The Complete Guide to Vulnerability Scanning

The ongoing threat from cyber attacks and the potentially serious consequences means it is essential that organizations take appropriate measures to counter the threat. Vulnerability scanning is one such measure. Vulnerability scanning is a security technique that identifies weaknesses in computer systems and networks. The process proactively identifies potential security issues and predicts how successful countermeasures will be when an attack or threat is imminent. A report is generated following a vulnerability scan that can be analyzed so that an organization has the opportunity to isolate and correct areas of weakness within their computer systems, networks, and applications.

Benefits of Vulnerability Scanning

As with most things in life, there are costs associated with vulnerability scanning. These include financial, staffing, and administrative costs. However, this is one instance where the benefits of vulnerability scanning to an organization far outweigh any potential cost. These benefits include:

• Offering a proactive approach to identifying and removing areas of potential weakness, so systems, data, employees, and customers are protected from potential security breaches.
• Ensures that the organization is meeting compliance and regulatory obligations. The importance of vulnerability scanning has been emphasized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Payment Card Industry (PCI), Document Security Systems (DSS), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), to name but a few.
• Cybercriminals have been known to use vulnerability scanning tools to exploit the weaknesses of an organization. By undertaking a vulnerability assessment, an organization identifies the potential issues and is able to close the door to these criminals.
• Once a vulnerability scanner has been configured, it can be run as a regular and ongoing process that should reassure the organization regarding their computer systems.
• By undertaking regular vulnerability assessments, incremental improvements in computer security systems are facilitated.

Difference Between Vulnerability Scanning and Penetration Testing

Vulnerability scanning should not be confused with penetration testing. They are two entirely different processes.

Penetration testing is an authorized simulated cyberattack on an organization's computer systems and networks to identify potential weaknesses so that they can be rectified. Usually, penetration testing is carried out with specific goals in mind. These goals are most commonly:

• To identify hackable systems
• Attempt to hack a specific system
• Carry out a specific data breach

On the other hand, vulnerability testing scans the computer system legitimately and produces a prioritized list of potential weaknesses. Penetration testing and vulnerability scanning are often performed simultaneously so organizations can obtain a comprehensive overview of the potential weaknesses within their systems.

Types of Vulnerability Scanning

There are several different types of vulnerability scanning, each having a place depending on the particular use to which an organization wishes to put it. Therefore, the needs of the organization must be considered before investing in a particular software product.

Credentialed vs. Non-Credentialed Scans

This type of scanning is also referred to as authenticated and non-authenticated scanning. These two categories represent the majority of vulnerability scanning.

Non-credentialed scanning does not give the user trusted status in the system they are scanning. Rather the scan is completed from an external viewpoint. This type of scan can provide valuable information to a computer security professional looking for an overview of potential weaknesses within a computer system from the perspective of someone outside the organization. However, the primary disadvantage is the picture of an organization's computer systems, and the vulnerabilities they provide is not complete. Therefore, more information is necessary to evaluate the computer systems properly.

Credentialed Scanning gives the user trusted status within the system they are scanning and undertakes the scan from an internal perspective. Credentialed scanning will typically pick up the vulnerabilities that non-credentialed scanning fails to detect. As credentialed scanning comes with trusted status, it is recommended that organizations considering this type of vulnerability scanning also use an automated privileged password tool to keep track of users when they implement the scanning system. This will help to maintain the integrity of the system.

Intrusive vs. Non-Intrusive Scans

Non-intrusive scans are very focused. They simply identify a particular vulnerability and list it in a report.

Intrusive scans take the process further. When they find a potential vulnerability, they will attempt to take advantage of it. While this information can be beneficial for an organization, obtaining it can result in the disruption of systems used in everyday business and could create significant issues for staff and customers.

External Vulnerability Scans

This type of vulnerability scan focuses specifically on the areas of an organization's computer system that are exposed to the internet or are not restricted to internal users or systems. These scans can also focus on websites, applications, ports, networks, systems, and services accessed by those external to the organization, such as customers.

Internal Vulnerability Scans

In contrast, internal vulnerability scans focus on the internal environment, especially potential issues that malicious malware or a cyber attacker could create if they manage to get inside the organization's computer systems; the areas that external scanning ignores. As a result, they are useful in solidifying and strengthening the security of the internal system.

Environmental Scans

These are specialized scans that are based on the environment that the organization is operating in. For example, environmental scans could focus on an aspect of an organization's use of technology, such as cloud-based applications, IoT devices, mobile devices, and websites.

Important Features to Look For in Vulnerability Scanning Software

Several key features should be considered when looking at vulnerability scanning software products.

• The software should be updated regularly to maximize the benefit of vulnerability scanning. This will ensure the database remains current with the latest potential threats.
• The reports provided following a scan need to be comprehensive so that the organization is able to act on the threats identified.
• Any software needs to be balanced. It is the nature of this process that if the scanning process is restrictive in how it identifies threats, then potential issues will not be detected. On the other hand, if the software adopts an overly liberal approach, then the likelihood of false positives increases. Any vulnerability scanning software needs to strike an appropriate balance between the two extremes if it is to be useful.

It is also important to consider how the vulnerability scanning software will integrate into the vulnerability management program that an organization has established. This may require a patch if the software is to integrate properly and without creating issues. The availability of a patch will need to be investigated before making a decision.

SecPoint Penetrator Vulnerability Scanner 

For organizations not wanting to spend a fortune on vulnerability scanning software, the SecPoint Penetrator Vulnerability Scanner presents the ideal solution. With an entry price of just $219, the software is perfect.

It is a state-of-the-art vulnerability scanner with many of its features previously discussed as being essential in vulnerability scanning software, including:

• Eleven scanning profiles
• Reporting in 19 different languages
• Evidence of the vulnerability and how to eliminate it is included in the reporting.
• Option to schedule regular scanning
• Utilizes the Google Hack database, one of the most comprehensive available
• A database of over 55,000 vulnerability signatures
• Utilizes plug and play technology, enabling easy integration with most computer systems
• No data collection; all data is stored on the customer site with no available backdoors
• Multi-user support

For those organizations currently looking to implement vulnerability scanning as part of their vulnerability management, this software is the number one rated network security scanner and vulnerability management solution. 

The threat of cyberattack is ever-present and growing as the reliance that is placed on technology grows. This creates a serious threat for many organizations, given an attack can seriously impact an organization's finances, reputation, and ultimately viability. With this in mind, those responsible for managing an organization's vulnerabilities must give serious consideration to vulnerability scanning software.