Top 10 Vulnerability Assessment Best Practices

Today, organizations are experiencing an unrelenting stream of threats that are designed to exploit either common or obscure vulnerabilities in software or configuration. By following a structured and proactive approach, these security flaws can be identified before they are exploited by malicious entities, thus reducing the likelihood of a successful cyber attack. In a single year, 9% of the publicly traded companies in the United States disclosed a significant data breach that impacted over 143 million people. To mitigate such risks and ensure compliance, organizations should adopt vulnerability assessment best practices for adequate protection.

In this article, we will discuss the essential elements of a structured security program, including the methods for performing vulnerability assessment, best practices for vulnerability management, and an effective vulnerability assessment plan. You will learn how each of these elements relates to the overall structure of the vulnerability management program, safeguarding cloud-hosted platforms as well as on-prem servers.

Understanding Vulnerability Assessment

A vulnerability assessment scans IT infrastructure, which includes networks, servers, endpoints, and applications, to identify risks that attackers can take advantage of. Using vulnerability assessment techniques like automatic scanning tools, manual tests, and penetration testing, security teams get a detailed plan of the areas that are most exposed. This visibility forms the basis of the vulnerability assessment, which encompasses regular identification, identification of proper measures to address the issues, and ongoing monitoring.

According to the study, companies utilizing AI scans and automation cut their cybersecurity costs by $2.2 million, primarily by preventing the attacks from worsening. This way, organizations don’t have to wait for an attack to happen in order to address them, they can focus on fixing those issues.

It is worth emphasizing that such assessments can be of different types, starting from the network level and ending with the code review of the applications developed in-house. Sophisticated vulnerability assessment techniques use a combination of the signature-based approach of searching for known flaws that are documented in the vulnerability databases and the heuristic approach that identifies suspicious behavior. An effective action plan supports a comprehensive vulnerability assessment plan by explaining how each identified weakness should be remedied and checked in the future.

Companies that implement these structured evaluations are likely to better argue for investments in automated tools, specialized staff training, and frequent security audits. This leads to a highly effective cycle of scanning, remediation, and reporting that can help to improve the security posture against new and emerging cyber threats.

Need for Vulnerability Assessment

The number of connected devices and cloud services is growing at an unprecedented rate across geographies. That is why these expanding surfaces become vulnerable targets if there is no constant scanning and patching. Moreover, many compliance requirements such as PCI DSS or HIPAA require periodic scans to ensure that there are no missed vulnerabilities. In the following part, we discuss why the development of a formal vulnerability assessment approach is necessary to protect critical infrastructure.

1. Early Detection Minimizes Damage: Vulnerability assessment best practices should be able to prevent attacks before they occur at the reconnaissance phase. Hackers and other malicious threats seek the easiest target, which may be unpatched software, unsecured cloud storage, or open default passwords. Through regular and systematic scanning, organizations identify these opportunities well before they are exploited. Early patches not only stop the vandalism by hackers, but also prevent the domino effect in which the vulnerability in a particular system infects another.
2. Regulatory Compliance and Audits: Auditors today demand assurance that an organization has indeed identified risks and is actively managing them. Adhering to best practices for vulnerability management shows that each identified issue goes through evaluation and mitigation as soon as possible. Many a time, having formal procedures and documented records can help in passing the scrutiny of external auditors or regulators. This approach provides legal defense and assurance to stakeholders that leadership is committed to the security of data.
3. Building a Resilient Organizational Culture: A well-coordinated vulnerability assessment plan unites various organizational divisions, including IT, security, compliance, and even top management. As frequent scans, prioritization meetings, and patching become a norm, the organizational culture shifts to consider security as a norm. This cultural change is not limited to technology but permeates how staff members interact, disseminate information, and approach new projects. A cultural emphasis on prevention fosters transparency and continual learning at all organizational levels.
4. Streamlined Resource Allocation: Companies are constrained by limited funds and human resources, so addressing as many issues as possible is usually not an option, and it is best to prioritize. A systematic approach that involves using vulnerability assessment techniques entails the use of scoring models to evaluate the extent of the identified vulnerabilities. This way, security personnel can then direct their efforts towards more important threats instead of being bogged down by numerous low-risk items. This prioritization helps in proper allocation of patches, emergency maintenance window, and staff hours spent on remediation.
5. Future-Proofing Against Emerging Threats: When new technologies such as IoT networks or serverless architectures are adopted, they bring with them unknown risks. Implementing vulnerability management program best practices into organizational workflows makes the framework dynamic to adapt to the changing environment. For example, frequent updates of scanning tools enable real-time identification of newly emerging exploits. In today’s environment where organizations are constantly under threat, being able to adapt quickly and effectively can be the difference between stopping an incident and becoming the next headline.

10 Vulnerability Assessment Best Practices

Given the stakes, it is essential to be consistent with the implementation of vulnerability assessment best practices across the digital environment. Here are ten fundamental techniques that form the basis of a security plan and help an organization to bolster its defenses. Each practice is followed by a brief rationale for why it is relevant and an example of how the practice can be applied. By implementing these recommendations, organizations can leverage best practices vulnerability management across on-premises data centers, virtualization, and cloud solutions.

Maintain an Up-to-Date Asset Inventory

The first essential of vulnerability assessment strategy is the identification of assets that are in an organization, how they are configured, and how important they are. This should range from the physical servers, routers, switches, firewalls, and other network devices to the various microservices that run on containers in the cloud. An up-to-date list of assets helps to minimize the time spent on scanning and the number of missed objects. Even the more effective assessment techniques may not reveal the true level of vulnerability if the baseline is not properly understood. It also makes compliance audits easier because most frameworks require evidence of proper management of assets.

Suppose there is an organization that has newly adopted hybrid cloud environments. By maintaining a detailed list of all on-prem servers, virtual instances, and cloud microservices, the security team is able to identify hosts that are not patched promptly. This way, constant cross-referencing of the inventory guarantees that no system is out of sight, even if a new microservice arises. When a vulnerability scanner indicates a threat on a crucial database server, the team understands who is responsible for it, which applications depend on it, and the steps to apply patches. This integrated approach is the foundation of vulnerability management program best practices—everyone knows which assets are critical.

Implement Regular and Automated Scanning

As cyber threats do not have a routine time to perform their activities, scanning should be done constantly or at regular intervals. It is possible to set up automated checks that could be performed on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis to identify the emerging issues. This means not having to wait for a major release or an annual audit to identify vulnerabilities in software systems. Instead, it becomes a continuous process that alerts the security teams as soon as new vulnerabilities are identified. Certainly, automation is beneficial because it is precise, follows the established procedures, employs up-to-date signatures, and is not prone to mistakes.

Let us consider an example of a mid-sized financial services company that processes thousands of credit applications daily. By incorporating a vulnerability scanner into the CI/CD process, every new release is checked for known vulnerabilities. At the same time, the production databases and endpoints are regularly scanned for threats that emerged after the previous cycle. When an automated check identifies a high risk vulnerability in an organization’s web exposure, notification is sent out in real-time for patching. Such swift detection shows the importance of best practices vulnerability management, reducing the time available to adversaries to take advantage of the identified flaws.

Use a Risk-Based Prioritization Model

Not all vulnerabilities are the same, some are more dangerous than others. A risk-based model sorts risks by the likelihood that an exploit can be found, the impact that the vulnerability can have on operations, and the ease with which the problem can be fixed. This approach fits well with the vulnerability assessment methodologies that use severity ratings (such as CVSS), allowing security teams to focus on the threats that are most critical. Focusing on critical or high-risk vulnerabilities makes it possible to maximize the impact of patches in minimizing such risks.

Suppose there is an e-commerce platform that is a multinational company that depends on several customer-oriented services. A critical remote code execution vulnerability on the payment server is more severe than a minor misconfiguration in an internal development environment. Looking at it from the risk management perspective, the security team starts by mitigating the risk to the payment server to ensure that data is not exposed to the wrong parties. This vulnerability assessment strategy makes sure that the quick wins address the greatest threats in compliance and financial terms.

Security in the Development Process

In many organizations, development cycles turn rapidly, and new features and bug fixes are deployed to production several times per day. It is important to note that if security checks are not incorporated at each level, it becomes easy for the vulnerabilities to be introduced and go unnoticed. The vulnerability assessment best practices suggest that code, libraries, and configurations should be scanned and tested at the design stage, the integration stage, and before the final release. This shift-left approach allows developers to identify and correct issues before they get fully integrated or costly to resolve.

A SaaS provider uses code analysis tools, which are executed every time developers make changes to the code and commit to the repository. If the scanner identifies a library with a known vulnerability or an API flaw, the build process is stopped and the engineering team is informed. If the issues are detected early in the development cycle, the firm avoids frequent rollbacks of the deployments or hot fixing. In the long run, developers learn to incorporate the best practices in vulnerability management throughout the software development life cycle.

Conduct Manual Penetration Tests Periodically

While automated scanners are very useful for detecting known vulnerabilities, they are not as effective for more sophisticated or zero-day attacks. The main idea of manual penetration testing is to discuss the results of automated testing and add creativity that real attackers can use. Expert testers look for logical flaws, combine several low-risk vulnerabilities, or try to trick the target. By incorporating these in your vulnerability assessment plan, you will be able to cover other areas that the machines may not scan.

A healthcare organization contracts hackers to conduct vulnerability scans on the patient portal and the internal scheduling system. Whereas the standard scans reveal outdated software components, the testers discover a less obvious misconfiguration in a file transfer protocol that an attacker could use to move to the next phase. In the final report, the company consolidates the findings to optimize its vulnerability management program, including simple vulnerabilities as well as complex, multi-stage attacks.

Document and Track Remediation Efforts

Discovery is only half the battle – to fully address issues, firms need more structured remediation processes. Vulnerability assessment best practices and identification should include clear documentation of the discovered flaws, the assignment of responsibilities for remediation, and confirmation of the resolution of the problem. This system helps to ensure that important tasks are not overlooked and that it becomes the responsibility of IT and security teams. Detailed records also aid in tracking the changes over time and whether or not some of the weaknesses repeat themselves.

When an automated scan identifies unencrypted database credentials, an enterprise security manager creates a remediation ticket associated with that particular vulnerability. The ticket describes the type of the failure, its consequences, and how to resolve it. After developers apply changes, a subsequent scan verifies that the issue has been addressed. Such steps also provide auditable trails of past actions that are part of the vulnerability management program and make the process more transparent in case of future audits.

Embrace Industry Frameworks and Standards

Industry frameworks such as NIST SP 800-40 or ISO 27001 provide the best reference in terms of recommended scanning frequencies, remediation priorities, and documentation. Adhering to these references when developing your vulnerability assessment strategy not only helps the organization but makes compliance easier as well. Most frameworks focus on sustained enhancement, which means that an organization should always be looking for ways to improve. The adoption of standard frameworks provides a clear structure for methodical vulnerability management in businesses.

An information technology software development company that intends to go international takes up aspects of ISO 27001. They synchronize their scanning frequencies, patch schedules, and reporting systems with the baseline of the standard. When external audits are conducted, the firm ensures that its vulnerability management is in line with best practices and the principles provided. This accelerates certification processes and provides clients with extra confidence in the security of the company.

Regularly Update Security Tools and Databases

Vulnerability scanning tools and the databases containing the signatures need to be updated often because new threats are being created all the time. Different types of attacks are constantly developing, and scanners can be easily out-of-date, which means that some of the vulnerabilities may go unnoticed or may be classified in the wrong way. One of the vulnerability assessment best practices is to include a process for the calibration of tools from time to time. This helps in ensuring that your technology stack is capable of identifying newer threats such as zero-day threats, or attempts at crypto jacking, or new variants of malware.

An IT service provider needs to ensure that its scanning platforms are updated at least once a week. The solution updates its database of exploits with new data from vendor feeds, which means that only recently discovered vulnerabilities are used. If a specialized code injection risk comes up, the enhanced scanner can immediately identify the exploit path in one of the provider’s older Web applications. In this way, the company strengthens its procedures for assessing the vulnerability, constantly identifying new threats described in the documentation.

Train Staff on Security Awareness

It is also important to understand that even the most sophisticated hardware cannot replace human mistakes or oversight. Employees should be aware of phishing indicators, passwords, and how to handle sensitive data to benefit the organization. A trained workforce minimizes the risk of introducing vulnerabilities, for instance by uploading an unverified software patch or clicking on an email attachment. In conclusion, a strong vulnerability assessment framework must include people and processes in addition to technology.

An international retailer provides cybersecurity training sessions for all employees once a quarter, including senior managers and customer service personnel. Measures like carrying out realistic exercises such as sending a simulated phishing email to employees will enable them to identify the content as fake. For instance, after realizing that one department has been making several mistakes, management trains it on secure file sharing. Reinforcing knowledge across departments supports best practices in vulnerability management, and makes preventative security measures second nature.

Perform Continuous Monitoring and Improvement

Security should not be viewed as a destination but as a process that is influenced by the constant development of technology and threats. Despite the above-discussed best practices of vulnerability assessment, organizations need to assess the results periodically, scan for new vulnerabilities, and improve the plan of action. Continuous monitoring implies the examination of security intelligence feeds, performing post-incident reviews, and modifying the rules of detection. With the help of the adaptive approach, teams guarantee that the defenses will be prepared for the changes in the threat environment.

A global logistics firm establishes a monthly security review board to go through the findings of the monthly scans, the patch compliance rate, and security events. The board further modifies the scanning policies or purchases new detection modules if there is evidence of emerging exploits. These minor advancements cumulatively shape the framework of the vulnerability management program, thereby positioning the firm to respond to emerging threats and proactively combat increasingly complex cyber threats.

Common Challenges in Vulnerability Assessment

As much as vulnerability assessment best practices are easily discernible, real-world implementations are not without challenges. Inadequate funding, scarcity of personnel, and extensive networks can challenge even the most dedicated security teams. Identifying such challenges early on can help organizations prevent situations that compromise the best practices vulnerability management in organizations. Here are some of the challenges that companies face in their developmental process to a strong defense:

1. Tool Overload and Alert Fatigue: With so many scanning and monitoring tools available, security teams can get overwhelmed by the number of alerts. As employees are subjected to numerous notifications on a daily basis, they may easily miss important risks. Managing all the data and putting alerts into a single dashboard as well as prioritizing them based on their risk level is helpful. When you have a single plan for vulnerability assessment, you are guaranteed to tackle the most critical problems first.
2. Fragmented Environments: Today, many organizations have workloads distributed across on-premise solutions, different clouds, and containers, which leads to fragmentation in the scanning process. One business unit may employ a specialized scanner that is not connected to the central reporting system. This fragmentation makes it difficult to establish standardized vulnerability assessment methods, therefore creating potential vulnerabilities. To address this issue, a centralized approach can be used, which can be complemented by bridging APIs, if necessary, to integrate the scanning data and provide a complete view of the information.
3. Inadequate Staff Training: Security technologies are only as good as the personnel that are able to analyze the results and act on them. A common problem is that many teams do not have people who know how to properly prioritize threats or perform patches. It is important to have regular training sessions and cross-department workshops to make sure that all the employees have the necessary knowledge of the vulnerability management program. Another important consideration is the use of third-party consultants for short-term skill supplementation.
4. Patch Management Delays: Patching is the process of making adjustments to a system, and this is usually a trade-off between stability and security. Companies are concerned that a hasty or partial fix may affect essential organizational operations. However, any system that is not patched is vulnerable and an open invitation to the attackers every minute. Synchronizing the patch timelines with the current vulnerability assessment best practices like prioritization based on risk makes certain critical patches are addressed first.
5. Limited Executive Buy-In: Gaining resources such as budget, staff, and technology may need approval from the highest authority in the organization. If the executives think of cybersecurity as an issue that only concerns the IT department, then the vulnerability assessments may end up being minimized or altogether ignored. The real-life examples of the monetary cost of breaches, such as regulatory penalties or loss of customer trust, strengthen the argument for effective vulnerability management. To convince the C-suite, it is crucial to be as transparent as possible and use metrics and facts that will make it difficult for them to refute.

SentinelOne for Advanced Vulnerability Assessments

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Apply the right security policies and enforce them consistently across hybrid, public, and private cloud ecosystems. You can also check the compliance status of your organization and ensure that you adhere to the latest regulatory frameworks like SOC2, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and more.

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You can extrapolate these findings to map out a security strategy and apply the best security measures for your company. SentinelOne can map your inventory, catalog assets, and help you fight against emerging threats.

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Conclusion

An organization’s systematic plan to identify and manage system vulnerabilities is now a crucial component of contemporary cybersecurity. With vulnerability assessment best practices, firms can identify problems that have not been previously disclosed, prioritize them according to the severity, and tackle the most critical ones first. This systematic approach eliminates the disorder of the random patching rampages and creates a culture of constant improvement where every newly discovered vulnerability evokes a standard, documented reaction.

Regardless of whether your business is in a highly regulated industry such as financial services or in a rapidly growing industry such as e-commerce, the advantages that can be gained from implementing vulnerability assessment methods, a proper vulnerability assessment plan, and vulnerability management program procedures are many. These advantages are further bolstered by solutions such as SentinelOne Singularity™ which offers real-time detection and patching.

To learn how SentinelOne Singularity™ empowers businesses with AI-Powered protection to prevent, detect, and remediate threats in real-time, request a demo today!