Accessing Your Threat and Vulnerability Management Program

Organizations face a constant stream of threats and vulnerabilities that can put their data and operations at risk. That’s where a Threat and Vulnerability Management (TVM) program comes in. A strong TVM program helps businesses stay ahead of cyber threats by continuously identifying, assessing, and addressing security gaps before attackers can exploit them.

Our article breaks down the essential components of a strong TVM Program, offering key considerations for evaluating your strategy. Plus, we share valuable metrics to help you measure its effectiveness and ensure long-term security success.

WHAT SHOULD YOU INCLUDE IN YOUR VULNERABILITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM?

A well-structured Threat and Vulnerability Management (TVM) program consists of five critical components:

1. Threat Intelligence

Organizations must gather, analyze, and apply threat intelligence to understand emerging risks, attacker tactics, and potential vulnerabilities.

2. Vulnerability Scanning

Regular scanning is essential to detect security weaknesses across networks, systems, and applications.

3. Patching

Prioritize critical patches, testing updates before deployment, and ensuring all systems remain up to date.

4. Malware Protection

A robust defense against malware is a key pillar of any security strategy. Organizations should deploy advanced endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools, antivirus solutions, and behavioral analytics to prevent and detect malicious activity.

5. Penetration Testing

Regular testing of networks, applications, and security controls provides valuable insights into potential weaknesses and allows teams to strengthen defenses proactively.

HOLDING VENDORS AND PARTNERS ACCOUNTABLE

A successful TVM program doesn’t stop at internal security measures. Organizations must also evaluate the role their vendors and partners play in maintaining cybersecurity standards. Consider these key questions:

• Do your vendors share threat intelligence or provide insights into emerging risks?

• Are they conducting regular scans of their systems and ensuring their infrastructure remains secure?

• How quickly do they apply security patches, and what processes are in place for timely updates?

• Do they have strong malware defenses in place, including endpoint security and incident response capabilities?

• Are they performing regular security assessments, and can they provide evidence of their testing results?

THREAT INTELLIGENCE

• Threat intelligence is about gathering detailed tactical information for preventing and fighting threats targeting an organization.

• What sources of threat intelligence do you incorporate?

  
  

THREAT INTEL TYPES

There are several types of threat intel that organizations can utilize:

Tactical Threat Intelligence

• Specific methods and tools used by attackers.

  
  

Examples:  

• Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) such as malicious domains, IP addresses, and file hashes.

• Insights on attack vectors like phishing, malware delivery mechanisms, and credential stuffing techniques.

Operational Threat Intelligence

• Insights into the behaviors and methods of attackers.

  
  

Examples:

• Intelligence on threat actor groups and their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).

• Details on attack campaigns and infrastructure used by adversaries.

• Analysis of industry-specific threats and targeted attack patterns.

Strategic Threat Intelligence

• Insights into the long-term trends and emerging threats.

  
  

Examples:

• Reports on geopolitical threats and how they impact cybersecurity.

• Emerging cybercrime trends, such as the rise of AI-driven attacks.

• Industry forecasts on new vulnerabilities and evolving attack techniques.

  
  

Technical Threat Intelligence

• Information about malicious indicators such as threat IPs.

  
  

Examples:

• IP addresses, malware hashes, domain names, and URLs linked to malicious activities.

• Signature-based detection rules for IDS/IPS and endpoint security solutions.

• Threat feeds that security tools use to automatically block or flag malicious activity.

VULNERABILITY SCANNING

The following are different types of vulnerability scans your organization should consider:

External

• Scans of the perimeter of networks or any externally available hosted infrastructure to identify potential vulnerabilities in Internet accessible IT infrastructure.

  
  

Internal

• Scans of IT infrastructure on protected networks or any hosted infrastructure to identify potential vulnerabilities.

  
  

Web-application

• Scans of web applications to identify security vulnerabilities.

  
  

Source Code

• Scans of application source code run during development to identify problems in the code that could cause potential vulnerabilities.

WHEN DO YOU PERFORM VULNERABILITY SCANNING?

Three of the most important time to scan systems are:

• Pre-deployment Scans

  • Before a system goes into production or an application is installed

  • Before updated code goes into production

    
    

• Implementation Scans

  • Scanned the first time a system is moved into the target environment

    
    

• Recurring Scans

  • When scanning systems with a shared image, a sample may be used. The sample must change for each scan

    • At least monthly

      
      

PATCHING

How aggressively do you patch systems? Is it for all systems?

Patching should include:

• Monitoring for vulnerabilities

• Overseeing patch distribution

• Testing the stability of patches

• Automating the patch management and distribution

MALWARE PROTECTION

Where do you perform malware protection?

There are a few areas where malware protection may be implemented:

Perimeter

• Typically email and firewall scanning

  
  

Network

• IDS and IPS solutions to remove malware as it travels over the network

  
  

Device

• Endpoint protection to remove malware that reaches the device

PENETRATION TESTING

Some questions to consider when evaluating your organization’s penetration testing initiatives:

• How often do you perform penetration testing?

• Do you notify the teams monitoring systems that a test will be performed?

  
  

FedRAMP provides penetration testing guidance that may be helpful for accessing your organization’s penetration testing program.

VULNERABILITY MANAGEMENT METRICS

The following are vulnerability management metrics that your organization should consider implementing to monitor your overall program’s effectiveness.

CyberForce|Q is here to support your Threat and Vulnerability Management needs with expert guidance and comprehensive security solutions. From 24/7 SOC monitoring to vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and program advancement, we help strengthen your cybersecurity strategy and resilience.

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Every organization is unique, which is why we meet you where you are in your cybersecurity journey, and tailor our solutions to your needs. – reach out to solutions@cyberforceq.com.

Learn more about CyberForce|Q.