The increase in digital transformations means that security risks are higher than ever for companies worldwide. Whilst this has allowed companies to scale operations and elevate performance dramatically, it does mean that businesses of all sizes are at risk of security breaches.

Vulnerability management is the process every company needs to keep things operating correctly. As well as catching issues, the method includes strengthening IT networks to be more resilient against unwanted attacks. Unfortunately, it is commonly the case that companies decide not to prioritise the tasks that they cannot immediately see, meaning that security operations can get pushed aside for more pressing financial matters.

By considering the main cause of security vulnerability, you can assess your own anticipated level of risk if you are affected by even one of the following, your business could be in danger:

• Network and employee fatigue can mean that processes become slack, resulting in potential gaps in a company’s infrastructure. If operations are outdating versus modern risks, then a company is likely to have increased vulnerabilities.
• Cost is also a factor as elements required to maintain strong defences, such as investing in expert staff or new software, are sometimes not considered a priority.
• Business changes are brilliant for some departments but a huge risk for IT and security. Whilst we are not saying that companies must remain stagnant, vulnerability management must underpin any developments to eliminate as many hazards as possible.
• A lack of knowledge can also lead to risks being heightened. Even the smallest of organisations are at risk of being targeted, so data security and risk management are imperative to success.

All these factors are just a few of the reasons that our outsourced many companies favour expertise as we allow gaps to be filled cost-effectively.

Our four-step process has been fine-tuned over the years to offer guaranteed results in defining the level of risk that companies face.

Step One: Defining Existing and Potential Vulnerabilities

The first time that this is carried out, the process will take much longer as a detailed deep dive is required to ensure that any risks can be mapped. After this, we recommend that vulnerability assessments occur at least every month or more often if a company is subject to rapid change.

To identify risks, we use both manual and software-driven processes to ensure that nothing is left untouched. This involves scanning every piece of hardware and software a company uses and can be done remotely. Anything that is being used under your network needs to be assessed.

We also like to consider future operations to provide an initial overview of upcoming risks, as this can affect the work that is being done at the present time. Endpoint agents and top-level network scans are also used at this point to ensure that every element, including servers, firewalls, software, and operating systems, have been checked.

Step Two: Assess Vulnerability Risks

During the second phase, once the risks are visible, we create a priority list of what needs to be managed first. This means that the work can be correctly assigned to the relevant IT professional whilst ensuring that the most prominent security issues are fixed before it is too late.

We will work with your company to understand the criteria for prioritising your risks, as a range of internal and external influences will mean this is a slightly different process for every company.

During this, we characterise all risks under three main headings: Fix immediately, Fix as a second priority, and Investigate due to future risks.

We also treat each risk individually to scope out all contributing factors correctly and, as a result, provide it with a score relating to its urgency.

Step Three: Implement Vulnerability Fixes

The Creative Networks team of professionals are equipped to deal with all forms of issues, meaning that fixes pose no issues for us. As vulnerabilities by nature pertain to weakness, this process involves fixing the immediate issue, understanding how the risk can be mitigated in the longer term, and providing alternative operating suggestions if it is deemed not safe to proceed.

Our services cover ISO security compliance, all facets of cyber security, IT support and cloud assets, and telecommunications, meaning we can provide a fix for all areas of an IT infrastructure.

Some risks cannot be removed. If this is the case, it is then our job to create other processes that can keep a company safe such as providing contingency planning and risk management strategies so that issues can be resolved quickly.

Step Four: Reporting

To wrap up the process, we provide full reports that can be stored so that your company always remains security compliant. This offers a way for any business to operate with transparency in mind so that the entire company can take control of their own security.

• Secure companies appeal to customers, new employees, and retain a competitive advantage.
• The money that you could stand to lose if breaches are successful would be much more than if you had invested in vulnerability management.
• It feeds into all aspects of IT and business operations. This also ensures that decision making can be done much more efficiently and with data to back up outcomes.
• The risks continue to get higher for businesses of all sectors.

With more than 15 years of experience, we have lots of proven experience in helping companies create secure networks. As you can see from our case studies, this has spanned across companies of all shapes and sizes, meaning we can offer a bespoke solution for any need.

Our outsourced services also allow you to reduce overall spending on risk management and wider IT support as you can combine services under just one fee. The simplified way of working is ideal for companies that want to operate more efficiently and without expensive contractual constraints.

When you choose to work with us, you will also gain access to not expertise in all areas of IT, as our team has varied skill sets. To bring that amount of talent in-house would cost you greatly and be different, given how hard IT recruitment can be. You can also check out our blog as a representation of how many areas IT that we have specialist knowledge within.

By providing the full process of vulnerability assessment and resolution, we eliminate the need for you to expose your sensitive data to additional parties.

You will also benefit from best-in-class service as providing excellent results is something we hold highly important, which can be seen in our 5-star Google rating!

Not convinced? You can find out more benefits of working with Creative Networks by clicking here.

If professional management of your companies Vulnerability Management is something that you want to invest in, then please do get in touch with today to find out more about our services.

In every business, levels of IT understanding are likely to differentiate. Level 1 IT Support is a hands-on approach to dealing with issues that arise daily.

Offering a way to manage issues and direct them to the various departments if need be, this levels of support is a lifeline to many companies who want to operate professionally but still stick to their budgets.

To find out more about our own levels of IT support, contact us today!