Qualys Expands Cybersecurity Asset Management Solution Capabilities

Qualys Inc., a leading provider of cutting-edge cloud-based IT, security, and compliance solutions, has announced its intention to bolster Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management with the capability to identify unmanaged and untrusted devices in real-time.

This enhancement leverages the Qualys Cloud Agent to maintain continuous monitoring of the network. By introducing a passive discovery method that complements existing scanning techniques, agent-based approaches, and API-driven discovery methods, Qualys aims to provide organizations with a more comprehensive view of their assets. This inclusive approach enables organizations to construct a detailed asset inventory, accurately assess the associated risks, and prioritize risk mitigation efforts based on their business impact.

This initiative underscores Qualys' commitment to empowering organizations to bolster their cybersecurity posture by efficiently managing and securing their assets against emerging threats in real-time. The necessity for such capabilities is highlighted by the widespread occurrence of cyberattacks that exploit vulnerabilities in unknown or unmanaged assets, such as software, cloud-based workloads, user accounts, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Qualys aims to tackle this challenge by providing security teams with enhanced visibility into their internal network. By leveraging advanced detection and mitigation capabilities, organizations can proactively identify and address threats without causing disruptions to their operations. This proactive approach enables organizations to stay ahead of evolving cybersecurity threats and safeguard their assets effectively.

The integration of passive sensing into Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management offers several benefits for organizations:

1. Comprehensive Internal Attack Surface Coverage: Passive discovery enables the detection of previously overlooked IoT devices, unauthorized cloud instances, and other network devices. This expanded visibility enhances organizations' ability to manage vulnerabilities and maintain compliance by addressing areas that may have been missed with traditional scanning methods.

2. Facilitation of Zero Trust Security Architecture: The solution actively identifies devices connected to the network that lack proper authentication, security agents, or are otherwise considered untrusted. This proactive approach allows organizations to assess cyber risks in real-time, helping them to implement a Zero Trust Security Architecture where trust is never assumed and verification is required from anyone trying to access resources on the network.

3. Enhanced CMDB Accuracy and Coverage: Discovered assets through passive sensing are automatically incorporated into the configuration management database (CMDB). This integration provides IT teams with a more comprehensive view of the organization's asset inventory, facilitating better management throughout the asset lifecycle and enabling more effective addressing of cyber risks.

In summary, the integration of passive sensing into Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management significantly bolsters organizations' cybersecurity posture. This enhancement offers several key benefits, including enhanced visibility into network assets, proactive threat detection capabilities, and improved asset management capabilities. By providing organizations with a comprehensive understanding of their digital environment and enabling them to detect and respond to threats in real-time, passive sensing plays a crucial role in strengthening overall cybersecurity defenses.

Sumedh Thakar, President and CEO of Qualys, has stressed the importance of passive discovery in broadening attack surface coverage without adding extra overhead or resource requirements. This enhancement provides organizations with increased visibility into unknown devices, which is crucial for defending against shadow IT and advancing towards a Zero Trust Security Architecture. Thakar's emphasis underscores the pivotal role that passive discovery plays in enhancing cybersecurity strategies by offering a more comprehensive understanding of network assets and potential vulnerabilities.