The most adaptable of the three architectures, however, are the software-based solutions. Architects can dictate, for example, the hardware configuration of the management server. They might choose a highly available and expensive server with dual power supplies, a sophisticated RAID array, and redundant NICs, or an affordable system with just the basics. That flexibility comes with additional internal costs. Someone has to design the solution, buy it, install it, test it, lock it down, and eventually support it.
CANNED SMARTS
VA products have evolved from simple port scanners to sophisticated analysis engines that not only find vulnerabilities but assess the severity of threats.
An example of this growing sophistication is the ability of other security tools to use data gathered by VA products. For instance, an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can use vulnerability information gathered during scans. VA products define the layout of the network; IDSs, in turn, use information such as the underlying server configurations, OSs, and application sets to better sift through the thousands of alerts seen each day.
With VA data on hand, the IDS can first determine if the vulnerability is present by comparing the VA database against an alert signature. If the target system is at risk, then an alert can be generated. For example, if a MS RPC/DCOM attack is targeted at a Unix system running Apache Web Server, then a lower-level alert can be generated.
To realize the benefits of cloud-native software, an application must actually be cloud-native—designed to run in the cloud, interacting with disaggregated cloud services, fully manageable as code—to deliver the expected benefits.
By combining resources and expertise, the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium will offer a blueprint for how industries can adapt to an AI-dominated future.
IT leaders should heed the guidance of cybersecurity insurance providers who think businesses should prioritize security education, incident preparedness, regular internal audits, and ongoing vulnerability scanning and patching.
