Which Vulnerability Management Solution to Choose? Focus on Qualys

Networks are complicated and always changing. Systems get added, software and code is updated, middleware shifts. With this degree of complexity and flux, vulnerabilities are inevitable: in operating systems, in applications, in browsers, in every kind of software. These vulnerabilities can allow hackers and attackers to infect systems and breach security.

If you can lessen the incidence and impact of vulnerabilities, you can better protect yourself. To this end, enterprises undertake what has been termed vulnerability management. They scan their infrastructure for vulnerabilities, and when they find them, they combat them with patches and other solutions.

To help them do this, there are various vulnerability management solutions. These tools both carry out the scanning, and suggest the remediation action. They are intended to be less reactive, and more proactive, reducing the chance of network attacks.

Within the vulnerability management solution space, there are three big hitters: Rapid7, Qualys and Nessus. Here’s everything you need to know about Qualys.

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Focus on Qualys

Qualys have been around for a while. They have some impressive clients, including Cisco, DuPont, Sabre, and Sony. Though there have been various rebranding and product consolidation efforts, the flagship suite is now called the Qualys Cloud Platform. This consolidates everything associated with vulnerability management and monitoring.

Qualys is generally regarded as not quite as intuitive as Rapid7. The interface has a lot of modules and moving parts. Once you get to grips with these, though, some of them are fantastic: live the live, threat intelligence feed security updates.

Qualys is comfier in the cloud. It has the best cloud/web app security features, and is the best at scanning across infrastructure setups that involve complex cloud interactions. Unlike Rapid7, it can be deployed as an on-premise or as 100% SaaS-based. Qualys only provides a non-REST, XML-based API for integrating custom applications.

Qualys didn’t start out open source, so it’s more of a black box than Rapid7. That said, they do have an active community website containing decent forums and resources.

If you’re heavily cloud-based, Qualys are the option. Also, if you’re big on IT operations management (ITOM), Qualys have the better functionality.

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