What is Vulnerability Assessment?

What is Vulnerability Assessment?

Vulnerability assessment is a process that identifies and evaluates potential security vulnerabilities in computer systems, networks, and applications. Its objective is to discover weaknesses and provide recommendations to address them before malicious actors can exploit them.

During a vulnerability assessment, various tools, techniques, and methodologies are employed to identify vulnerabilities such as misconfigurations, software bugs, and design flaws. This assessment can be performed both internally by organizations or externally by specialized security firms.

By conducting regular vulnerability assessments, organizations can proactively identify and address security weaknesses, reducing the risk of cybersecurity incidents such as data breaches, unauthorized access, or service disruptions.

It is important to note that vulnerability assessments differ from penetration testing. While vulnerability assessment aims to identify vulnerabilities, penetration testing simulates attacks to exploit those vulnerabilities to evaluate the effectiveness of security measures in place.