Many people assume they are the deliberate target of a cyberattack. That is possible, but in most situations cybercriminals work differently.
Cybercriminals are usually after money. Where that money comes from generally matters less, and that shapes how this type of criminal operates. They go to a marketplace on the dark web and look for malicious software that exploits known vulnerabilities in widely used software (an exploit). Then they scan the internet for systems that may be vulnerable, and use the malicious software to try to gain access to susceptible systems. That gives them an overview, after which they assess which cases are worth spending time on. The vast majority of this process is therefore automated. Like a herd of wildebeest on the Serengeti, the weak ones are singled out and fall prey.
To avoid falling prey to this approach, it is crucial that you fix known vulnerabilities on your systems as quickly as possible. You do that by installing security updates, also known as patching. A sound patch policy means installing available security updates (patches) as soon as possible.
Because new vulnerabilities are constantly being found and disclosed, it is important to manage them actively. Fixing vulnerabilities promptly can prevent a break-in.
But how do you manage vulnerabilities effectively when you are responsible for dozens or hundreds of systems running various operating systems? Analyzing vulnerabilities and patches system by system takes a lot of time. Easy2audit helps. With Easy2audit you see in one central place which systems contain vulnerabilities and which patches you need to install to close the gaps.
Curious how to find out where your vulnerabilities are, manually or with Easy2audit? In our ‘How to guide, patching & vulnerabilities audit’ we explain step by step how to audit the vulnerabilities of your systems manually, and compare that with how it works when you use Easy2audit.