Software flaws and hardware vulnerabilities are inevitable in our tech-laden world. Every year, thousands of them are publicly disclosed. In order to standardize how such issues are cataloged across the global tech ecosystem, the industry has developed what is known as the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system.
While the system is an absolute necessity, the cybersecurity experts at DarkOwl insist that identifying vulnerabilities does not go far enough. The sheer volume of new CVE disclosures security analysts face on a monthly basis is overwhelming. DarkOwl recommends bridging the gap between security flaws and fixing them with SOAR platform integration.
More About CVEs
A CVE disclosure is essentially a standardized dictionary entry into the broader system. It is assigned a unique, publicly accessible identifier in the following format: CVE-xxxx-xxxxx. Disclosures can be related to confirmed security vulnerabilities, software exposures, firmware flaws, etc.
This dictionary database is managed by the MITRE Corporation in cooperation with recognized CVE Numbering Authorities (CNAs). In the end, it provides a unified naming convention that security professionals worldwide depend on. The convention ensures that they all speak the same language.
Each CVE entry comprises four components:
- Its unique identifier
- A detailed description
- A severity score
- A list of public references
It is easy to see the benefits of the CVE database. But it has an inherent weakness: while the database can reveal what needs fixing, manually evaluating every potential vulnerability and comparing it against internal infrastructure is a massive undertaking.
Vulnerability Management Is a Challenge
CVE disclosures are scored based on their relative risk. When a critical CVE drops, security teams are immediately faced with a significant management challenge. They must:
- Identify the internal assets affected by the flaw
- Determine whether the assets are exposed to the internet
- Evaluate the business impacts of leaving the flaw exposed versus applying a patch
- Coordinate with IT teams to mitigate any potential damage
Managing the process manually involves scanning spreadsheets, monitoring ticketing queues, relying on disparate scanning tools, and making uninformed triage decisions. Stopping a threat can take weeks. This is a problem because threat actors know they can still take advantage of a limited window to launch automated exploits against unprotected systems before remediation efforts kick in.
SOAR Platform Integration Transforms Remediation
Effective remediation is the impetus behind the CVE system. DarkOwl points to SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) platforms as the ideal tools for creating rapid response workflows. SOAR platform integration automates repetitive tasks. It streamlines workflows and brings together disparate security tools.
Implementing robust integration changes the game. Static vulnerability management becomes an automated pipeline moving at machine speed. The results are undeniable:
- Automated data enrichment that correlates severity scores with internal risk exposure
- Machine-speed remediation through automated SOAR playbooks
- Cross-functional workflow orchestration that coordinates and verifies remediation efforts
- Automated asset and notification pipelines that significantly reduce human error
As you might have guessed, automation plays a huge role in SOAR platform integration. Automation is SOAR’s superpower, so to speak. It allows everything from initial threat assessments to post-incident reporting to move so much faster.
Close the Exposure Window
Reading and analyzing incoming CVEs is critically important to cybersecurity. But knowledge of a security flaw is of little value if an organization is unable to act on it swiftly. SOAR platform integration represents the best way to move quickly and on demand.
SOAR platforms leverage automation and orchestration capabilities to improve triage. They improve workflows for better patch deployment. They quickly close security gaps before adversaries are able to exploit them. Why would a security team not want to implement SOAR integration?