How Threat Intelligence Can Improve Vulnerability Management

The Pain Points of Traditional Vulnerability Management

Many organizations still employ vulnerability management practices which rely on routine scans to identify vulnerabilities in software, systems, and networks. Once identified, vulnerabilities are generally prioritized based on their severity ratings (such as CVSS scores). However, this approach presents challenges:

1. Excessive Vulnerabilities: Organizations can be inundated with a long list of vulnerabilities to address. Not every vulnerability is as critical as the other, and some may pose a higher risk to the organization than others. Without additional context, it can be challenging to determine which vulnerabilities should be addressed first.
2. Lack of Contextual Information: Context is key. Traditional vulnerability management can lack the context needed to understand the actual threat posed by a vulnerability. For example, a high-severity vulnerability might be less critical if there is no active exploit targeting it, while a lower-severity vulnerability could be a higher priority if it is being actively exploited by threat actors. For an organization to be proactive and effective in its security, it needs the context provided by threat intelligence. 
3. Delayed Response Times: Similar to the point above, context can play a key role in determining response times. The time between the discovery of a vulnerability and the implementation of a patch or mitigation can lag if organizations lack awareness of the immediate threat they pose. This can lead to breaches that are more severe because they were not curtailed in time. Threat intelligence can provide they key information necessary to convince security leaders to act. 
4. Resource Constraints: Many organizations, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), have limited resources for vulnerability management. With a large number of vulnerabilities to manage and limited staff or budget, these organizations often struggle to keep up with the necessary remediation efforts. Threat intelligence can help prioritize their efforts and focus on the real threats. 

The Role of Threat Intelligence in Vulnerability Management

When integrated into vulnerability management, threat intelligence can enhance an organization’s security posture by providing the context and prioritization needed to address the most significant risks effectively. Here’s how threat intelligence can improve vulnerability management:

1. Prioritization of Vulnerabilities Based on Threat Context:

Threat intelligence provides valuable insights into the current threat landscape. This can include information on active exploits, attack campaigns, and the practices of threat actors. By correlating this information with identified vulnerabilities, organizations can prioritize remediation efforts based on the actual risk posed, rather than perceived risk. Namely, if a vulnerability is being actively exploited in the wild or is part of a known attack vector, it should be prioritized for immediate remediation, even if its CVSS score is not the highest.

2. Real-Time Threat Monitoring:

Threat intelligence can allow organizations to monitor emerging threats accurately. Real-time monitoring allows them to quickly identify new vulnerabilities that could be exploited by threat actors. For example, threat intelligence sources can spot a zero-day vulnerability. A security team can then take proactive measures, such as increasing monitoring of affected systems and applying temporary mitigations, till a patch becomes available.

3. Enhanced Decision-Making:

Security teams will make more informed decisions about vulnerability management with context provided by threat intelligence. This includes selecting the vulnerabilities to address first, and deciding which ones can be temporarily deferred, and what alternative measures (such as network segmentation or additional monitoring) can be implemented to mitigate risk.

4. Alignment with Business Objectives:

Threat intelligence can help align vulnerability management efforts with broader business objectives. Namely, by understanding which vulnerabilities pose the greatest risk to critical business assets, organizations can focus their resources on protecting the most vital aspects of their operations. This targeted approach helps ensure a high rate of return on security investments.

Integrating threat intelligence into vulnerability management is vital to any business currently navigating the complex threat landscape. Threat intelligence provides enhanced context needed to prioritize and address critical vulnerabilities. This enables organizations to shift from a reactive to a proactive security posture. Integrating threat intelligence into vulnerability management can reduce the likelihood of successful cyberattacks and also align security efforts with business objectives, ensuring that limited resources such as funds and manpower, are used most effectively. For organizations looking to improve their cyber resilience, leveraging threat intelligence in vulnerability management is a crucial step in the right direction. 

To learn more about how threat intelligence can amplify your organization’s vulnerability management, contact a Rewterz expert today.