Computing systems and applications pose an inherent risk to IT

Prompt: Computing systems and applications pose an inherent risk to IT as they contain vulnerabilities that can be exploited. IT security professionals must quickly identify vulnerabilities and provide ongoing and consistent remediation or mitigation measures to prevent exploitation of them. The time between discovery of a vulnerability and when the vulnerability is patched provides a window of opportunity for a threat actor to exploit the system. Vulnerability scanners enable detection of vulnerabilities across various computing devices and applications in to reduce risk breaches or compromise. Assignment: PEER POST # 1 Vulnerability management within an information security plan is important because there must be a robust plan in place to cover the interim period between the time a threat is identified and when it has been patched to protect both data and personnel from active threat actors. It goes without saying that the longer a threat actor has to create havoc and exploit system vulnerabilities the greater the problem will become. Finding ways to mitigate the threat and quickly close the window of opportunity reduces the risk of prolonged exposure extensive damage or breaches. As Manage Engine so correctly reminded us “If youre going to do it more than once automate it” and this is where vulnerability scanners and patch management software come in handy. Implementing these automated processes allow for continuous monitoring of vulnerabilities appropriate system alerts followed by the application of patches as needed. These automated systems help to reduce system-wide failures thus increasing productivity. PEER POST # 2 Vulnerability management is one of the most important aspects of an information security plan. Vulnerabilities are ways the information system could be exploited by bad actors to gain access to the secure information the security plan was developed to protect. You cannot have an information security plan that does not address vulnerability management. Reducing the window of opportunity for a threat actor is critical for maintaining a secure system. The longer a vulnerability is permitted to exist the more time threat actors have to exploit that vulnerability. The faster a vulnerability is identified and remedied the less likely a threat actor will be able to use that vulnerability to compromise the system. Vulnerability scanners and patch management are the mechanisms used to reduce the window of opportunity for threat actors. Vulnerability scanners identify vulnerabilities. While patches are how vulnerabilities are fixed. Use of vulnerability scanner paired with an efficiently managed patch development process can greatly reduce opportunity for vulnerabilities on the system to be exploited. Requirements: 2 paragraphs total. 5-6 sentence paragraph for each peer post. | .doc file Do you agree or disagree with your peers’ perspectives on the importance of vulnerability management and patch management? Expand upon your ideas and support your stance with internal or external resources. Discuss an additional way of reducing the window of opportunity for a threat actor that your peer did not mention. Discuss an additional threat that a vulnerability scanner cannot address that your peer did not mention.