Is Your Small Business Protected? Unlock the Secrets to Effective Vulnerability Management

Cyber attackers have always capitalized on vulnerabilities, but the threat is now reaching alarming new heights. VulnCheck, a Cyber Threat Intelligence company, revealed a 20% annual rise in publicly reported vulnerabilities. As a result, businesses are struggling to mitigate threats. Small businesses, in particular, are at a higher risk of getting attacked due to their lack of proper tools and resources to even know what type of vulnerabilities they have in their system that can be exploited. Learn what’s driving this increase and how businesses can effectively manage vulnerabilities.

Key Factors Increasing Vulnerabilities:

1. Complex Software Development

Modern software development and continuous integration have resulted in frequent and difficult updates. These updates create entry points for threat actors and may introduce new vulnerabilities. Additionally, businesses implement new tools that often depend on third-party components that can contain undiscovered vulnerabilities.

2. Speed Over Security

Many companies are prioritizing speed over security, often at the expense of adequate code reviews. This increases the risk of bugs entering the production code, especially when developers utilize open-source components.

3. Increase in Ethical Hacking and Bug Bounties

As bug bounty programs expand, the number of responsibly disclosed vulnerabilities increases too. However, businesses remain exposed to exploits if they don’t apply patches.

4. Commercial Spyware Vendors

Commercial spyware vendors sell malware and exploits, further expanding the threat landscape. According to the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, the commercial cyber-intrusion industry is estimated to double every 10 years. This work prompts ethical, privacy, and regulatory concerns, but it is considered legal.

5. Professionalization of Cybercrime Supply Chain

With the emergence of initial access brokers (IABs) who specialize in breaching victim organizations through vulnerability exploitation, it has escalated the threat environment.

Recommendations:

With countless CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) reported each month, IT and security teams struggle to patch them all, especially in the absence of appropriate tools. Instead, companies should shift their focus toward prioritizing CVEs that may pose a higher risk.

 To effectively manage these threats, we would suggest some of these solutions:

1. Continuous detection for known CVEs

Automated continuous CVE Scanning tools catch vulnerabilities in real-time, eliminating reliance on periodic manual checks. They also significantly reduce the time between discovery and patching.

2. Severity-based vulnerability prioritization

Implement severity scores, such as the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) to assess a vulnerability’s potential impact on the business. Be sure to factor in real-world risks and business context, instead of solely considering the scores. Although the score are important, businesses must factor in real-world risks.

3. Vulnerable software detection reports

Reviewing detailed vulnerability reports is crucial as it provides valuable insights into security risks. These reports provide actionable insights that help security teams track, assess, and resolve vulnerabilities efficiently. Vulnerability reports should include: (1) Inventory of Affected Assets, (2) List of Known Vulnerabilities, (3) Patch Availability and Remediation Guidance, (4) Exploitability and Risk Assessment, (5) Prioritization Recommendations, and (6) Compliance and Reporting Standards.

4. Selective patching

Instead of patching all systems simultaneously, prioritize high-risk assets first to minimize disruption while maintaining security. This tactic helps avoid unnecessary updates and reduces operational impact. IT can focus on critical assets rather than patching everything while ensuring that regulatory requirements are met.

5. Automated or manual patching options

There should be a balance between automated and manual patching based on an organization’s infrastructure, risk tolerance, and compliance requirements. Typically, automated patching is best suited for large-scale business environments, essential security updates, and reducing human error. Businesses such as hospitals have strict system uptime requirements that might crash with automatic updates. It would be better to opt for manual patching since patches are tested before deploying organization-wide and lower the risk of system failure.

Small businesses often lack the resources and tools to monitor and patch vulnerabilities in their system, including third-party vulnerabilities. At DDKinfotech we specialize in helping small businesses with IT security by ensuring their systems are patched and compliant. Our services include continuous vulnerability management and external vulnerability scans, which help business stay secure and ahead of threats. Contact DDKinfotech today to protect your business and ensure your systems are always up-to-date and compliant