Effective Vulnerability Management - by Chris Hughes & Nikki Robinson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Infuse efficiency into risk mitigation practices by optimizing resource use with the latest best practices in vulnerability management

Organizations spend tremendous time and resources addressing vulnerabilities to their technology, software, and organizations. But are those time and resources well spent? Often, the answer is no, because we rely on outdated practices and inefficient, scattershot approaches. Effective Vulnerability Management takes a fresh look at a core component of cybersecurity, revealing the practices, processes, and tools that can enable today's organizations to mitigate risk efficiently and expediently in the era of Cloud, DevSecOps and Zero Trust.

Every organization now relies on third-party software and services, ever-changing cloud technologies, and business practices that introduce tremendous potential for risk, requiring constant vigilance. It's more crucial than ever for organizations to successfully minimize the risk to the rest of the organization's success. This book describes the assessment, planning, monitoring, and resource allocation tasks each company must undertake for successful vulnerability management. And it enables readers to do away with unnecessary steps, streamlining the process of securing organizational data and operations. It also covers key emerging domains such as software supply chain security and human factors in cybersecurity.

• Learn the important difference between asset management, patch management, and vulnerability management and how they need to function cohesively
• Build a real-time understanding of risk through secure configuration and continuous monitoring
• Implement best practices like vulnerability scoring, prioritization and design interactions to reduce risks from human psychology and behaviors
• Discover new types of attacks like vulnerability chaining, and find out how to secure your assets against them

Effective Vulnerability Management is a new and essential volume for executives, risk program leaders, engineers, systems administrators, and anyone involved in managing systems and software in our modern digitally-driven society.

From the Back Cover

SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS BY MINIMIZING IT RISK IN THE CLOUD ERA

Modern businesses employ dozens of third-party, cloud-based tools to get work done. Technology managers need to be well versed in the holistic practice of knowing their systems, their interconnections, and the resulting risk exposure. Armed with that knowledge, it becomes possible to plan and prioritize limited budgets to mobilize a cost-effective vulnerability management program. From two leading minds in cybersecurity, Effective Vulnerability Management explores the multifaceted approach that today's organizations must take to effectively mitigate risk introduced by complex software ecosystems.

With this book, readers will learn why it isn't enough to simply "apply a patch" to fix known software flaws. True vulnerability management requires consistently monitoring systems and vulnerability databases. It also requires addressing the human element, identifying and addressing psychological factors that interact with software ecosystems to create emergent vulnerabilities. Authors Chris Hughes and Nikki Robinson provide a comprehensive discussion of these issues and their solutions.

It is essential to dedicate time and resources to preventing attacks and exploitations, yet it can be challenging to justify these expenditures, and indeed many outdated and disengaged vulnerability management practices offer inadequate protection. Effective Vulnerability Management shows the way toward more efficient, more effective strategies that respond to today's unique threats.

About the Author

CHRIS HUGHES, M.S., MBA, currently serves as the Co-Founder and President at Aquia and has 20 years of IT/Cybersecurity experience in the public and private sectors. He is also an adjunct professor for M.S. Cybersecurity programs. Chris co-hosts the Resilient Cyber Podcast and also serves as a Cyber Innovation Fellow at CISA.

NIKKI ROBINSON, DSc, PhD, is a Security Architect and Professor of Practice at Capitol Technology University. She holds a DSc in Cybersecurity and a PhD in Human Factors.