Vulnerability Management
Vulnerability management involves the systematic identification, analysis, prioritization, and remediation of security vulnerabilities throughout an organization’s IT ecosystem. This process is characterized by a continuous cycle of discovery, assessment, and mitigation aimed at addressing potential exploits leveraged by threat actors.
Definition of vulnerability
In an IT ecosystem, a “vulnerability” is defined as a flaw or weakness in hardware, software, or network configurations that can be exploited by threat actors to gain unauthorized access, disrupt services, or compromise data integrity and confidentiality. These vulnerabilities can happen due to programming errors, misconfigurations, outdated software, improper security controls, or human factors, posing potential risks to the overall security posture of the organization.
Components of vulnerability management
Core elements of an effective vulnerability management program include:
Discovery: This phase involves identifying all assets, systems, applications, and networks within the organization's IT environment. It includes using automated tools for active scanning and employing passive monitoring to detect vulnerabilities.
Assessment: After vulnerabilities are identified, the security team evaluates their severity and potential impact on the organization. Tools like vulnerability scanners and penetration testing are used to assess the risk level of each vulnerability.
Remediation: Once vulnerabilities are identified and prioritized, security teams take action to fix or reduce the risk. This can involve applying software patches, using alternative security measures, or adjusting system configurations.
Monitoring and Review: Vulnerability management is a continuous process. Ongoing monitoring ensures new vulnerabilities are detected and addressed quickly, while regular reviews check the effectiveness of current controls and processes.
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) is a standard identifier for known security vulnerabilities. Managed by the MITRE Corporation, CVE serves as a reference framework that enables organizations and security professionals to share information about specific vulnerabilities consistently.
Each CVE entry includes a unique identifier (e.g., CVE-2024-1234), a brief description of the vulnerability, and references to resources that provide additional information or mitigation details. This standardization helps security teams efficiently track vulnerabilities, assess their potential impact, and implement appropriate remediation measures as part of their vulnerability management processes.
How Does Trio’s vulnerability management system work?
Trio’s vulnerability management system reviews the software installed on operating systems (OS) for potential bugs. It's important to note that an OS is also considered software and is included in the review process alongside other installed applications. The system extends its scope beyond software to include other critical components within an IT ecosystem, such as routers and switches, where firmware is checked for potential vulnerabilities.
When a new vulnerability is discovered, hackers or IT security teams from various organizations may attempt to exploit or resolve the issue. Once identified, the vulnerability is reported globally to MITRE, which assigns it a unique CVE identifier for consistent recognition.
On managed devices at Trio, an agent collects software information from company devices and transmits it to backend servers. These servers analyze the data, comparing it against known vulnerabilities to detect potential issues.
How does Trio patch the vulnerabilities?
There are two methods to patch the vulnerabilities discovered by Trio:
Automatic
Manual
Automatic: After the vulnerability is detected, the user has two options to fix it.
If the application is downloaded from official stores or providers, the Autopatch Profile managed by MDM will download the new updates for each one of the applications.
Manual: If the application is not provided by the official stores or it’s an old version. However, if the official stores do not provide the application or is an old version, the user can update it manually by uploading the latest version to the panel. Trio will install new updates for the existing app.