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Vulnerability assessment consists of defining, identifying, classifying and prioritizing weak points in applications to provide an assessment of predictable threats and enable appropriate responses.
Organizations of any size, which face an increased risk of cyber-attacks, can benefit from vulnerability assessments to make their environments more secure.
However, large companies and other organizations that are subject to continuous attacks are forced to develop more robust analysis routines to protect their structures and applications. In companies where data is the main business asset, avoiding loss or leakage of information is a critical success factor.
In this blog post, we gathered some general information about the vulnerability analysis in corporate structures, explaining a little more about the importance of this type of analysis and passing on tips to professionals who intend to take the first steps in searching for safer environments.
Check it out!
Importance of vulnerability assessment
Security vulnerabilities in corporate environments are often used by crackers to promote harmful access to the company. In this sense, it is essential that technology professionals make efforts to identify weaknesses before they are exploited by malicious users.
A more comprehensive assessment of vulnerability should take into account the applications used in the company’s day-to-day activities, from operating systems, software to perform daily tasks (CRM, ERPs, file repositories, etc.), software aimed at corporate digital security ( UTM Firewall, NGFW etc), and also software and applications developed by the company itself to supply internal needs, or for commercial purposes.
A vulnerability assessment identifies security weaknesses in the environment and in specific applications, serving as a parameter to assess risks and promote changes in the environment in search of safer structures.
The analysis also helps to understand the company’s technological structure and gain maturity in terms of information security. All of this helps to reduce the likelihood of virtual attacks being successful.
How do vulnerability assessments work?
There are two main steps in a vulnerability analysis, depending on the assessment model adopted:
- Create profiles to locate possible weaknesses that can range from incorrect configurations to complex defects with the ability to dramatically put an application at risk;
- Produce detailed reports with records of the vulnerabilities found to allow immediate correction and learning on future occasions.
The vulnerability assessment can take on several profiles, depending on the type of application and the needs of the developer.
One of the most used analytical logic is the Dynamic Application Security Test (DAST). Its technique identifies security defects by feeding fault conditions to find vulnerabilities in real time, and it occurs from the execution of web applications under conditions of computational stress.
Another common vulnerability analysis is the Static Application Security Test (SST), an in-depth scan of an application’s code in order to identify vulnerabilities without running the program.
Both DAST and SST establish different courses for vulnerability analysis. While SST is able to identify serious vulnerabilities, such as malicious scripts and SQL injection, DAST identifies critical flaws through external intrusion tests, which occur while web applications are running.
Penetration test
Finally, one of the most used vulnerability assessment procedures is the penetration test, which involves security checks with specific objectives, adopting an aggressive approach that simulates an invasion. The penetration test can, for example, seek to discover information about a user or make an application unavailable, in addition to other objectives common to malicious users.
Conducting constant vulnerability analysis is the only way to ensure the highest security for your network and applications, and OSTEC can help you to reinforce the integrity of your network and applications.
Talk to one of our experts and find out how we can help you!
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