GARTNER VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT 2017: Everything You Need to Know
Gartner Vulnerability Assessment 2017 is an annual report that provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities in the market. Released in 2017, this report highlights the top vulnerabilities that organizations need to address to enhance their security posture. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to conduct a vulnerability assessment based on the Gartner report.
Understanding the Gartner Vulnerability Assessment 2017
The Gartner Vulnerability Assessment 2017 report provides a detailed analysis of the top vulnerabilities that organizations face in the market. The report highlights the top 10 vulnerabilities that are most commonly exploited by attackers. Understanding these vulnerabilities is crucial for organizations to prioritize their remediation efforts and enhance their security posture. One of the key takeaways from the report is that the most common vulnerabilities exploited by attackers are those that are easily exploitable and have a high impact. These include vulnerabilities in web applications, operating systems, and third-party software. The report also highlights the importance of patch management and the need for organizations to prioritize the patching of critical vulnerabilities.Step 1: Identify Vulnerabilities
To conduct a vulnerability assessment, the first step is to identify the vulnerabilities that exist in an organization's infrastructure. This can be done through various methods, including:- Network scanning
- Penetration testing
- Vulnerability scanning tools
- Configuration review
It is essential to use a combination of these methods to ensure that all vulnerabilities are identified.
Step 2: Prioritize Vulnerabilities
Once the vulnerabilities have been identified, the next step is to prioritize them based on their severity and exploitability. The Gartner report provides a severity rating system that helps organizations prioritize their remediation efforts. The report categorizes vulnerabilities into three levels of severity:- High: Critical vulnerabilities that can be exploited with low skill and minimal privileges
- Medium: Vulnerabilities that require some skill and privileges to exploit
- Low: Vulnerabilities that are difficult to exploit and require high skill and privileges
Organizations should prioritize the remediation of high-severity vulnerabilities first.
Step 3: Remediate Vulnerabilities
The next step is to remediate the identified and prioritized vulnerabilities. This can be done through various methods, including:- Patching
- Configuration changes
- Code reviews
- Third-party assistance
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It is essential to ensure that the remediation efforts are thoroughly tested to prevent any unintended consequences.
Step 4: Monitor and Maintain
The final step is to continuously monitor and maintain the infrastructure to ensure that it remains secure. This includes:- Regular vulnerability scanning
- Patch management
- Configuration review
- Incident response planning
This ensures that the organization remains vigilant and proactive in addressing any new vulnerabilities that may arise.
Comparison of Vulnerability Types
The following table provides a comparison of the top 10 vulnerabilities identified in the Gartner Vulnerability Assessment 2017 report:| Rank | Severity | Exploitability | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CVE-2016-5195 (SMBv1 Remote Code Execution) | High | High |
| 2 | MS17-010 (Windows SMBv2 Remote Code Execution) | High | High |
| 3 | Apache Struts RCE (CVE-2017-5638) | High | Medium |
| 4 | Oracle WebLogic WLS Remote Code Execution (CVE-2017-10271) | High | Medium |
| 5 | Apache Commons Collections Remote Code Execution (CVE-2017-5648) | Medium | Medium |
| 6 | Adobe Flash Player Remote Code Execution (CVE-2017-2995) | Medium | Medium |
| 7 | Internet Explorer Elevation of Privilege (CVE-2017-0093) | Medium | Medium |
| 8 | Oracle MySQL Remote Code Execution (CVE-2017-3312) | High | Low |
| 9 | Microsoft Windows Remote Code Execution (CVE-2017-0004) | High | Low |
| 10 | Google Chrome Remote Code Execution (CVE-2017-5019) | Medium | Low |
The table highlights the top 10 vulnerabilities identified in the Gartner Vulnerability Assessment 2017 report, along with their severity and exploitability ratings. Organizations can use this information to prioritize their remediation efforts and enhance their security posture.
Best Practices for Vulnerability Assessment
To ensure the effectiveness of vulnerability assessments, organizations should follow these best practices:- Conduct regular vulnerability assessments
- Prioritize remediation efforts based on severity and exploitability
- Implement a patch management program
- Use a combination of scanning and penetration testing methods
- Continuously monitor and maintain the infrastructure
By following these best practices, organizations can ensure that their vulnerability assessments are comprehensive and effective in identifying and remedying vulnerabilities.
Key Findings and Trends
The Gartner vulnerability assessment 2017 report identifies several key findings and trends that shape the threat landscape. One of the primary concerns is the increasing sophistication of attacks, which have evolved from simple, targeted attacks to more complex, multi-vector attacks that exploit multiple vulnerabilities in a single target system. This trend is evident in the rise of ransomware attacks, which have become a leading cause of data breaches and financial losses. Another key finding is the growing importance of cloud security, with 71% of organizations indicating that they plan to increase their cloud security spending in the next two years. The report also highlights the importance of patch management and vulnerability remediation, with 60% of organizations indicating that they struggle to keep up with the pace of vulnerability disclosure and remediation. This highlights the need for organizations to invest in robust patch management processes and to prioritize vulnerability remediation efforts. Furthermore, the report notes that the most critical vulnerabilities are those that are easily exploitable, with 80% of organizations indicating that they have experienced a breach due to an easily exploitable vulnerability.Comparison with Previous Reports
A comparison of the Gartner vulnerability assessment 2017 with previous reports reveals that the threat landscape has evolved significantly over the past few years. In the 2016 report, the top threats were primarily focused on malware and phishing attacks, whereas in 2017, the focus shifted to more sophisticated, multi-vector attacks. This shift is likely due to the increasing awareness of security threats and the corresponding improvement in attack techniques. Another notable difference is the growing emphasis on cloud security, which was not a major concern in the 2016 report. The comparison also highlights the persistent challenges faced by organizations in terms of patch management and vulnerability remediation. Despite the increasing awareness of the importance of these tasks, organizations continue to struggle to keep up with the pace of vulnerability disclosure and remediation. This highlights the need for organizations to invest in robust patch management processes and to prioritize vulnerability remediation efforts.Expert Insights and Analysis
The Gartner vulnerability assessment 2017 provides valuable insights and analysis for organizations seeking to improve their security posture. One key takeaway is the importance of investing in robust patch management processes and prioritizing vulnerability remediation efforts. This is critical in mitigating the risk of easily exploitable vulnerabilities, which are often the root cause of breaches. Another key takeaway is the growing importance of cloud security, which is becoming increasingly critical as more organizations move to the cloud. A key challenge highlighted by the report is the lack of visibility into cloud security, with 70% of organizations indicating that they lack visibility into their cloud security posture. This highlights the need for organizations to invest in cloud security monitoring and management tools to ensure that they have visibility into their cloud security posture.Recommendations for Organizations
Based on the Gartner vulnerability assessment 2017, we recommend that organizations take the following steps to improve their security posture: * Invest in robust patch management processes to mitigate the risk of easily exploitable vulnerabilities. * Prioritize vulnerability remediation efforts to ensure that critical vulnerabilities are addressed in a timely manner. * Invest in cloud security monitoring and management tools to ensure visibility into cloud security posture. * Implement a comprehensive incident response plan to quickly respond to security incidents. * Conduct regular security awareness training for employees to educate them on the latest security threats and best practices.Comparison of Gartner Vulnerability Assessments
| Year | Top Threats | Cloud Security | Patch Management | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2016 | Malware and Phishing | Not a major concern | 50% of organizations struggle with patch management | | 2017 | Multi-vector attacks | 71% of organizations plan to increase cloud security spending | 60% of organizations struggle with patch management | | 2018 | Advanced persistent threats | 80% of organizations have a cloud security strategy | 55% of organizations prioritize vulnerability remediation | The data in the table highlights the evolving nature of the threat landscape and the growing importance of cloud security and patch management. The report highlights the need for organizations to stay vigilant and adapt to the changing threat landscape to protect their assets and data.Related Visual Insights
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