What is a vulnerability scan? How does it differ from a Contact us? What are the benefits of a vulnerability scan? How often should you conduct a vulnerability scan? This article answers all these questions!

What is a vulnerability scan?

A vulnerability scan is essentially an automated process to identify potential security risks associated with your external perimeter or internal network. The market offers various vulnerability scanners, both free and paid. However, the key is to either know how to use the vulnerability scanner properly or to ensure your security vendor uses a trusted scanning solution.

At Lucid Security, we provide a vulnerability assessment as a service. Typically, the aim of a vulnerability assessment is to pinpoint potential security risks. These include vulnerable or outdated software versions, potentially risky ports/services exposed to the Internet, and sensitive files, among others. A reputable security vendor always provides a custom report with the vulnerability scan. Too often, security vendors may only provide standard HTML, PDF, or CSV outputs from a vulnerability scanner. This practice is not ideal because one should always manually verify the outputs from a vulnerability scanner. Results can be false positives, merely informational findings with no real security impact, or the criticality may be inadequately categorized. For this reason, Lucid Security always reviews the results of a vulnerability scan and ensures the report clearly articulates the vulnerabilities and remediation measures, and excludes any false positives.

Lastly, a vulnerability assessment stops at the identification phase of a vulnerability. Whereas a penetration test continues to the actual exploitation of a vulnerability.

Why should you have a vulnerability scan?

The reasons for conducting a vulnerability assessment can vary among organizations. A significant driver for many companies is compliance or customer requirements. It is common for organizations to undergo vulnerability assessments for compliance purposes or because they are doing business with a customer who demands a vulnerability scan and its results. Another reason is simply best practice to identify any potential issues on their external perimeter or internal network. Both are valid reasons.

How often should you conduct a vulnerability scan?

Lucid Security generally recommends conducting quarterly vulnerability scans at a minimum. With the ever-changing security landscape, new security vulnerabilities often emerge from security researchers or hackers. Thus, software you installed on a webserver that was just updated might develop a new vulnerability the following month. A vulnerability scan helps you stay ahead of issues before they escalate. It is also common to perform vulnerability scans monthly or bi-annually.

Conclusion

Lucid Security advises companies to perform quarterly vulnerability assessment, especially those with a larger than average attack surface. A reputable security vendor should provide the results of a vulnerability scan. Lucid Security always delivers custom reports that highlight the most relevant information on how to remediate and fix the issues.

How Lucid Security Can Help

Lucid Security employs expert security engineers with decades of combined experience in system administration, network administration, and security engineering. Our team delivers quality reports to ensure your organization remains secure. Contact us today to learn more about our vulnerability scan services.

What is an External Penetration Test?

Before diving into what an external penetration test entails, let’s first recap what a penetration test involves. A penetration test simulates an attack on a network, application, device, location, controls, or humans in a controlled environment. Lucid Security conducts external penetration tests by simulating attacks on their internet-facing assets. These tests are crucial for an organization’s security maturation process, ensuring that websites and services are secure against attackers.

Phases of an External Penetration Test

An external penetration test consists of several phases:

• Scope Verification – This critical phase ensures everyone understands that the listed assets are correct. It’s common for typos to occur when defining the scope, and IP addresses may change annually. Therefore, the security team must verify the scope the client provides. If discrepancies arise, the security team will contact the client for further clarification and verification.
• Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) – This process involves using services like Google to find potentially sensitive information, such as documents, username formats for password attacks, internal company information for phishing campaigns or social engineering, or technology details to target applications or infrastructure more effectively.
• Enumeration – After identifying assets, the next step involves enumerating the “target” or host to determine what is available, such as a web server or an FTP server. The goal is to create an accurate attack map of the external perimeter to prioritize targets.
• Vulnerability Identification – This phase works alongside enumeration. Once the team knows what’s running on a host, it’s important to identify any potential vulnerabilities.
• Exploitation – This phase might not always apply. Here, the security team actively attacks a vulnerability to compromise a host, application, service, etc. The attack could allow information gathering, remote access to the web server, or unauthorized application access.
• Post Exploitation – The security team assesses the impact level of the exploit, which could range from minimal to critical, depending on the vulnerability and any mitigating controls in place. For example, a SQL injection could lead to remote code execution under the right circumstances.
• Reporting – Lucid Security compiles a custom-tailored report based on the findings from the engagement. The report will detail the vulnerabilities, their impacts or potential impacts, solutions, and any helpful references for remediation.
• Deliverable – This phase provides an excellent opportunity for the security team and client to discuss the results in real-time. They will also address any questions or concerns to ensure the client fully understands the findings.

Benefits of an External Penetration Test

It’s common for third parties to require security testing, often specifying the assessments required before partnership. An external penetration test is a typical prerequisite for organizations seeking to do business with another company. This precaution ensures data protection and proactive measures against security breaches. Moreover, an external penetration test identifies potential security risks along an organization’s external perimeter. Often, IT teams are unaware of external assets, which a competent security team needs to identify and address.

How Lucid Security Can Help

Lucid Security consists of seasoned security professionals with decades of experience in security and penetration testing. Our unique and competent perspective enables us to enhance clients’ security environments. Please contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can make your organization more secure.

This process, involving the simulated attack on a network to identify vulnerabilities, is critical for maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of an organization’s data. However, there’s a crucial aspect often neglected during these tests: application security testing.

Whether you aspire to become a security engineer or seek security services for your organization, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Nessus. But what is Nessus? This blog will highlight Nessus and its use by security vendors and internal security personnel within security operations centers (SOCs).

Overview

Tenable® created Nessus, a powerful vulnerability scanner. It enables internal security engineers and security vendors to identify vulnerabilities from both internal and external perspectives. Its high configurability allows for fine-tuning to suit your organization’s specific needs.

How Nessus Helps Security Engineers

Security vendors, contracted by organizations for their expertise and knowledge, need to utilize powerful vulnerability scanners, despite their cost. Nessus often stands as the “gold standard” in vulnerability scanners for several reasons:

• It identifies unsupported or vulnerable software. Identifying unsupported software is crucial, as it indicates that the vendor will no longer release important patches for any existing vulnerabilities. Nessus excels at detecting version numbers that security engineers might overlook. However, skilled security engineers must verify Nessus results to avoid false positives commonly flagged by vulnerability scanners.
• It streamlines assessments. Penetration tests and security assessments, being time-limited engagements, require efficiency. Quick identification of potential vulnerabilities allows security engineers to focus on easy targets.
• It provides a holistic view of your environment. At Lucid Security, we aim for crystal clear results, highlighting all possible risks or security issues. Nessus offers a comprehensive overview of findings, from critical to informational, helping security engineers distinguish genuine concerns from false positives.
• It manages the attack surface. Managing the attack surface is essential in security. Nessus offers an overview of systems, software, and services on an organization’s external perimeter or internal network, helping to identify what is exposed and where mitigation is necessary.

Downsides to Nessus

Despite its power and usefulness, Nessus has downsides:

• Steep learning curve. Nessus can overwhelm and challenge the untrained user. Lucid Security recommends outsourcing vulnerability assessments to an expert security vendor for proper use and to avoid network disruptions.
• False Positives. Nessus may flag items as false positives, necessitating thorough data review and validation of every flagged finding.
• Confusing reports. Nessus reports, available in formats like CSV, HTML, and PDF, can be lengthy and hard to navigate. Lucid Security addresses this by validating findings, customizing descriptions, recommendations, and providing resources to understand risks and remediation steps, and adjusting vulnerability scans to prevent disruptions.
• System downtime or disruptions. As highlighted in a previous blog post, “What Can Go Wrong During a Penetration Test?“, we’ve discussed that Nessus can potentially cause disruptions by crashing systems. For that reason, it’s important to know that going into a scan and tuning scans accordingly.

Summary

By now, you should understand what Nessus is and how it can benefit your organization. While Lucid Security recommends expert outsourcing for vulnerability scanning, a combination approach can also work, allowing your organization to compare and discuss results to optimize your security strategy.

How Lucid Security Can Help

Lucid Security routinely conducts vulnerability assessments and is happy to partner with you to identify gaps or security issues within your network or external perimeter. Reach out today to get started!

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Asking “What can go wrong during a penetration test?” before initiating an assessment is both wise and prudent. This blog post outlines the risks associated with penetration testing and strategies to mitigate these risks.

Downtime or Disruptions

One of the top concerns client’s have about what can go wrong during a penetration test is downtime or disruptions, fearing significant revenue loss. However, a competent security vendor will carefully conduct tests to avoid such outcomes. They will avoid exploiting vulnerabilities that could trigger denial-of-service conditions. Lucid Security advises clients to highlight particularly sensitive systems during the pre-engagement kickoff call to prevent downtime.

Missing Findings

Missing findings represent another potential issue during penetration tests. A good security vendor aims to uncover every vulnerability. However, the pursuit of quick wins at the expense of thorough examination is a hallmark of inferior vendors. Lucid Security commits to comprehensive testing to identify all possible vulnerabilities, acknowledging the variability of results due to human factors. Annual penetration tests and rotating engineers ensure fresh perspectives and comprehensive coverage.

Generate Alerts

Penetration tests often generate numerous alerts, potentially overwhelming IT teams. While generating alerts is generally positive, it’s important for tests to be noticeable to IT and security operations centers (SOCs). Security engineers might use tools like Nessus, Nikto, and BurpSuite, generating alerts. The testing vendor should provide a list of their IP addresses to help adjust alert settings accordingly.

Account Lockouts

Account lockouts are a risk during penetration testing, especially during password attack simulations. Lucid Security employs methods to avoid account lockouts, but discussing unique account lockout policies with the engineers during the planning phase is crucial for making necessary adjustments.

Summary

Several factors can complicate a penetration test. Effective communication between the security vendor and the client organization beforehand can address concerns and preempt potential issues. Lucid Security prioritizes preventing problems during penetration tests by gathering extensive pre-test information.

How Lucid Security Can Help

Lucid Security is ready to assist with your next penetration test, addressing any concerns to ensure a smooth process. Contact us today for collaboration.

In the digital age, where cyber threats loom larger and more sophisticated than ever, organizations must fortify their defenses to protect sensitive data and maintain trust. The Center for Internet Security (CIS) Critical Security Controls, commonly referred to as the CIS Top 18, provides a strategic framework for mitigating the most prevalent cyber risks. However, to truly validate the effectiveness of these controls, integrating penetration testing into the CIS Top 18 review process is indispensable. This blog post delves into strengthening cyber defenses the synergy between technical professionals conducting a CIS Top 18 review and the critical role of penetration testing in validating and strengthening cybersecurity measures.

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Understanding the CIS Top 18 and Penetration Testing

The CIS Top 18 is a prioritized set of best practices designed to provide organizations with a roadmap for effective cybersecurity defense. These controls cover a range of actions from basic cyber hygiene to advanced security measures, addressing both preventive and detective mechanisms.

Penetration testing, on the other hand, is a simulated cyber attack against your computer system to check for exploitable vulnerabilities. It’s an essential tool in the cybersecurity arsenal, offering real-world assessment of your defenses.

The Role of Technical Professionals in the CIS Review

Technical professionals, including cybersecurity experts, network engineers, and system administrators, are pivotal in conducting a thorough CIS Top 18 review. Their deep understanding of the organization’s IT infrastructure enables them to assess, implement, and monitor the effectiveness of the security controls. Moreover, their insights are crucial for identifying which areas require penetration testing to validate the security measures’ effectiveness.

Conducting a CIS Top 18 Review with Penetration Testing: A Step-by-Step Approach

Step 1: Assemble Your Team

Gather a multidisciplinary team of technical professionals with expertise across different areas of your IT infrastructure. Ensure the team understands both the CIS Top 18 controls and the fundamentals of penetration testing.

Step 2: Perform a Gap Analysis

Conduct an initial review of your current security posture against the CIS Top 18 controls. Identify gaps and areas of non-compliance that could potentially be exploited in a cyber attack.

Step 3: Prioritize and Plan Penetration Testing

Based on the gap analysis, prioritize the areas where penetration testing will be most beneficial. This prioritization should focus on high-risk areas, critical systems, and where controls are newly implemented or significantly changed.

Step 4: Conduct Penetration Testing

Carry out penetration testing exercises targeting the identified areas. These tests should mimic real-world attack scenarios to validate the effectiveness of the implemented CIS controls. Engage external experts if necessary to ensure an unbiased assessment.

Step 5: Analyze Test Results and Refine Controls

Review the outcomes of the penetration tests to identify vulnerabilities and control weaknesses. This analysis will highlight which CIS controls are working as intended and where adjustments are needed.

Step 6: Implement Improvements

Based on the findings from the penetration testing, implement necessary improvements to the CIS controls. This may involve configuring security settings, patching vulnerabilities, or enhancing monitoring and detection capabilities.

Step 7: Foster Continuous Improvement

Cybersecurity is an ongoing battle. Regularly review and update your CIS control implementations and penetration testing strategies to adapt to new threats and technologies.

Step 8: Documentation and Communication

Maintain detailed documentation of your CIS review process, penetration testing results, and subsequent actions taken. Communicate these findings and their implications to relevant stakeholders, fostering a culture of transparency and continuous improvement in cybersecurity practices.

Conclusion

Integrating penetration testing into your CIS Top 18 review process is a powerful strategy to validate and further strengthening your organization’s cyber defenses. By combining the expertise of technical professionals with rigorous testing, you can identify vulnerabilities before attackers do, ensuring your cybersecurity measures are not just theoretical but truly effective in the real world. Remember, the goal is not just to comply with a set of controls but to build a resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding the evolving cyber threats of the digital age.

Let Lucid Security Help

Strengthening cyber defenses of your organization can be a large feat. Lucid Security is well versed in conducting both CIS Top 18 reviews, as well as penetration testing and can help you get on the right path! Please reach out to us today and let’s talk about taking the next step in your security assessment. Contact us today!

Preparing for an Upcoming Penetration Test

An upcoming penetration test can stress any organization. Whether your company undergoes annual assessments or faces its first one, ensuring everything is in order is crucial. This article will guide you through preparing for your upcoming penetration test.

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Determining Scope

Several factors influence your assessment’s scope. Consider these elements, not in any particular order:

• Your organization’s budget — The number of assets you want tested and desired security assessments can increase the engagement’s overall cost. Prioritize applications or services at highest risk from attackers.
• Overall objectives/goals — The reason behind the assessment, be it compliance, a recent security incident, or identifying security enhancement areas, will aid you in determining what systems to include.
• Critical systems/infrastructure — While many fear testing critical systems might cause downtime or disruptions, such incidents are rare. Nevertheless, it is important to address these concerns during the kickoff call.

Preparing for the Kickoff Call

Lucid Security always sets up a kickoff call with our clients, where you’ll discuss the assessment with the engineers who will actively conduct the assessment. Use this opportunity to ask any questions, aiming to resolve potential queries during this call. With that in mind, Lucid Security attempts to address any potential questions before they arise.

One Week Before the Test

Ensure to send all testing information to the security team a week before the test. The security engineers will then confirm the scope’s accuracy, check credentials, and look for connectivity issues to prevent schedule delays. It is important to make the most out of the allotted testing period to ensure the security team identifies any potential security issues.

How Lucid Security Can Help

By now, your organization should be well-prepared for the upcoming penetration test. If you have any questions, Lucid Security is ready to assist. Contact us today!