What does vulnerability management focus on?

Vulnerability management is a proactive approach within cybersecurity that specifically targets the identification and assessment of weaknesses in an organization's assets, including systems, networks, and applications. By focusing on identifying these vulnerabilities, organizations can prioritize which risks need to be addressed and develop mitigation strategies to reduce the likelihood of exploitation by adversaries.

The process begins with comprehensive scans and assessments to uncover potential vulnerabilities, often utilizing tools and methodologies designed to evaluate the security posture of the IT environment. Once identified, the organization can then implement appropriate measures, including applying software patches, configuring systems securely, or instituting policies to reduce risk.

In contrast, while installing software updates, enhancing employee training, and creating user policies are all important aspects of overall cybersecurity strategy, they are not the primary focus of vulnerability management itself. Instead, these actions are typically steps taken as a result of the vulnerabilities identified in the management process to improve overall security posture.