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Vulnerability Testing

A Vulnerability Assessment is the testing process used to identify security defects in a given network or environment and within a specified timeframe.

Data breaches that occur due to a lack of vulnerability testing can lead to a massive customer loss; 78% of customers stop engaging with a business online after a breach, and 38% end all engagement .

Not only will your revenue decrease because of customer loss, but the significant price tag of a data breach will lead to further financial damage to your organization..

Vulnerability
Assessment

A Vulnerability Assessment is the testing process used to identify security defects in a given network or environment and within a specified timeframe. This process involves automated and manual methodologies with varying degrees of effort and trajectory and an emphasis on comprehensive coverage.
Using a risk-based approach, Vulnerability Assessments may target different layers of technology, the most common being host, network, and application layer assessments. Vulnerability Testing and Assessments work together jointly in organizations in identify vulnerabilities in their software and supporting infrastructure before a compromise can take place.

Assessment

A vulnerability can be defined in various ways, with these two being the most accepted.

1. A flaw in software code or a flaw in software design that can be exploited to cause harm.
Exploitation may occur via an authenticated or unauthenticated attacker.
2. A flaw in security procedures or a limitation in internal controls that when exploited
results in a security breach.

There are key primary objectives of a Vulnerability Assessment.

1. Discover and Identify vulnerabilities ranging from critical design flaws to more simple
system misconfigurations.
2. Document the discovered vulnerabilities and their severity levels to assist system
developers to identify them more easily, and reproduce, the findings.
3. Strategically plan and prepare guidance to mitigate and remediating the identified
vulnerabilities.

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Vulnerability Testing

Vulnerability testing and penetration testing are two vital components of cybersecurity testing, and the terms are often used interchangeably, but they are two distinct and very different classes of cybersecurity testing. Confusing these two types of testing as one process can lead to missing a critical element of cybersecurity and threat management. Vulnerability testing, assessments, and scans search systems for known vulnerabilities, or security loopholes in infrastructure, networks, and systems

VULNERABILITY TESTING

The Vulnerability
Testing Process

Assessment

STEP 1Plan

At Digital Forge we work directly with our clients to determine clear goals and objectives of
vulnerability testing.

STEP 2Collect

The second step in our vulnerability testing is collecting as much information as possible about
IT environments, systems, applications, infrastructure, and data.

STEP 3Discover

After planning and collecting information, we use both manual and automated techniques to
identify all vulnerabilities and gaps in security.

STEP 4Mitigate

Once a discovery of a flaw or vulnerability has been made, a swift approach to mitigation is
critical in controlling the potential of the security event and ensuring your organization is
protected.

STEP 5Report

At Digital Forge, our vulnerability testing results in a comprehensive report including the best
security solutions for mitigating discovered vulnerabilities.

VULNERABILITY TESTINGVulnerability Testing
Importance and Frequency

systems

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You might think that vulnerability tests are not necessary if your cyber defense is effective, but vulnerabilities are continually changing, and if you don’t take swift action on these changes its further destabilizes your efforts to improve security postures.

To prevent these consequences, Digital Forge recommends completing vulnerability assessment and testing at least quarterly, as well as each time new equipment is deployed, or significant changes are made to networks. More frequent vulnerability assessments will only improve your security posture.

You might think that are not necessary if your cyber defense is effective, but vulnerabilities are continually changing, and if you don’t take swift action on these changes its further destabilizes your efforts to improve security postures.