The landscape of cybersecurity is continuously shifting, posing significant challenges for traditional vulnerability management approaches. The primary issue stems from a lack of automation and compartmentalized processes. Unfortunately, the full potential of modern, sophisticated vulnerability management frameworks is yet to be realized in the industry, leaving room for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities. According to SecPod’s research, software vulnerabilities account for 56% of the risk landscape, leaving 44% unaddressed by traditional cybersecurity trends. The limited scope of traditional vendors and a lack of knowledge on the current state of cybersecurity leave gaping holes in risk assessment. The only way to secure modern environments is to rapidly eliminate cyberattack surfaces and achieve a high level of effectiveness in vulnerability management efforts.
The vulnerability management process can be broken down into five stages: discovery, assessment and prioritization, mitigation/remediation, verification, and reporting. Traditional vulnerability management platforms have not modernized sufficiently, creating a lack of visibility that effectively aids cyberattacks. Outdated processes can result in negative publicity, financial implications, and long-term damage to a business’s reputation. The disadvantages of traditional vulnerability management include limited visibility, long scans, a lack of integration, too much focus on common vulnerabilities, reliance on multiple tools, and non-concise reports.
Moving to an advanced vulnerability management framework helps solve three key problems: uncovering entire risks in the IT security landscape, integrating vulnerability assessment with vulnerability remediation, and continuously and automatically managing vulnerabilities from a single console. The automation of end-to-end tasks helps to develop a continuous routine, meaning scans and assessments regularly with minimal preparation. Future challenges for Enterprise IT Security teams include seeking vulnerability management tools with configuration management features and container security features for every infrastructure layer. Cost of automation can sometimes result in businesses opting for a cheaper, traditional vulnerability management approach.
In conclusion, vulnerability management is crucial for securing modern environments against cyberattacks. Traditional vulnerability management approaches face several limitations, including a lack of automation and compartmentalized processes. Advanced frameworks can solve these problems by integrating the entire vulnerability management process into a single console, automating end-to-end tasks, and utilizing machine learning to improve scanning and discovery processes. The industry still faces challenges, and Enterprise IT Security teams need to prioritize their assets’ protection and seek out vulnerability management tools with configuration management and container security features.