Vulnerability assessment: Process and best practices

You've invested in firewalls, antivirus software, and a security-first culture. Your defenses are up and your guard is on. But how do you really know your fortress is as strong as you think? That's where vulnerability assessments come in.

Vulnerabilities are like cracks in your armor that cybercriminals can exploit to breach your systems, disrupt operations, and steal your data. And new ones emerge every day as technology evolves and humans make mistakes. The only way to find and fix these weak spots before attackers do is through proactive, systematic vulnerability testing.

But what exactly does that entail? What types of security testing techniques should you use? How often should you assess? What tools can streamline the process? We'll answer all those questions and more in this deep dive. 

What is a vulnerability assessment?

A vulnerability assessment is the process of identifying, quantifying, and prioritizing security weaknesses in your systems and networks. Think of it like running diagnostics on your phone to catch problems before they cause crashes.

The goal is to uncover flaws in your defenses that could be exploited by unauthorized users to gain access to systems or data. These flaws could exist in your:

• Network and wireless connections
• Websites and web applications
• Operating systems and software programs
• Databases and data storage
• Policies and procedures

By systematically poking and prodding every layer of your infrastructure, you can build a prioritized list of issues to address based on risk severity. It's a critical component of a proactive cybersecurity strategy.

Types of vulnerability assessments

Vulnerability assessments come in different types based on what assets you're testing and how. Common ones include:

• Host assessment: Examining individual computers or devices for security misconfigurations and missing patches in operating systems, software, and passwords. These checks help secure individual endpoints against potential attacks.
• Database assessment: Checking databases for misconfigurations, excessive user privileges, weak encryption, insecure APIs, inadequate access logging, and unpatched security vulnerabilities that could lead to data leakage or manipulation. The process is essential for protecting sensitive data stored in databases.
• Network and wireless assessment: Scanning network devices like firewalls, routers, and switches for open ports, insecure protocols, and weak authentication. Regular scans ensure your network infrastructure stays properly configured and secured.
• Application assessment: Testing websites and software programs for coding flaws like SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and other common web vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious hackers. This assessment is vital for securing the apps your business runs on.

The type(s) of assessment you need depends on your organization's size, industry, risk profile, and compliance requirements. Larger enterprises often conduct all types on a continuous basis, while smaller businesses may focus on their most critical assets on a quarterly or annual schedule. The key is to cover your bases regularly.

Types of vulnerability testing

So how do you actually perform a vulnerability test? Again, there are different methods based on your goals and resources:

1. Distributed testing

In distributed testing, you use multiple scanning tools from different locations to test your systems simultaneously. Rather than scan from a single point, you leverage various vantage points for better coverage.

This approach is helpful when you want a more complete view of your security gaps, as some vulnerabilities only show up from certain locations or conditions. It also provides a better simulation of real-world attack scenarios, where attackers may target different network paths or exploit regional vulnerabilities. By distributing the scanning load across multiple points, you also reduce the performance impact on your systems.

2. Passive testing

Passive vulnerability scanning is like looking through a window without touching anything. You use a monitoring tool to observe network traffic and system configurations for potential security holes, but don't actively probe or interact with the target.

This non-intrusive method avoids putting any strain on systems or triggering false alarms, making it especially useful for production environments where system performance is critical. While it's a good starting point to identify low-hanging fruit, passive testing may miss zero-day vulnerabilities or deeper misconfigurations that require active engagement.

3. Active testing

In comparison, active testing is more like opening the window and poking around inside. You use a tool to simulate the actions of an attacker, sending carefully crafted packets to systems to see how they respond.

This hands-on approach provides a more realistic view of how your defenses would hold up against a real adversary. While basic active testing identifies potential vulnerabilities, advanced techniques like penetration testing and red teaming go further by actually exploiting these vulnerabilities (within legal and ethical bounds) to assess real-world exploitability. You can uncover deeper configuration and patching flaws, but need to be careful not to disrupt production systems.

The importance of vulnerability testing

Here are some more tangible benefits of making vulnerability assessments a core part of your security program:

1. Prevent data breaches and security risks

Identifying and eliminating vulnerabilities before cybercriminals can exploit them is your best defense against devastating incidents. Regular vulnerability testing helps you detect and fix security gaps early, before they can be exploited. 

2. Enhance incident response

When a security incident does occur, the speed and effectiveness of your response can make or break your ability to contain the damage. But you can't respond to threats you don't know about. Vulnerability assessments give you a clear picture of your risk landscape so you can plan and prioritize your incident response efforts. 

3. Improve customer trust

In today's economy, trust is your most valuable currency. Customers are entrusting you with their personal information, and they expect you to keep it safe. Demonstrating that you take proactive measures to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities can boost customer (and stakeholders) confidence in your brand. 

4. Comply with regulations and standards

Depending on your industry, you may be legally required to conduct regular vulnerability assessments to comply with data protection regulations or security standards. For example, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires regular risk assessments for healthcare organizations, while the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) mandates regular assessments of systems processing personal data. Many regional data protection regulations also require vulnerability testing. Failing to comply can result in hefty fines and reputational damage.

Vulnerability assessment: 5 key steps for testing

Conducting a vulnerability assessment may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Here are six key steps to follow for a successful security testing process:

Step 1. Objectives definition

Start by clearly defining the goals, scope, and success criteria of your assessment. What are you trying to achieve? Compliance with a specific regulation? A holistic view of enterprise risk? 

Be specific about which systems, applications, and data you're including in the assessment. The broader the scope, the more time and resources you'll need. Focus on your most critical assets first and gradually expand your coverage over time.

Step 2. Asset discovery

Next, create an inventory of all the physical and virtual assets in your environment, including:

• Servers, workstations, and mobile devices
• Network equipment like firewalls, routers, and switches
• Operating systems and software versions
• Databases and data stores
• Cloud services and third-party integrations

Use a combination of active and passive discovery tools to map your attack surface thoroughly. Don't forget about shadow IT and assets that may have been spun up outside of normal channels.

Step 3. Vulnerability scanning

Use automated scanning tools to check for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and missing patches across your asset inventory. Most scanners work by comparing your systems against a database of known vulnerabilities and assigning severity ratings based on their potential impact. Be sure to scan from both internal and external perspectives to mimic different attacker vantage points.

Step 4. Vulnerability analysis

Once you have your scan results, it's time to make sense of the noise. Not all vulnerabilities are created equal; some pose a much greater risk to your business than others. Analyze the vulnerabilities you've identified based on criteria like severity, exploitability, and asset criticality. Use a risk scoring framework like the common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) to prioritize vulnerabilities based on their likelihood and potential impact. Focus your remediation efforts on the highest-risk issues first.

Step 5. Remediation

The next thing is to develop a remediation plan that outlines specific actions, owners, and timelines for addressing each vulnerability.

Remediation actions might include:

• Patching or upgrading software to eliminate known vulnerabilities
• Reconfiguring systems or networks to follow best practices
• Implementing compensating controls like firewalls or intrusion prevention systems
• Updating security policies and procedures
• Training employees on secure behaviors

Be sure to retest systems after remediation to validate that the fix was successful and didn't introduce any new vulnerabilities.

4 vulnerability assessment best practices

To get the most value out of your vulnerability assessments, follow these proven practices:

1. Perform regular vulnerability testing

New vulnerabilities are discovered every day as technology evolves and attackers get craftier. Security checks can become outdated quickly. Establish a regular cadence for testing based on your industry, risk profile, and compliance requirements. At a minimum, conduct quarterly internal and external scans. But aim for more frequent assessments, like monthly or even weekly, for your most critical assets. For optimal security, consider implementing continuous monitoring to catch vulnerabilities as they emerge.

2. Use vulnerability assessment tools and manual testing techniques

Automated scanners are great for finding common vulnerabilities quickly and consistently. But they can miss more nuanced flaws that require human intuition to uncover. Supplement your automated assessments with manual testing techniques like penetration testing, where skilled ethical hackers simulate real-world attacks. This dynamic duo gives you the best of both worlds: breadth and depth.

3. Customize scanning profiles

Not all systems are created equal. A vulnerability that might be critical for a web server could be low risk for a printer. Tailor your scanning profiles to the unique characteristics and requirements of each asset group. Use different rulesets, plugins, and configurations for servers, endpoints, databases, and network devices. This targeted approach helps you prioritize the right issues for each context.

4. Integrate vulnerability management with other security processes

Vulnerability management doesn't happen in a vacuum. It should be tightly integrated with your other security processes like patch management, configuration management, and incident response. Use your results to inform and prioritize these other activities. For example, feed your scan data into your patch management system to automatically apply fixes or into your SIEM to correlate with other threat intelligence.

Best vulnerability assessment tools

You can't conduct a thorough vulnerability assessment without the right tools in your toolbelt. Here are some of the most effective types of tools on the market:

1. Network scanners

Network vulnerability scanners are the workhorses of any assessment program. They automatically scan your network devices, servers, and endpoints for known vulnerabilities and configuration issues. Popular tools include Nessus, OpenVAS, and Qualys.

2. Web application scanners

Web application vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting are some of the most common and dangerous threats facing organizations today. Traditional network scanners often miss these flaws because they require a deep understanding of application logic. Specialized web application scanners like Burp Suite and OWASP ZAP focus on identifying security holes in websites and web services. They crawl your applications and test for common coding mistakes and configuration errors.

3. Cloud-based vulnerability platforms

As more workloads move to the cloud, it's critical to include your cloud assets in your vulnerability assessments. But traditional on-premises scanners can have blind spots when it comes to cloud services. Cloud-based vulnerability management platforms like Tenable and CloudSploit are designed to monitor both on-premises and cloud environments from a single console. They integrate with your cloud provider APIs to give you visibility into your entire hybrid infrastructure.

4. Database scanners

Database vulnerability scanners focus on identifying misconfigurations, excessive privileges, and unpatched flaws in popular database management systems (DBMS). They are crucial because databases often hold your organization's most sensitive asset. Specialized tools like DBProtect and AppSpider help ensure proper access controls and compliance with security standards beyond finding technical vulnerabilities.

Rippling: Streamlined security and IT management

Want to take your vulnerability management program to the next level? Check out Rippling's all-in-one IT platform.

Rippling integrates identity and access management, device management, and security monitoring into a single system of record. This unified approach gives you unparalleled visibility and control over your IT environment.

With Rippling, you can:

• Automatically provision and deprovision user accounts across hundreds of apps based on HR data
• Enforce least privilege access policies and multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Deploy, configure, and secure laptops, desktops, and mobile devices in minutes
• Monitor and remediate threats in real-time with integrated endpoint detection and response (EDR) from SentinelOne
• Generate compliance reports and track security KPIs from a single dashboard

Rippling's partnership with SentinelOne, a leading next-generation antivirus provider, brings enterprise-grade threat detection and response capabilities to organizations of all sizes. The integrated solution uses machine learning and behavioral analysis to identify and block known and unknown malware, ransomware, and fileless attacks.

By unifying HR, IT, and security on one platform, Rippling helps you connect the dots between vulnerabilities and the rest of your business. You can see which employees and devices are most at risk, and take immediate action to remediate issues before they become breaches.

Vulnerability assessment FAQs

Are vulnerability assessments required for regulatory compliance?

Most data protection standards require regular vulnerability assessments. For example, PCI DSS requires quarterly scans for processing credit card payments, while HIPAA requires periodic security evaluations. Even if a regulation doesn't specifically mention vulnerability assessments, they're often implied as part of a broader risk management program. Consult with your legal and compliance teams to understand your specific obligations.

What is the difference between a vulnerability assessment and penetration testing?

A vulnerability assessment systematically scans for known security weaknesses using automated tools. On the other hand, a penetration test simulates real attacks to exploit these weaknesses. Think of vulnerability assessments as finding all possible entry points, while pen testing tries to break in through those points. Many organizations start with regular vulnerability scans and conduct annual or ad-hoc pen tests on their most critical assets.

How are vulnerabilities prioritized?

Organizations prioritize vulnerabilities across four key dimensions: severity (potential damage), exploitability (how easy to exploit), business context (importance of affected systems), and existing controls (security measures already in place). While scoring systems like CVSS (0-10 scale) help rate technical risk, don't just chase high scores—consider what's most critical for your business. 

What is a vulnerability checklist?

A vulnerability checklist is a systematic guide for evaluating security controls across your environment. It typically covers network security, system settings, access controls, data protection, and physical security measures. Organizations use vulnerability checklists to guide their vulnerability assessment and remediation efforts. They help ensure consistency and completeness by providing a systematic way to evaluate security posture.

This blog is based on information available to Rippling as of November 7, 2024.

Disclaimer: Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.