What are known exploited vulnerabilities?
In today’s digital age, where cyber threats endanger everywhere, understanding known exploited vulnerabilities is critical for security analysts. This article explores what known exploited vulnerabilities are, why they pose a significant risk, and how we can mitigate them to safeguard our organization’s assets.
Exploited vulnerabilities
All vulnerabilities are not exploited equally in the world. Some vulnerabilities are exploited more often due to various factors such as high attack surface, easy availability of the exploit payload, high impact, and more. The known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs) are a subset of vulnerabilities (more precisely, a subset of
Unlike theoretical vulnerabilities, these are real-world susceptibilities that threat actors leverage to compromise systems, pilfer data, or perpetrate other nefarious deeds. KEVs specifically denote vulnerabilities that have been confirmed to be actively exploited by attackers.
Where do we find the actively exploited vulnerabilities?
We can confirm that a vulnerability is being actively exploited through cybersecurity incident analysis, threat intelligence, and security research. The following are some sources where we can find about these KEVs.
Common sources
Various sources provide information about exploited vulnerabilities, such as CVEs, NVD, OSVDB, etc., but above them is the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) KEVs catalog, which started in 2022 and is currently considered one of the authoritative sources out there. The CISA maintains a catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities that have been actively targeted by threat actors. This catalog provides detailed information about vulnerabilities that pose a significant risk to organizations and includes mitigation recommendations to address them.
It is highly recommended by CISA that all industries, whether public or private, greatly improve their security and resilience posture by giving top priority to fixing the vulnerabilities included in the KEV catalog. As part of our vulnerability management approach, we need to make it mandatory to resolve KEV catalog vulnerabilities immediately. This will build collective resilience across the cybersecurity community.
Point to Ponder
Which vulnerability qualifies for the CISA KEVs catalog?
Impacts and risks
Known exploited vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous for several reasons:
Widespread impact: Exploited vulnerabilities can harm many systems and applications, leading to widespread attacks globally.
Attackers can launch widespread campaigns, causing financial losses, reputational damage, personal data theft, and even threats to critical infrastructure and national security.
Cybercriminals often reuse techniques and vulnerabilities, increasing the risk of future exploitation once a flaw is successfully breached.
Ease of exploitation: Exploited vulnerabilities are a cybercriminal goldmine for attackers. Leveraging available tools and techniques, attackers exploit known vulnerabilities, providing a blueprint for serious attacks. Even the least skilled hackers can find and use exploit code online, increasing the risk for organizations.
Delayed patching: Organizations may delay patching known vulnerabilities due to compatibility issues, resource constraints, or negligence. This delay gives attackers a window of opportunity to exploit the vulnerability before it’s fixed.
Mitigating strategies
To mitigate the risks associated with known exploited vulnerabilities, security analysts can adopt several proactive measures:
Vulnerability management: The KEV catalog is essential for organizations to prioritize remediation efforts based on vulnerabilities causing immediate harm due to adversary activity. It is recommended that the KEV catalog be incorporated into vulnerability management frameworks and that automated tools for vulnerability and patch management flag or prioritize KEV vulnerabilities.
Scanning and monitoring: Conduct routine vulnerability scans utilizing specialized tools to pinpoint weaknesses in the infrastructure before attackers exploit them. Regularly monitor vendor security advisories and prioritize patch deployment for known vulnerabilities.
Network defense: Divide your network into smaller, isolated segments to contain the impact of potential breaches and limit the damage inflicted by exploited vulnerabilities. Deploy IDPS solutions to detect and prevent malicious activities targeting known vulnerabilities in real time, strengthening the defense against potential exploits.
Training and education: Educate users and employees on cybersecurity best practices, such as discerning suspicious links, practicing robust password hygiene, and remaining vigilant against social engineering ploys. Well-informed users serve as an additional layer of defense against exploits.
Conclusion
Known exploited vulnerabilities pose a significant threat to organizations, necessitating proactive measures to safeguard digital assets. Security analysts can effectively mitigate these risks by comprehending their nature and implementing robust security protocols. Through vigilance, education, and prioritized security measures, organizations can fortify their defenses against cyber threats, ensuring the integrity and security of their digital infrastructure.
