Just as an IT professional may run a vulnerability scanner on your system to find security gaps they need to close, the bad guys have vulnerability scanners too. Cybercriminals use vulnerability scanners to find security gaps they can use to get into your network and technology systems. These scanners operate based on known vulnerabilities. These security gaps are either made public by the developers themselves as they issue patches to close them or by another attacker exploiting them and advertising how they got access.

A recent study found that software security gaps accounted for 31% of ways cybercriminals got into systems. Vulnerability scanners are now being seen in action only 15 minutes after a security gap is made public. While the numbers can be scary, three important steps will lower your risk of being caught vulnerable.

How to keep up:

1. Know what software you use. You cannot patch software you do not know you are running. A whopping 21% of cyberattacks on organizations in 2021 were on software no one mentioned to IT. If you are not sure you know all the software in use at your organization, schedule a call with one of our team members.
2. Keep an eye out for breaches. If you use a service that has reported a breach, you have work to do. Make sure all of your systems are as up to date as possible and change out any related passwords immediately.
3. Patch your software regularly. Whether you have an IT department, engage an MSP, or handle updates on your own, they include important security patches. If you handle your own updates, schedule a time every week or so to check for OS and software updates you need to apply.

For more details, go to the original post at Bleeping Computer.