Why Routine Vulnerability Assessments Matter

Businesses of all sizes need to consider how vulnerability assessment fits into their network security. As with all elements of running an enterprise, there are risks and benefits involved in making various decisions.

Unfortunately, in today’s world, leaving digital assets unsecured carries a high likelihood for catastrophe. Vulnerability assessments are a way for organizations to stay ahead of threats.

“With the nature of modern networks, it’s harder than ever to monitor and secure all assets.” 

As enterprises adapt to a hybrid cloud world, they must stay aware of the risks associated with making this change. This is a major reason for routine vulnerability assessments matter.  

Security Has Never Been More Important

It’s not an understatement to say cybersecurity has never been more important for organizations than it is today. This comes down to the fact that more data keeps moving onto the cloud. While this is generally a good thing, it can’t be taken lightly when dealing with sensitive information. The ease of using the cloud is met by the problem of securing it. 

There have been countless examples of major enterprises suffering from data breaches. Even well-respected, apparently secure companies like Capital One and Equifax have fallen victim to massive attacks. The Capital One attack leads to the compromising of almost 150,000 social security numbers and info of over 100 million credit card customers. 

Threats Are Constantly Evolving

Today’s dangers aren’t going to be synonymous with those of tomorrow when it comes to network security. This is a huge part of why enterprises need to be constantly updating and evolving their approaches to vulnerability management. There are a few ways organizations must approach this to have an effective vulnerability management protocol. 

Here are some of the most important elements:

• Vulnerability Patching: Due to the ever-changing nature of cyber risk management, there will always be new vulnerabilities popping up as threats change with the times. This involves continuously scanning and repairing elements that could leave networks exposed to an attack. 
• Inventorying Assets: At most enterprises, assets come on and off networks on a daily basis. While this flexibility is great for streamlining business, it also means organizations need to be cognizant of how this elevates risk. Vulnerability assessment helps businesses keep tabs on the assets connected to their networks, and remediate unusual behaviours faster. 
• Triage Protocol: There’s not going to be infinite time to react when dealing with a malicious attack on your network. This is why vulnerability assessment should include protocols for immediate triage in the event of a breach. By having these processes in place, and largely automated other than the approval of key players, damage can be kept to a minimum. 

Time Is of the Essence

As mentioned in the previous section, you don’t have all day to sit around and come up with a plan when dealing with a cyber attack. Enterprises that find themselves in this position have already lost in a sense, as the issue then becomes more about damage control than anything else. 

When done correctly, vulnerability management should allow organizations to get a jump on threats before they become a problem. Many businesses will find working with a third-party company can help create a tighter seal on network security, while also reducing response time in emergencies. Furthermore, having an external team of industry experts working to keep your assets safe provides a strong second line of defence for enterprises that need the utmost security. 

The bad guys never sleep. This is why vulnerability assessment needs to be an integral part of network security for enterprises today.