Pros and Cons of Vulnerability Scanning

An attachment of security information is Vulnerability scanning. Vulnerabilities get discovered on everyday basis and expose the critical data and system. However it is crucial that the IT admins don’t go down for the traps of passing vulnerability scans which guarantee securities. There are various types of Vulnerability Scanner that are used for Vulnerability Scanning. They operate at unusual and different levels of invasiveness.

 Some of the simple Vulnerability Scanner just checks the version of the software and windows registry. An all-inclusive Vulnerability Scanning includes prodding as well as poking of the system for determining whether it is vulnerable or not.

What are scanners for Vulnerability Scanning like?

Vulnerability scanners function like anti-virus software’s which rely on their database i.e. vulnerabilities and are only valid for their latest updates. That’s why it is always better to check and ensure if your system doesn’t have outdated Vulnerability Scanning Tools installed. Inferior or outdated scanning software provides with false sense of security. If one has to prove that it is secure, they have to buy certain amount of vulnerabilities for testing.

There are two fundamental reasons for choosing to use a vulnerability scanner: First being to figure out the weak security and second is to find weak security in the other systems. This is the reason why it’s very  important to run vulnerability scans on their own. 

One more benefit that vulnerability scanners offer is that it can check all the defects in your system and ensure that they are patched and fixed properly. Also, having a program which can further check that every security check is happening effectively and efficiently is more valuable. This helps in saving resources as an employee and also lowers the chance from exploiting the weak security.

What are the Best Practices of the Vulnerability Scanning?

For having an effective vulnerability scanning, the administrators must do the following three things:

One should recognize and realize that vulnerability scanning are not silver bullet but are tools. It’s not too perfect, it still has some flaws. IT admins should get that vulnerability scan only proves that your PC or system is vulnerable.

•        It acts onto the results. These vulnerable systems should constantly be repaired and updated if possible to address all the recognized vulnerabilities. Still, there can be some flaws and risks which cannot be taken into account, so, minimal steps should be taken into account for exposing the vulnerable system.

·         The scans should be repeated on regular basis. There is as such no fixed number for how many times one can run vulnerability scans. It actually differs from organization to organization.

 

For Scanning, Prioritizing and Re mediating Vulnerability Scanning with ease, trust no one better than Promisec.

Originally Posted At:- https://www.promisec.com/blog/pros-cons-vulnerability-scanning/

Learn How to Use Vulnerability Scanning Tools in Advanced

Everything One Should Know About Application White Listing

Application white listing refers to the practice of specifying a guide of all the approved software applications which are permitted to be present as well as active on a computer system. The major goal of white listing is to protect the computers and all its networks from potentially harmful applications.

 When it comes to the White List Approach, a white list is the key of approved entities. In fact, the National Institute of Standards and Technology suggests using Application Whitelisting Software in high-risk environments, where it is fundamentally important that the individual systems are secure and less important and the software’s can be useable without any restrictions. For more flexibility, a white list can also index approve the application components of software’s like libraries, extensions, plug-ins, and configuration files.

·        Application White listing Software vs. blacklisting

Unlike technologies that use application blacklisting that prevents the undesirable programs from executing; white listing is much more restrictive and also allows programming that has just been clearly permitted to run. There is no agreement among the security experts related to using which technique blacklisting or white listing or which is better. The proponents of blacklisting are complex as compared to white listing and can be difficult to manage. Also, maintaining the list that can be demanding due to the increase in the business applications and processes.

The Proponents of the White List Approach argue that it is not worth the time and effort which is needed to protect systems and prevent inappropriate programs from entering the network. Using a white list allows only applications that are approved of offers of more protection against malicious software.

·        How Application White listing Software works?

The implementation of application White listing Software begins with building a list of approved applications. The white list can be built into the host of the operating system, or it can also be provided by a third-party vendor. The simplest form of white listing allows the system administrator in specifying the file attributes that are associated with white listed applications like the file name, file size and the file path.

Microsoft has added Windows App locker to Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7, that allows the system administration to specify which user and groups are permitted and which are not permitted.

·        Risks of using Application White listing Software

Attackers can replace white listed applications with spiteful apps with a relative ease that creates a version of their malware which is of the same size and also has the same file name as the permitted application, and further you can replace the white listed application with the spiteful one. Therefore, it is recommended and is much more effective for application to use white listing software to use cryptographic hashing techniques with digital signatures that have been linked with the software developers.

Promisec’s application white listing software is an essential tool for all those companies that want to keep their networks secure from unwanted applications and outside threats. If there is no file in your white list, then be it of any character, shape or size it cannot run.

HIPAA Compliance Software Elements and Its Uses

With the advancing technology, there is advancement in every field bet it technical or non-technical. It has affected every possible field. It has also helped the healthcare industry to rise up in a better way. It is very difficult to store all the data related to every single patient on paper and files so this enables to do things in a much systematic way. Getting registered through paper becomes too clumsy and annoying. In such situation the use of HIPPA Compliance Software turns out to be very helpful.

 In order to take care of all such scenes the law has come up with HIPAA also known as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This law aims at protecting the confidentiality and the right related to the personal health of a person. HIPAA security standards have reached new heights these days. People are in the miss conception that HIPAA comes up with miss guiding guarantees and promises. So here we come up with some of its essential elements and their uses. This will help you completely change your perception regarding the same.

Elements of HIPAA Compliance Software:

 

·         Self Audits: The regulation of HIPAA calls for a series of mandatory audits which the healthcare professionals have to execute among their organization. These audits help you to span the privacy and the security of your organization. Very good HIPAA software will make sure that they audit in such a way that you get the complete picture current status of the company. There is an excellent starting point of the audit which works as the guide for the compliance plan. HIPAA Standard stands unique when it comes to self audit.

·         Remediation plans: The self audit done by you help revealing the gap or the deficiencies in the HIPAA. This plan is quite unique for the company and it should be particularly laid out on how you plan up in filling up the gaps which you compliance. The remediation plan will be executed depending on the nature and the volume of the gap which you have discovered. Multi steps plans could also be executed through the entire process and it is figured out how and when the gap will be closed. HIPAA Compliance Software is of great help in the medical field.

          

·         Procedure, Policies and employment training: Once you are done with remedying the gaps in your organization you will definitely need a tool to ensure that they will not turn out to be the recurring and pending area of risk. This is when the policy and the entire procedure come into play. There are many possible solutions in the company which can easily turn the policies and procedures, but most of the time it falls short for the regulatory requirements. HIPAA standard has great contribution to the medical field.

Thus, we come to an end of the essential elements of HIPAA and their uses. This write up will help you a lot to know more about HIPAA Compliance software. This will brush up your knowledge about the medical field.

Features Of Endpoint Management and Functions

Endpoint management is something which can track monitor, managing devices, inventory and many more such devices. It helps keeping your system updated and up to the mark. It is a kind of policy based approach for the security of the network. Before granting an access to you system, the endpoint management should be kept in mind. Devices which come under endpoint are laptops, PC’s, smart phones and tablets. Some of the bar code readers and some point of sale also come under this. Endpoint security matters a lot for the up gradation and well being of the gadgets.

When a company is in its growing stage, the asset of the company also grows. The task of managing the IT sector goes on becoming challenging with time. With the expanding business the challenges also increases. Endpoint management also plays a vital role in protecting the gadgets and data of any company. The IT department of any company is completely responsible to take care of the endpoints of any company.

Some of the common components that you could expect from an endpoint management:

1. Asset Management- The endpoint management solutions typically will offer you with functionality of asset management. Depending on the type of product it could be done in a number of ways. There are two ways of doing it, one is with the agent and one is without agent. In each case you should gather up all the desired information regarding the software and hardware. After this it stores the information in its central database.

2. Patch Management- The endpoint solution not only enables you to know which type of devices exits around you but also enables you to discover and apply patches to them. The consolidation of the product is one of the biggest benefits when it comes to employing endpoint management solution. You should try knowing that how many patches do your server needs for the update of Microsoft.

3. Deployment of operation system- The endpoint management also gives you an easy solution in delivering the operating systems to the servers and PCs. Those days are gone when you need to insert your CD manually. With a very good endpoint management you can easily deploy the operating system. You can deploy the operating system to just one single device or thousands of devices at one time.

4. Application Development- Once you have installed the operating system, you can easily install any application with the help of endpoint management. With the help of this you can easily pack up and deploy all those software in few minutes, you do not even need to move from machine to machine. You can not only deploy software to your system but also you can ensure the software remains installed in your system. With the help of endpoint management you can get the control to be certain of the deployment of the software.

Endpoint protection is a must for every gadgets and systems. This helps to protect your system from virus. It is a must for every gadget you are using these days.