What Is Cybersecurity Vulnerability Scanning?

The sorry state of affairs in global tech-reliant industries is that cybersecurity breaches maintain an alarming growth trend, with billions of data breach records exposed every year. According to International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), the resulting cost of such breaches has hit an all-time high of $4.35 million in 2022. If radical cybersecurity measures are not deployed worldwide, corporations and organisations will suffer losses amounting to tens of millions of dollars annually.

One of the most crucial components of cybersecurity strategies projected to curb cybercrimes is vulnerability scanning. It is the recommended method of ensuring that organisations get a full view of their cyberspaces to identify existing and potential attacks.

This article defines what cybersecurity vulnerability scanning is and what the process entails.

What is Vulnerability Scanning?

In its simplest application, vulnerability scanning is a set of processes involved in identifying defects, flaws, and threats within an IT system, network, and computer applications. The process is undertaken by ICT departments or outsourced third parties using established vulnerability scanning tools.

The essence of vulnerability scans is to screen through cyber surfaces and bridge all security holes through which attackers would penetrate your IT systems and infrastructure.

An effective vulnerability scan should also identify new threats and recommend countermeasures in case of attacks in the future.

How Cybersecurity Vulnerability Scanning Works

Vulnerability scanning does not end with identifying system loopholes and underlying system threats. It is an automated process defined by a set of various procedures. Here is a step-to-step guide on how vulnerability scanning works.

Step 1: Vulnerability Identification

This is the backbone of vulnerability scanning. In this step, scanners and scanning software are configured with your systems using a list of predetermined vulnerabilities. Where known vulnerabilities are identified, the scanner generates a report about these findings.

In case of new vulnerabilities, a recommendation is made to the IT administrator for remedial actions.

Step 2: Risk Evaluation

Typically, reports generated after a vulnerability scan highlight a list of multiple weaknesses and threats. This is not only overwhelming for the security teams, but it also makes it extremely complex to adhere to cybersecurity compliance requirements in time.

In this case, the risk evaluation procedure is applied to prioritise risks based on such factors as the magnitude of the risk, detected false positives, and availability of risk management resources.

Step 3: Vulnerability Treatment

Ideally, any threat that does not come up as a false positive should be treated to lower the number of identifiable vulnerabilities in the future.

Methods of vulnerability treatment vary with the need. They include remediation, mitigation, and risk acceptance.

Treatment by remediation involves patching or fixing a vulnerability fully to block out any form of exploitation.

Alternatively, security teams apply mitigation as a solution where the impact of a cybersecurity vulnerability is lowered, giving the organisation more time to remediate.

On the other hand, risk acceptance involves taking no vulnerability management action at all. This method is applicable where a vulnerability is deemed low risk.

Step 4: Vulnerability Reporting

Vulnerability reporting, also known as vulnerability disclosure, is the communication of vulnerability assessments carried out in a computer network to the necessary organisational stakeholders. The purpose of vulnerability reporting is to summarise existing cyber threats, highlighting how such attacks could impact the overall success of an organisation.

Penetration Testing Vs. Vulnerability Scanning

Penetration testing and vulnerability scanning are often mistakenly applied as similar concepts. However, while both procedures involve inspection of your systems for potential exploitations, there are crucial variations between the two.

On the one hand, vulnerability scanning applies automated tools, such as scanners and scanning software, to establish system vulnerabilities.

On the other hand, penetration testing is a manual process. It involves the extensive exploitation of a system by a live expert, commonly known as a penetration tester, to determine the source of a cybersecurity vulnerability.

Types of Vulnerability Scans

Cybersecurity vulnerability scanning is categorised into two major classes. They include;

1. Internal Vulnerability Scanning (In-House Scanning)
2. External Vulnerability Scanning (Vulnerability Scanning Services)

1. Internal Vulnerability Scanning

Internal vulnerability or in-house scans are carried out from within an organisation’s network. This scan aims to identify threats posed by possible penetration by hackers into an enterprise’s IT ecosystem, exposing its network to cyber damage.

2. External Vulnerability Scanning

This type of scanning evaluates the external network of an organisation to establish flaws or threats exposed to areas not limited to internal use. Vulnerability scanning services aim to keep external areas in check, including open ports, websites, networks, and applications built for external users.

IT security teams benefit differently from in-house and outsourced vulnerability screening services. You can find a detailed guide on the difference between external and internal vulnerabilities scanning here: Vulnerability Scanning Service vs In-House Scanning.

Final Thoughts

Cybersecurity vulnerability scanning is integral to any organisation’s risk management plan. Keep in mind that vulnerability scans should go beyond identifying risks, threats, and existing system loopholes. The foundational component of the process is to establish reliable strategies to fix the flaws.