Network Vulnerability Testing | Greenville, SC

Network Vulnerability Assessments

IT systems can sometimes have vulnerabilities. After a network security vulnerability assessment, many businesses (no matter their size) are surprised to find their IT system can be exploited by a bad actor.

These vulnerabilities can happen because of certain features, flaws, user error, or any combination of these. They differ in nature, but they can all be exploited.

Common network vulnerabilities

A network vulnerability is any part of software, hardware, or organizational process that can be compromised by a threat. It’s a weakness that can turn into a security breach if exploited.

Threat actors can exploit vulnerabilities to do things like install malware, ransomware, and spyware. They can gain access to a business and their customers’ sensitive information and extract confidential documents and money.

Some of the most common network vulnerabilities are:

• Hardware issues – any device on a network that isn’t properly managed is a security risk. Security appliances and routers are the front lines in cyber defense, but they require periodic firmware upgrades and have to be replaced if patches aren’t an option anymore.
• Physical device security – if someone can gain unsupervised physical access to a device, they can install malware on it, download code, or copy information off it. Devices should be encrypted and have strong password protection.
• Social engineering attacks – these include spam, phishing emails, shoulder surfing, dumpster diving, and vishing. If a user in a network falls for one of these attacks and clicks on or downloads something with malicious code, it could be a nightmare for the business they belong to.
• Outdated/unpatched software – patches are fixes for bugs and errors that reduce vulnerabilities. If software is outdated or unpatched, bad actors are likely to be able to exploit them.
• Inadequate firewalls – firewalls can be part of a router, a separate box, or even virtual. A good firewall protects against IP addresses that have been blacklisted, and mitigates DDoS attacks. One firewall often isn’t enough.
• IoT devices – too many devices in the IoT are made cheaply and have inadequate security. Often they can’t be configured or have their firmware updated, and so the only solution is to buy from reputable vendors and avoid insecure devices.

Network security vulnerability testing

Network security vulnerability testing can be difficult and complex, in part because the vulnerabilities are constantly evolving, and threat actors are always finding new ways to gain access to a network.

This is why our network vulnerability assessments are periodic and so thorough. We deal with all types of vulnerabilities, and we know how best to navigate them.

Having an understanding of all of the types of vulnerabilities that exist along with where they fit in a network means that we can keep understanding and fighting new threats, whatever they may be.

We keep on top of the latest tricks that threat actors use. With a network security vulnerability scan, we can see if your network’s defenses will hold against them. If they don’t, then we can help make the changes to your network that will keep your business as safe as possible.

Get in touch with us today so we can protect your network against security threats together.