worms, etc) iii.?Social engineering attacks iv. Misconfigured firewalls Operational Vulnerability: A weakness happen in an organization operational method. For examples: i.?Password procedure – Password should follow the standard password policy. ii. Training procedure – Employees must know which actions should be taken and what to do to handle the security. Employees must never be asked for user credentials online. Make the employees know social engineering and phishing threats.

What causes the vulnerability?

1. Complex Systems –? Complex systems increase the probability of misconfigurations, flaws, or unintended access.
2. Familiarity –?Attackers may be familiar with common code, operating systems, hardware, and software that lead to known vulnerabilities.
3. Connectivity –? Connected devices are more prone to have vulnerabilities.
4. Poor Password Management –? Weak and reused passwords can lead from one data breach to several.
5. OS Flaws –? Operating systems can have flaws too. Unsecured operating systems by default can give users full access and become a target for viruses and?malware.
6. Internet –? The internet is full of spyware and adware that can be installed automatically on computers.
7. Software Bugs –?Programmers can sometimes accidentally, leave an exploitable bug in the software.
8. Unchecked user input –? If software or a website assumes that all input is safe, it may run unintended?SQL injection.
9. People?– Social engineering is the biggest threat to the majority of organizations. So, humans can be one of the biggest causes of vulnerability.

Vulnerabilities Types System Misconfigurations System misconfigurations can occur when network assets have different security measures or insecure settings. Cybercriminals frequently investigate networks for system flaws and holes that appear to be exploitable. Network misconfigurations are on the rise as a result of the fast digital transformation. As a result, it is critical to collaborate with experienced security specialists throughout the adoption of new technologies.

Out-of-date or Unpatched Software Hackers, like system misconfigurations, like to probe networks for vulnerable systems that are unpatched. Attackers can use these unpatched vulnerabilities to steal important information. To reduce these risks, it is critical to develop a patch management plan that ensures that all new system patches are applied as soon as they are issued.

Missing or Weak Authorization Credentials Attackers frequently use brute force to obtain access to systems and networks, such as guessing employee credentials. That is why it is critical to educate staff on cybersecurity best practices so that their login credentials are not readily misused.

Malicious Insider Threats Employees with access to vital systems may mistakenly or maliciously share information that aids cyber thieves in breaching the network. Insider threats can be extremely difficult to detect because all acts appear to be legal. To combat these sorts of attacks, invest in network access control technologies and partition the network based on employee seniority and experience.

Missing or Poor Data Encryption

It is simpler for attackers to intercept system communication and infiltrate a network if encryption is weak or non-existent. When there is insufficient or unencrypted information, cyber attackers can extract crucial information and insert fraudulent information into a server. This can substantially impair an organization's efforts toward cyber security compliance and result in regulatory sanctions.

Zero-day Vulnerabilities Zero-day vulnerabilities are distinct software flaws discovered by attackers but not yet identified by an organization or user. There are no known patches or remedies in these circumstances because the vulnerability has not yet been recognized or informed by the system vendor. These are extremely harmful since there is no defense against such vulnerabilities until after the assault has occurred. As a result, it is critical to maintain vigilance and regularly monitor systems for vulnerabilities in order to reduce zero-day assaults.

Can Vulnerability become exploitable? An exploitable vulnerability is one that has at least one identifiable attack vector. For obvious reasons, attackers will seek out exploitable holes in the system or network. Of course, no one wants to be vulnerable, but what you should be concerned about is whether or not it may be exploited. There are times when a vulnerability is not actually exploitable. Possible explanations include: 1.???Insufficient public information for exploitation by attackers. 2.???Prior authentication or local system access that the attacker may not have 3.???Existing security controls Strong security practices can prevent many vulnerabilities from becoming exploitable.

What is?Vulnerability Management? Vulnerability management is the cyclical activity of identifying, categorising, remediating, and mitigating security vulnerabilities. Vulnerability management consists of three main components: vulnerability detection, vulnerability assessment, and vulnerability remediation.

Vulnerability Detection Vulnerability detection includes the following three methods: 1. Vulnerability scanning 2. Penetration testing 3. Google hacking

Cyber Security Vulnerability Scan The scan, as the name implies, is performed to identify vulnerabilities in computers, apps, or networks. A scanner (software) is used for this purpose, which may detect and identify vulnerabilities in a network caused by misconfiguration and poor programming. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM), ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus, Rapid7 Nexpose, Acunetix, Probely, TripWire IP 360, and others are prominent vulnerability detection software.

Penetration Testing Penetration testing, often known as pen testing, is the technique of examining an IT asset for security flaws that an attacker may exploit. Penetration testing can be done manually or automatically. It may also be used to assess security policies, staff security awareness, the capacity to recognise and respond to security issues, and compliance needs.

Google Hacking Google hacking is the use of a search engine to find security flaws. This is accomplished using sophisticated search operators in queries that can identify difficult-to-find information or data that has been mistakenly exposed owing to cloud service misconfiguration. These tailored inquiries are mostly used to find sensitive information that should not be made public.

Cyber Security Vulnerability Assessment

When a vulnerability is discovered, it is subjected to the vulnerability assessment process. What exactly is a vulnerability analysis? It is the methodical examination of security flaws in an information system. It indicates whether a system is vulnerable to any known vulnerabilities, classifies the severity levels, and offers proper remediation or mitigation if necessary. The assessment process includes:

Identify vulnerabilities:?Analyzing network scans, firewall logs, pen test results, and vulnerability scan results to find anomalies that might highlight vulnerabilities prone to cyber-attacks. Verify vulnerabilities:?Decide whether an identified vulnerability could be exploited and classify its severity to understand the level of risk Mitigate vulnerabilities:?Come up with appropriate countermeasures and measure their effectiveness if a patch is not available. Remediate vulnerabilities:?Update affected software or hardware wherever possible.