Fundamental Strategies for Vulnerability and Risk Management
Large organizations, including those with access to critical data, are prime targets for cyber-fraud, ransomware attacks, and the exploitation of software and application vulnerabilities.
Overcoming security vulnerabilities involves a holistic approach to vulnerability and operational risk management.
Vulnerability management strategies include continuous identification through scans and audits, risk-based prioritization, and remediation via patching or configuration changes. A robust vulnerability management program should also include layered defenses such as multi-factor authentication, access control, hardware scans, integrity verification, and regular testing to address gaps. Strong foundational practices remain essential for reducing attack surfaces and responding to threats.
Digital operational resilience and vulnerability management have garnered increased attention recently, largely due to the emergence of frameworks such as DORA. Updates to compliance-based legislation, such as PCI-DSS and GDPR, also include an expanded definition for identifying and managing security risks and vulnerabilities.
Organizations should begin by implementing core strategies for vulnerability management, including:
- Identifying vulnerabilities by performing regular scans to detect weaknesses, including misconfigurations and open ports.
- Assess vulnerabilities based on severity and potential impact to focus remediation efforts on critical issues first.
- Remediate and mitigate security vulnerabilities through patching and configuration improvements, such as hardening systems, disabling unnecessary services, and implementing zero-trust policies and least privileged access.
Implementing these fundamental strategies can help organizations improve their digital resilience and overcome security vulnerabilities.
Implementing Tools to Manage Security Vulnerabilities and Operational Risk
Operational risk management is centered on the assurance that all vulnerabilities associated with business activities are properly identified and understood, that the associated risks are formally assessed and quantified, and that there is a structured process in place for enacting the decisions made by leadership functions to manage vulnerabilities and the associated risks.
Organizations should regularly assess operations to identify and effectively manage risks through tools such as vulnerability scans, control assessments, operational risk event data analysis, and scenario analysis.
Furthermore, organizations can implement defensive measures such as:
- Access Control – Implement multi-factor authentication, user management tools, and restrict administrative privileges to ensure only authorized users have access.
- Integrity Verification and Alerting: Deploy intrusion detection and prevention systems, and execute file integrity checks regularly to identify unauthorized changes to sensitive data.
- Vulnerability Scans: Identify security weaknesses in systems, networks, and applications through regular vulnerability scanning.
The Rise of AI Assisted Cyber-Fraud and the impact on Vulnerability Management
The rise of AI-assisted cyber-fraud dramatically increases the volume, speed, and sophistication of attacks, forcing a shift in vulnerability management from manual, reactive processes to proactive, AI-driven defense strategies.
Organizations are under constant pressure to defend against increasingly sophisticated attacks.
The World Economic Forum recently released the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 report. The report was produced in collaboration with Accenture. The data collected for the 2025 report defined ransomware attacks as the top concern for CEO’s, followed by cyber-enabled fraud and phishing, and supply chain disruptions.
For the 2026 report, ransomware did not make the top three list. Cyber-fraud has become the top concern, followed by AI vulnerabilities and the exploitation of software flaws.
A survey conducted for the WEF analysis found that 73% of CEOs were personally affected, or knew a business leader affected by cyber-enabled fraud in 2025.
Additionally, an increase has also been reported for AI vulnerabilities, supply chain disruption, and vulnerability exploitation.
“This suggests CEOs are prioritizing financial loss prevention and preparing for new threats, while CISOs remain focused on operational resilience,” the WEF said in its report.
In 2025, the primary fear was adversarial AI, cited by 47% of respondents. In 2026, the top concern has shifted to unintended data exposure (34%) caused by employees using generative AI tools internally, while adversarial capabilities have dropped to second place (29%).
The acceleration and increased sophistication of AI-driven threats have a profound impact on vulnerability management practices. By integrating fundamental vulnerability management strategies into security operations, organizations can build resilient, future-ready defenses capable of keeping pace with the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-enabled cybercrime.
How can Vulnerability Scanning Strengthen Operational Resilience?
Vulnerability Scanning is an integral part of a holistic approach to Vulnerability Management. It is defined as the practice of identifying security weaknesses in systems, networks, and applications. Organizations can proactively address vulnerabilities by conducting regular scans, which reduce the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches.
Vulnerability scanning also helps organizations maintain compliance with industry regulations and security standards, as many frameworks require periodic vulnerability assessments. Implementing vulnerability scanning also demonstrates a commitment to data protection, instills confidence in stakeholders, and strengthens overall security measures.
Regulatory compliance is no small undertaking. It requires the right partner to ensure not only compliance but also an environment of readiness and continuous improvement.
Identify Vulnerabilities in your HPE Nonstop System
CSP has been an innovator in NonStop security for over thirty years and understands the complex security challenges facing the NonStop platform.
No organization is immune to threats. Corporations cannot trust any single element within their organizations. Inaction to provide protection, hoping for the best, is not a strategy.
CSP understands enterprises must continuously check their NonStop systems for inconsistencies, so we developed CSP Vulnerability Scanner v3.0, an easy-to-use vulnerability scanning and reporting tool for NonStop Systems.
CSP Vulnerability Scanner is a vulnerability scanning and reporting solution for HPE NonStop systems that analyzes risks and identifies vulnerabilities by checking the NonStop system’s configuration, access permissions, and security settings. It generates insightful reports for users and recommends changes to improve the security posture.
There is no GUI to install, and users can run reports from TACL and export them using Spoolview. Vulnerability Scanner is also easy to install and use.
CSP Vulnerability Scanner version 3.0 is available now. VulScan v3.0 can now scan Pathways and the OSS environment.
It includes all the features and reports from our previous release, but we have now enhanced it with several new OSS and Pathway reports. Request a free evaluation copy today!
New OSS Reports in v3.0
- OSS File Verification Report
- OSS User Access Report
- OSS Orphan Files Report
- OSS SetUID/SetGID report
- OSS Directory Contents report
- OSS Symbolic Links report
New Pathway Reports in v3.0
- Pathway Files Report: List files containing Pathway commands and TPS objects.
- Compare History of Pathway Files:
- Summary report of Pathway files added/deleted between two reports.
- Details report of Pathway files added/deleted between two reports.
Key Features:
- Scans NonStop systems to identify vulnerabilities
- Provides recommendations to improve security
- Very easy to install and use
- Quickly perform scans and generate insightful reports
- Easily select from list of available reports
- Export reports with Spoolview
- Share reports with management and auditors
Vulnerability Scanner includes various reports within each report category, which helps generate more customized and focused reports.
When it comes to securing your NonStop Systems, you have options. For more information about the CSP Vulnerability Scanner, visit CSPsecurity.com.
CSP – The Superior Choice in NonStop Security
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