You’ve likely heard of the importance of vulnerability management and cyber threat hunting. But do you know what these practices involve? When used together, you can be confident you’re taking the necessary steps to develop a mature security plan. 

The terms “threat,” “vulnerability,” and “risk” constantly come up in discussions about cybersecurity. Many people use these terms interchangeably, but it’s important to truly comprehend the differences between them.  

Understanding the differences between threat hunting and vulnerability management will help you get a better handle on your data security issues.

What is the difference between a threat and vulnerability?

A cyber threat refers to a possible danger that might damage your computer network or system. It’s important to identify threats, but they can’t necessarily be controlled. Threats can cause harm when your organization has security vulnerabilities. 

Vulnerability is the state of being susceptible to an attack due to security flaws in your system. Vulnerabilities can be identified and corrected to protect your organization. 

Risk refers to the potential for damage when a threat exploits a vulnerability. 

For example, forgetting to lock your front door leaves you vulnerable to theft. A burglar is a threat who could use your vulnerability to his or her advantage and enter your home, putting you at risk. Burglars’ actions are outside of your control, but you can come up with ways to minimize the damage they could cause. Such as, at the very least, locking your front door. 

What Is Cyber Threat Hunting?

Cyber threat hunting refers to the process of seeking out threat actors before they successfully launch an attack on your system. It’s a proactive method of cybersecurity that combines threat intelligence and automated security tools with human analysis. While automation plays a major role in maintaining cybersecurity, cyber threat hunting still relies on human intelligence. 

Threat hunting is necessary to get ahead of sophisticated cybersecurity threats. Inspired by a range of motives, cybercriminals are finding creative ways to evade traditional detection methods. In the ever-evolving threat landscape, even the most secure networks are at risk of attack by skilled and elusive hackers. 

The benefits of cyber threat hunting include:  

• Improved detection of advanced threats 
• Reduced time detecting threats 
• Creating new ways to find threats 
• Eliminating blind spots 
• Identifying threats in all areas of your digital environment

What Is Vulnerability Management?

Vulnerability management is a proactive approach to managing network security by mitigating or preventing the exploitation of IT vulnerabilities. The goal is ultimately to reduce the likelihood that your system will be compromised.  

This process identifies, analyzes, and responds to weaknesses in your system where threat actors are likely to attack. To be successful, organizations must continuously update their system to keep up with security threats and trends. Vulnerability management should be the cornerstone of every company’s security program. In fact, companies are often obligated to maintain a vulnerability management program by compliance frameworks. 

Practicing vulnerability management strengthens your entire network security. Some of the major benefits include:  

• Improving your cybersecurity posture 
• Knowing which risks to prioritize 
• Ensuring your data is protected 24/7 
• Saving time and money 

The only way to protect your network is to have a clear understanding of what’s going on in it. With cyber threats becoming more frequent and complex, organizations need to be proactive in their cybersecurity efforts. Not all vulnerabilities are created equal. Vulnerability management helps you determine where to focus your security resources and budget so you can make smart decisions. 

How Can You Get Started?  

To get started you need to develop a process for how threat hunting and vulnerability management should take place. Many companies want to start these processes but lack the resources to do so. Cyber threat hunting and vulnerability management are analyst-driven processes. Your company needs threat analysts who have information security, forensic science, and intelligence analysis skills. That’s where Difenda comes in. We’ll work alongside your security team to reconcile vulnerabilities, build indicators of compromise, and profile the tactics, techniques, and procedures of your adversary’s needs.