Vulnerability assessment is a way of keeping enterprise networks, and thus devices and other connected assets, secure against threats. This is done by identifying and scanning, but also providing more sophisticated monitoring and precautionary tools. If you’re wondering if a vulnerability assessment is valuable, here are some things for your consideration. 

It Can Protect Your Networks from Threats

In today’s world, it’s impossible to be too safe when it comes to protecting enterprise networks. It should go without saying that organizational networks are some of the most essential assets to businesses today. Not only are they incredibly important to the smooth functioning of an enterprise, they are like data interstates, which allow information to be transmitted and received in a secure manner. 

When it comes to enterprises, or even smaller businesses, there’s a lot of data that travels along those network highways. While there are similarly rules and regulations to networks, unlike most highways, the biggest danger isn’t getting in an accident, but being commandeered by modern-day pirates. 

In order to protect against network vulnerabilities, you need to understand breaches are an ever-present risk. Criminals are constantly devising more sophisticated ways to infiltrate networks. By doing this, they can potentially steal data to be held for ransom, or worse. Deploying vulnerability management and assessment tools can protect your networks from these incoming threats. These are a few features of vulnerability assessment tools that can help keep your enterprise safer:

  • Monitoring and Visibility – Vulnerability management is going to be a lot more challenging if you can’t really tell what’s happening on your network. Built-in monitoring tools can help keep you on top of the action and react much faster in emergencies. 
  • Nonstop Protection – You’re not really managing vulnerabilities if your system experiences significant amounts of downtime, or isn’t built for truly comprehensive monitoring. A good vulnerability assessment protocol will automatically alert you when something’s not right. 
  • Better Tech – Machine learning and artificial intelligence are driving a renaissance in network security. Look for tools that harness these technologies to provide better services.
  • Minimal Capital Requirements – Of course, network security is one of the most worthwhile investments that can be made by an enterprise today. But that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. Especially vendor- and service-based solutions can provide maximum return from minimal capital. 

Now that you’ve gotten a better idea for what to look for, and the overall importance of vulnerability assessment, it’s time to dig deeper into the details. 

Save Yourself from Breach-Related Costs

There are multiple ways exploited network vulnerabilities can cost an organization. The most clear-cut way is straight financial burden. Depending on the extent a network has been compromised, there can be additional impairments. For instance, criminals might just hold certain data for ransom and force you to pay them within a certain time to let it go. While this is obviously a hassle, it pales in comparison to legal obligations if more sensitive information is stolen. 

Companies are often forced to pay tens of millions of dollars in the aftermath of serious data breaches. This is obviously a heavy obligation that should be avoided at all costs. But beyond the financial element, security breaches can tarnish your image with clients. This is something that can be even more damaging in the long run.

Give Your IT Department a Boost

Even if you have a fantastic IT department, they’re not going to be able to catch everything. While you’ll want to have internal vulnerability assessment monitoring tools, it can also be wise to have live monitoring from an outside organization as well. This way, you’ll have a better chance of stopping threats before they cause damage. External vulnerability assessment services are one of the best ways of going about this. 

Your enterprise can’t afford to go light on network security. Vulnerability management and assessment are key elements to keeping your organization safe.