External vulnerability assessment and management focuses on identifying and mitigating security weaknesses in the parts of your organization's IT infrastructure that are accessible from the Internet. This includes your websites, web applications, servers, firewalls, and other internet-facing assets. The goal is to discover and fix vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them proactively.  

How ThreatNG Helps with External Vulnerability Assessment and Management

ThreatNG's capabilities align perfectly with the requirements of external vulnerability assessment and management:

• Superior Discovery: ThreatNG goes beyond basic scanning to deeply map your external attack surface. Its Domain Intelligence module, for example, can identify subdomains, exposed APIs, and even development environments that might be inadvertently accessible. This comprehensive view ensures that no potential vulnerability is overlooked.  

• Accurate Assessment: ThreatNG doesn't just find potential issues; it assesses their severity and potential impact. By leveraging its intelligence repositories (known vulnerabilities, dark web data, etc.), it can prioritize vulnerabilities based on the likelihood of exploitation and the potential damage they could cause.  

• Continuous Monitoring: ThreatNG monitors your external assets for changes and new vulnerabilities. This ensures that your vulnerability assessments are always up-to-date and you can respond quickly to emerging threats.  

• Detailed Reporting: ThreatNG provides detailed reports highlighting vulnerabilities and their severity, as well as recommended remediation steps. This information is crucial for prioritizing and effectively addressing security gaps.  

Complementary Solutions and Services

While ThreatNG offers a strong foundation for external vulnerability assessment and management, integrating it with other tools can further enhance its effectiveness:

• Vulnerability Scanners: Specialized vulnerability scanners like Nessus, Qualys, or OpenVAS can provide deeper technical analysis of identified vulnerabilities. They can perform network scans, web application scans and even check for configuration issues.  

• Penetration Testing: Penetration testing simulates real-world attacks to identify vulnerabilities that automated tools might miss. This provides a more realistic assessment of your security posture and can uncover weaknesses in your defenses.  

• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): SIEM solutions can correlate ThreatNG's findings with internal security logs to provide a holistic view of your security posture. This can help identify patterns and prioritize remediation efforts.

Examples of ThreatNG in Action

Let's see how ThreatNG's modules can be used for external vulnerability assessment and management:

• Domain Intelligence: ThreatNG can identify a subdomain pointing to an outdated web server with known vulnerabilities. Analyzing the server's configuration can reveal that default credentials are still in use. This lets you immediately update the server, patch the vulnerabilities, and change the credentials to secure the subdomain.  

• Cloud and SaaS Exposure: ThreatNG can identify an open AWS S3 bucket containing sensitive customer data. It can also check if the bucket's access controls are correctly configured and alert you to any misconfigurations that could lead to data breaches.

• Archived Web Pages: ThreatNG can analyze archived versions of your website and identify old login pages or test environments that are still accessible. These often contain vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit to access your systems.

• Technology Stack: By identifying your organization's technologies, ThreatNG can assess whether they have known vulnerabilities or are end-of-life, requiring updates or replacements.  

By combining its comprehensive discovery and assessment capabilities with continuous monitoring and detailed reporting, ThreatNG empowers organizations to effectively manage their external vulnerabilities and reduce their risk of cyberattacks.