7 Vulnerability Management Best Practices for Businesses

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7 Vulnerability Management Best Practices for Businesses

It only takes seconds for a normal day to turn into something catastrophic. If you don’t prioritize mitigating your business vulnerabilities, hackers could compromise sensitive data and cause no shortage of issues.

For example, they could steal valuable information and sell it to your competitors. Proper vulnerability management is crucial for protecting your business, but not everybody understands the right way to get started.

We’ve created a brief guide with the vulnerability management best practices you should keep in mind before moving forward. Let’s explore what you need to know.

1. Establish a Company Policy

Before moving forward, you’ll need to establish a company policy that assesses business vulnerabilities. This should identify areas of concern, document current strategies, and establish contingency plans.

 

Your employees should have access to this information at all times, as well. For example, consider a scenario where a worker encountered a situation they didn’t know how to handle. If they didn’t have access to the required vulnerability info, they could inadvertently make a poor decision.

2. Integrate Multiple Solutions

Using multiple solutions is a great way to take your vulnerability management techniques to the next level. Very rarely can you get by using only a single tool.

Keep in mind that you shouldn’t use additional tools for the sake of it. Each one should have a purpose and provide something of value.

Otherwise, you could make your systems more complicated and difficult to work with. Situations like these can negatively impact overall efficiency.

3. Assess Threat Data

Stay wary of the threat-based information you collect. This will offer valuable insight into areas that need your attention.

For instance, you might discover that your website has critical vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Depending on your team’s configuration, certain employees may need additional training on how to interpret threat data. Consider this an investment into your future performance, though.

Once they can work with this information, your company will be much safer. It will also be easier for you to introduce similar tools in the future since they already have a foundation of knowledge.

4. Use the Right Tools

Not all tools will be suitable for your needs. To elaborate, some vulnerability defense applications are designed for enterprise-level businesses. Others can accommodate companies on a smaller scale.

It’s best to look for tools designed for businesses like yours. This will also help avoid compliance issues. Depending on the industry you work in, there are certain regulations you’ll need to adhere to.

This is especially true for businesses in the finance, technology, and healthcare spaces. Vulnerability management tools can identify compliance issues and help you take the best course of action.

Breaching compliance standards will have many consequences, such as expensive fines and fees. Depending on the scenario, these can be difficult to accommodate.

5. Stay Agile

There’s no doubt contingencies will arise as time passes. Having the ability to stay agile will help you adapt to changing conditions. One of the most common scenarios is when a data breach occurs.

This can lead to extended downtime and cost your company a substantial amount of revenue. Imagine you pay a team of employees approximately $5,000 per day at your company. If your internal systems don’t function correctly, they won’t be able to perform their roles.

The amount of money wasted can quickly add up. This doesn’t even consider damage to your reputation or missed opportunities.

If word gets out that your company doesn’t keep its data secure, it will be difficult to acquire new clients. You’re also likely to lose existing ones.

A great example is the 2017 Equifax data breach. Not only did this irreparably damage the company’s reputation, but it also resulted in a multi-million dollar lawsuit.

6. Conduct Frequent Audits

Regularly assessing your company’s vulnerability will help you catch problems early. You can then implement the right solutions and prevent issues from evolving into something greater.

Left unchecked, many negligible conflicts could become something far more difficult to manage. Ensure you document your audit findings after each session.

You can review this information in the future to determine if your company needs further changes. As time passes, audits will make your security architecture far more robust.

7. Work With a Professional

Hiring a specialized firm can help you get started on the right track toward business growth. However, not all are created equal.

You’ll need to do your due diligence before you make your decision. To get started, you can research their past reputation and see what others have to say about their experiences. This will provide valuable insight into what you can expect.

Pay attention to how they respond to negative feedback, as well. If they get defensive or aggressive when facing criticism, it’s essential to avoid them. There’s a good chance you’ll experience the same behavior if you have an issue with them in the future.

It’s also important to keep an eye out for fake reviews. These are often posted in large batches and contain many of the same keywords.

What is their pricing structure like? You often get what you pay for, and choosing the cheapest options is not recommended.

You don’t have to budget for the most expensive, though. There’s a point of diminishing returns regarding what you pay.

Somewhere in the middle of the price range can help you meet your needs without stretching your budget. Are they enthusiastic about your project? You should never work with someone who isn’t willing to bring your vision to life.

This can cause you to fall short of your ambitions. With enough due diligence, you shouldn’t have an issue finding the best results for your needs.

Don't Overlook These Vulnerability Management Best Practices

The information in this guide will help you leverage vulnerability management best practices to take your performance to the next level. You’ll also avoid many issues you may have otherwise encountered. Just be sure to research the professional you work with.

Cybriant has served over 1,400 clients for nearly a decade and delivered stellar results for each project. We aim to exceed all expectations and maximize data security. You’ll learn more about how we can help when you get in touch with us today.

Enterprise-grade managed security services to fit your mission, needs, and budget.

Let our award-winning team make sure your business is safe.

Shoot us a message to start a discussion about how our team can help you today.

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