Out of all data breaches related to cloud services, 34% are caused by the unauthorized use of privileged accounts. Surprisingly, over 90% of users only make use of 5% of the access they are given. Do you notice a trend here?
With the abundance of access and limited time, manually reviewing all security controls becomes a daunting task. Thankfully, a reliable vulnerability scanner for the cloud can greatly alleviate this issue. Let us assist you in finding the perfect one for your business needs.
A cloud vulnerability scanner that is automated enables you to maintain vigilance while saving time. This means that you can establish a secure cloud environment without sacrificing the speed of your operations.
Top 5 Vulnerability Scanners for Cloud Environments
Features of Cloud Vulnerability Scanners include:
- Astra Pentest, which offers over 8000 tests, integrates with CI/CD, can scan behind logged-in pages, conducts compliance-specific scans, provides risk scores, and offers remediation support.
- Qualys, which allows for visibility across all IT assets and real-time network analysis.
- Intruder, which provides attack surface monitoring.
- Aqua, which utilizes a cloud agent, offers run time protection, and provides compliance assistance.
- Orca Security, which also offers compliance assistance.
What is the process of a cloud vulnerability scanner?
A vulnerability scanner for cloud is a software that automates the task of detecting vulnerabilities in applications hosted on the cloud.
The scanner investigates the target system by sending specific requests and monitoring the resulting responses. It then compares these responses with information from a database of vulnerabilities. If any unusual responses are detected, the scanner will highlight the issue and generate a report.
A vulnerability scanner that operates in the cloud is able to conduct scans without causing any strain on your servers, ensuring uninterrupted business operations. This tool is helpful in resolving various complex security concerns, including misconfiguration, unauthorized access, insecure interfaces, and account hijacking.
4 Steps for Conducting Cloud Vulnerability Scanning
Scanning Planning and Scope:
During this phase, it is important to establish the extent of the scan. This involves identifying the specific cloud-based assets that require scanning and specifying the frequency of the scans.
Before conducting a cloud vulnerability scan, it is essential to consider the policies set by cloud providers. This step is critical to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the scan.
The Importance of Vulnerability Scanning:
During this phase, the scanner will detect any weaknesses in your application that is hosted on the cloud.
Documentation:
During this phase, businesses offering cloud security scans will produce a document outlining the results of the scan. The report on vulnerability assessment typically contains a breakdown of identified vulnerabilities, organized by level of severity.
Furthermore, the report includes the test cases utilized during the scan, as well as recommendations for addressing the identified issues.
Corrective Action:
The recommendations provided are utilized by your developers to address the most significant vulnerabilities promptly, followed by tackling the remaining issues in order of importance. Certain cloud vulnerability assessment providers even offer the assistance of security experts.
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7 essential qualities to consider when choosing a vulnerability scanner for cloud environments
Performing vulnerability scans on the cloud differs slightly from scanning websites, as the scanner must be compatible with the cloud infrastructure and take into account other factors such as cloud security policies and guidelines. It is crucial to choose the appropriate tool initially. Listed below are some key features that can greatly benefit your business in the future.
Compatible with GCP, AWS, and Azure
It is important for your scanner to have the capability of supporting all the leading cloud providers. This feature will enable you to perform vulnerability scans on various cloud environments and obtain a holistic understanding of your application’s security status.
Tailored for the security policies established by the cloud service provider
The chosen cloud provider will have a specific set of security policies implemented. The scanner must be capable of following these policies to ensure there are no concerns regarding compliance.
Utilizing cloud scanning to avoid overloading the servers
As previously stated, cloud-based automated vulnerability scanners are responsible for conducting scans in the cloud. This relieves your servers from the burden of the scan, allowing them to operate smoothly without any interruptions.
Integration of CI/CD and Ongoing Scanning
The integration of the scanner with your CI/CD pipeline enables automated scans, allowing for regular vulnerability checks of your application.
Scans tailored for compliance purposes
Based on the type of business you are in, you may be obligated to adhere to specific guidelines. It is essential for the cloud vulnerability scanning tool to conduct scans that are specific to compliance so that you can ensure the adequacy of your application.
Comprehensive reporting using video proof-of-concepts
A comprehensive report should be obtained, containing all necessary information regarding the vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the report should also contain video proof-of-concepts in order to demonstrate the functionality of the exploit.
Assistance with Remediation
For the cloud security scanner, it is not sufficient to simply detect the vulnerabilities. It is also important for the scanner to offer guidance on resolving the issues in order to promptly remediate them.
After gaining an understanding of the key features to consider when selecting a cloud vulnerability scanner, it is now important to examine the top tools available in the market.
Top 5 Reviewed Cloud Vulnerability Scanners
You may already be acquainted with a few of the leading cloud vulnerability scanning tools. Here is a more comprehensive perspective.
Astra Penetration Testing
Astra Pentest offers a thorough security testing solution for cloud-based applications by combining automated vulnerability scanning and manual pentesting. The suite provided by Astra Security is specifically designed to enhance and simplify cloud vulnerability assessment for users.
The team of security engineers at Astra is constantly vigilant in their search for fresh opportunities to enhance the performance of the scanner.
The scanner regulations are regularly updated on a weekly basis in order to maintain a competitive edge. Our focus on closely monitoring every aspect of the user experience has resulted in the creation of an exceptional cloud vulnerability scanner suitable for all scenarios.
Important characteristics
The cloud is utilized for the scans, alleviating stress on your servers. The dashboard for managing vulnerabilities enables collaboration with security professionals for remedying issues. Integration with your CI/CD pipeline is possible with the scanner. Specific scans for compliance can be conducted to enhance readiness for audits. More than 8000 tests are included, covering various significant CVEs. To prevent any false positives, manual pentests are conducted to identify business logic errors.
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Allow professionals to identify any vulnerabilities in your cloud infrastructure
The outcomes of pen-testing are achieved without the need for 100 emails, 250 Google searches, and extensive PDFs.
Qualys
The cloud-based vulnerability scanner, Qualys Cloud Platform, grants users full insight into their cloud infrastructure. It presents an all-in-one dashboard for monitoring assets, vulnerabilities, and compliance status.
The platform is regularly refreshed with the most recent CVEs to ensure that all potential threats are identified. Moreover, Qualys provides a cloud agent that can be utilized to scan your cloud infrastructure for any vulnerabilities.
Important characteristics
- The management, detection, and response of vulnerabilities
- Comprehensive visibility into assets, vulnerabilities, and compliance status within 2 seconds
- Cloud agents available for all devices, mobiles, and endpoints
- Real-time analysis of network traffic.
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Intruder has the capability to conduct various tests, such as penetration testing, DDoS testing, and web application security testing. Furthermore, Intruder provides a cloud agent that enables the scanning of cloud infrastructure for potential vulnerabilities.
Important characteristics
- Ongoing surveillance of potential attack targets
- Thorough examinations of security measures
- Prompt action against emerging threats
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The cloud-based security platform offered by Aqua Security is designed to safeguard your cloud-hosted application. It boasts a variety of capabilities such as scanning for cloud vulnerabilities, protecting during runtime, and managing compliance.
Furthermore, Aqua Security provides a cloud agent that can be utilized to perform vulnerability scans on your cloud infrastructure.
Main characteristics
- The cloud infrastructure can be scanned with the use of a cloud agent
- Compliance management and runtime protection are also offered
- The ability to generate reports and share them with stakeholders is provided
- Vulnerabilities can be tracked and monitored over a period of time
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Orca Security
Sidescanning is a novel technique for cloud vulnerability scanning, introduced by Orca Security. This method eliminates the need for a cloud agent and instead, gathers information directly from your cloud setup.
Orca assists in addressing vulnerabilities that may have been overlooked by traditional agent-based vulnerability scanning solutions.
Main characteristics
- The single graph feature combines all of your cloud assets into one.
- More than 40 CIS benchmarks and all major security regulations are supported by this tool.
- The right teams can easily access actionable data through this tool.
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Why is Astra’s Pentest the best option?
Astra’s Pentest suite performs over 8000 automated tests in order to identify any recurring vulnerabilities. Additionally, you have the option to conduct a manual pentest for a more thorough investigation and exploitation of complex security concerns.
The scanner can be seamlessly integrated into your CI/CD systems, providing assurance that no vulnerable code will be sent to the production stage. Additionally, it can easily integrate with popular platforms such as Slack and Jira, simplifying the process of managing the DevOps workflow.
Astra’s Pentest offers a comprehensive solution for achieving DevSecOps and, most importantly, gaining peace of mind.
Concluding remarks
A vulnerability scanner for cloud services can greatly simplify the tasks of a business owner or information officer, granted that the appropriate one is selected and the insights it provides are utilized to implement beneficial alterations.
Despite the security measures provided by cloud providers, our apps are still vulnerable to hacking due to their high level of exposure. However, with the implementation of proper precautions and following recommended practices, it is possible to safeguard your cloud-based businesses from potential threats.
Incorporate cloud vulnerability scanning as a routine aspect of the business workflow, considering it a crucial practice, and carefully selecting appropriate tools to ensure success.
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