When Preparing for GDPR, Don’t Neglect Public Cloud Security

With organizations aggressively moving workloads to public cloud platforms, such as Amazon’s AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft’s Azure, protecting these environments is critical for compliance with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation GDPR. These public cloud platforms are being used to pow...

DevSecOps: Building Continuous Security Into IT and App Infrastructures

With software now at the heart of essential business processes, organizations must build security into their IT and application development pipeline to prevent breaches, avoid compliance violations, and protect digital transformation initiatives. This especially applies to organizations creating...

Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, July 2025 Security Update Review

With cybersecurity threats continuing to evolve, Microsoft's July 2025 Patch Tuesday highlights the need for consistent patching — this month's release includes key fixes for actively exploited vulnerabilities. Here's a quick breakdown of what you need to know. Microsoft Patch Tuesday for July 20...

De-risk the Software Supply Chain by Expanding Unparalleled Detection Coverage With Qualys VMDR and Software Composition Analysis

QIDs/CVEs When it comes to cybersecurity, speed is key in getting an edge over attackers. But when you consider that vulnerabilities weaponize 24 days faster than then they are remediated on average, cybersecurity stakeholders have a lot of catching up to do. While there are many ways defenders c...

Top MITRE ATT&CK Tactics and Techniques Leveraged in 2023

The Qualys Threat Research Unit has mapped vulnerabilities and misconfigurations to the MITRE ATT&CK framework tactics and techniques to help you get the attacker’s view. They have also analyzed vulnerabilities and misconfigurations across all our customers to find the top tactics and techniques...

Real-Time Defense of Multi-Cloud Environments From Malicious Attacks and Threats

Organizations today cannot detect real-time threats at runtime due to the multi-cloud infrastructure, resulting in the possibility of malicious actors exploiting the environment. It is imperative for the modern organization to have a solution to detect advanced run-time threats in real-time to...

Implement Risk-Based Vulnerability Management with Qualys TruRisk™ : Part 1

For today’s CISOs, managing cyber risk is Job 1 priority, and it’s a full-time concern. Security practitioners are spending a considerable amount of time responding to cybersecurity threats and finding ways to reduce risk from threats that are unknown. Earlier this year Qualys introduced Qualys...

Qualys Threat Research Thursday

Welcome to the second edition of the Qualys Research Team’s “Threat Research Thursday”, where we collect and curate notable new tools, techniques, procedures, threat intelligence, cybersecurity news, malware attacks, and more. Feedback on our first edition, Introducing Qualys Threat Research...

Catching the RAT called Agent Tesla

For the last few years, the Qualys Research Team has been observing an infamous "Malware-as-a-service" RAT Remote Access Trojan called Agent Tesla. It first appeared in 2014, and since then many variants have been deployed. This malware uses multiple techniques for evading detection as well as...

Qualys Adds Cloud Agent Linux Support for AWS ARM-Based EC2 Instances

Releasing this week May 26, 2020, Qualys adds Cloud Agent Linux support for Amazon Web Services EC2 instances powered by ARM processors including the new Graviton2 processor. AWS Graviton2 processors power Amazon EC2 M6g, C6g, and R6g instances that provide up to 40% better price performance over...

Policy Compliance Library Updates, March 2020

Qualys’ library of built-in policies makes it easy to comply with the security standards and regulations that are most commonly used and adhered to. Qualys provides a wide range of policies, including many that have been certified by CIS as well as the ones based on security guidelines from OS an...

Qualys Policy Compliance Notification: Policy Library Update

Qualys’ library of built-in policies makes it easy to comply with the security standards and regulations that are most commonly used and adhered to. Qualys provides a wide range of policies, including many that have been certified by CIS as well as the ones based on security guidelines from vendo...

CVE-2026-69414 ShieldBreak Zero-Day: No Patch, and CISA BOD 26-04 Gives You 14 Days

Executive Summary ShieldBreak CVE-2026-69414 is a zero-day elevation-of-privilege vulnerability in the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine used by Microsoft Defender, allowing a low-privilege local attacker to escalate to SYSTEM. A public PoC was released on August 12, 2026, and Microsoft assigne...

Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, February 2026 Security Update Review

Microsoft's February 2026 Patch Tuesday focuses on closing security gaps that attackers could exploit, reinforcing the importance of timely patching in enterprise environments. Here's a quick breakdown of what you need to know. Microsoft Patch Tuesday for February 2026 This month's release...

Risk Fact #3: External-Facing Vulnerabilities Cloud Security Research Risk Fact

Qualys Blog Series – 2023 TotalCloud Security Insights by the Threat Research Unit The 2023 TotalCloud Security Insights report from the Qualys Threat Research Unit TRU provides research insights, best practices, and detailed recommendations organized by five separate Risk Facts. The insights wil...

Part III: Implementing Effective Cyber Security Metrics that Reduce Risk Realistically

We outlined some critical cybersecurity metrics in Part I of this three-part blog series. In the final blog post, we will delve into three crucial aspects outlined in Josh’s article: tactical metrics for operational teams, strategic metrics for leadership, and the metrics addressing the...

How to Quickly Prioritize Risks with VMDR 2.0 and Orchestrate Response with CMDB & ITSM Integration

A single source of truth for asset inventory enables Cybersecurity and IT teams to optimally automate risk prioritization and response. Qualys VMDR 2.0 with TruRiskTM leverages Qualys CSAM to automate the Asset Criticality Score, a key parameter of risk scoring. This blog explains how with insigh...

Qualys Cloud Platform 10.1.0 New Features

The upcoming release of the Qualys Cloud Platform VM, PC, version 10.1.0, includes several new features and enhancements in Qualys Cloud Platform and Qualys Policy Compliance. This release will also add support for new technologies in Qualys Policy Compliance for OCA. 10.1.0 is scheduled to go li...

Video Training Update, July 2019

The Qualys Training team released a major update to the Vulnerability Management Certified Training Course. We’ve also built out two new video libraries showing how to assess business process risk and how to secure cloud infrastructures in DevSecOps environments using AWS Golden AMI pipelines. An...

No More Tears: WannaCry Highlights Importance of Prompt Vulnerability Detection, Remediation

It didn’t have to happen. That’s the simple yet profound lesson from WannaCry’s ransomware rampage that has infected 300,000-plus systems in more than 150 countries, disrupting critical operations across industries, including healthcare, government, transportation and finance. If vulnerable syste...

Inside the 2026 Verizon DBIR: What One Billion Records Revealed About Vulnerability Remediation

The Verizon 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report has been published. Qualys is proud to have served as a research partner and contributor, contributing analysis of more than one billion anonymized vulnerability remediation records across four consecutive DBIR reporting cycles of CISA Known...

Mutagen Astronomy: From Discovery to CISA Recognition—A Seven-Year Journey

Introduction On January 26, 2026,the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA added CVE-2018-14634 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities KEV catalog. The same vulnerability was discovered by the Qualys Threat Research Unit TRU in September 2018. We nicknamed it "Mutagen Astronomy" a...

Award-winning Qualys Vulnerability and Compliance Solution now available on IBM zSystems & LinuxONE

Todays modern IBM mainframe is central to hybrid cloud environments, valued by two-thirds of the Fortune 100 as a highly secured platform for running mission-critical workloads. Not surprisingly, according to a recent IBM commissioned study by Celent, it is estimated that 70% of global bank cards...

New Qualys Research Report: Evolution of Quasar RAT

The Qualys Threat Research Team continues to inform enterprise cybersecurity teams of emerging threats that could impact their business. These threat intelligence reports summarize individual threat exploits and provide practical recommendations for protecting against them. In this free research...

Auto-Discover and Secure Middleware Instances in Your Environment

Enterprise middleware plays a critical role in bringing together many moving parts within an organization, ensuring efficient collaboration, seamless integration and interoperability. A systematic evaluation of middleware architectures is important to thoroughly assess the overall security and...

Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report 2020

One of the most respected publications in cybersecurity is the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report DBIR, analyzing over 150,000 incidents and providing a comprehensive analysis covering the 32,002 incidents and 3950 breaches that meet Verizon's quality standards. I liked very much how they...

Automated and Scalable Audit Workflows with Qualys Security Assessment Questionnaire

Risk and compliance management is a multi-faceted domain with concentrated endeavors towards reducing unacceptable risk potential that could disrupt business, or otherwise negatively impact business performance. IT GRC Governance, Risk and Compliance comprises many tasks related to business and I...

Qualys Cloud Platform 2.44 New Features

This release of the Qualys Cloud Platform version 2.44 includes updates and new features for Cloud Agent and Web Application Scanning, highlights as follows. Cloud Agent User Interface "License Overview" changing to "Activation Overview" on Dashboard – The references to License have been changed ...

Policy Compliance Library Updates, December 2019

Qualys’ library of built-in policies makes it easy to comply with the security standards and regulations that are most commonly used and adhered to. Qualys provides a wide range of policies, including many that have been certified by CIS as well as the ones based on security guidelines from OS an...

Qualys Cloud Platform 2.40 New Features

This release of the Qualys Cloud Platform version 2.40 includes updates and new features for Web Application Scanning, highlights as follows. Web Application Scanning "Everything" Detection Scope – A new detection scope called "Everything" is now available in the option profile. This can be used ...

Qualys Cloud Platform (VM, PC) 8.18.2 New Features

This new release of the Qualys Cloud Platform, version 8.18.2.0, includes the new look for the App Picker, new technology support for Unix UDCs, and error code/text for errors that occur during control evaluation. Feature Highlights Qualys Cloud Platform The App Picker has a new look – The apps i...

Intel AMT Vulnerability

Last week, Intel published a security advisory INTEL-SA-00075 regarding a new vulnerability in Intel Active Management Technology AMT, Intel Standard Manageability ISM, and Intel Small Business Technology SBT. The firmware versions impacted are 6.x, 7.x, 8.x 9.x, 10.x, 11.0, 11.5, and 11.6. In...

ShadyPanda: The Silent Browser Takeover Threat and How Qualys TruRisk Eliminate Helps You Stop It

Executive Summary ShadyPanda has exploited trusted browser extensions to compromise millions of users, illustrating how legitimate software can unexpectedly become harmful. Qualys TruRisk Eliminate empowers organizations to identify risky behaviors, prioritize real threats, and eliminate maliciou...

Key Insights from the NCSC’s Vulnerability Management Guidance

In a world increasingly surrounded by cyber threats, the UKs National Cyber Security Centre NCSC offers vital guidance on Vulnerability Management, providing clear and actionable advice for tackling cyber threats. Their recommendations are essential for organizations to understand and mitigate...

Unveiling the Deceptive Dance: Phobos Ransomware Masquerading As VX-Underground

During a recent hunt, Qualys Threat Research has come across a ransomware family known as Phobos, impersonating VX-Underground. Phobos ransomware has been knocking on our door since early 2019 and is often seen being distributed via stolen Remote Desktop Protocol RDP connections. Strongly believe...

QSC23 – Qualys Announces a Directional Shift to Measure, Communicate, and Eliminate Cyber Risk with New Platform and Solutions

The 2023 Qualys Security Conference QSC started wrapping up on Thursday, November 9th, with two days of new technology announcements, impactful customer use cases, and thought-provoking talks from a host of engaging speakers, including Rachel Wilson, Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and Frank...

Latest Trend in Mac Vulnerabilities and How to Efficiently Address Them

Usually, every September/October, Apple releases its updated OSes and, with them, a set of new CVEs. This month was no different. In fact, if we look at 2023, Qualys released on average 32 new QIDs every month for MacOs and its 3rd-party products see figure below: Fig 1. Mac Vulns 2023 In the pas...

Unified SaaS Application Security, Detection, and Response

Organizations are rapidly embracing Software as a Service SaaS applications for scalability, ease & flexibility of use, and the benefits of not using their own infrastructure. To maintain their focus on business objectives during the new ‘remote workforce normalcy’, organizations have fast-tracke...

Detecting HTTP Request Smuggling with Qualys WAS

HTTP Request Smuggling HRS is a web application vulnerability that enables an attacker to craft a single request that hides a second request within the body of the first request. HRS enables the following types of attack: Web cache poisoning Web cache deception Session hijacking Cross-site...

Don’t Wait for a Patch. Mitigate RedSun Zero-Day Risk in Microsoft Defender Today

Key Takeaways RedSun is a critical zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft Defender that allows low-privileged users to gain SYSTEM access No patch is currently available, leaving all Defender-enabled Windows systems potentially exposed Qualys VMDR detects affected assets instantly QID 92382 TruRisk...

Oracle Critical Patch Update, April 2025 Security Update Review

Oracle released its first quarterly edition of this year’s Critical Patch Update. The update received patches for 378 s ecurity vulnerabilities. Some of the vulnerabilities addressed in this update impact more than one product. These patches address vulnerabilities in various product families,...

Critical Unauthenticated RCE Flaws in CUPS Printing Systems

A criticalset of unauthenticated Remote Code Execution RCE vulnerabilities in CUPS, affecting all GNU/Linux systems and potentially others, was disclosed today. These vulnerabilities allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on a target system without valid credentials or prior access...

Qualys Enterprise TruRisk™ Platform Extends FIM with Real-Time Monitoring of Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Data and Configuration Change Detection on Network Devices

Introducing FIM 4.0 with File Access Monitoring FAM and Agentless FIM to ensure compliance with the new PCI 4.0 File Integrity Monitoring FIM solutions are essential for virtually any organization to help identify suspicious activities across critical system files and registries, diagnose changes...

Assess, Remediate, and Prevent the Top 10 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques for Ransomware, Mapped to Misconfigurations

In cybersecurity, the battle against ransomware is a pivotal challenge for organizations worldwide. Attackers are consistently refining their methods, highlighting the critical need for businesses to remain proactive in their defense strategies. To effectively address this threat, it is essential...

Qualys Launches MSSP Portal to Empower Managed Security Service Providers

In the words of Sun Tzu, In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity. This aptly captures the essence of todays cybersecurity landscape. Managed Security Service Providers MSSPs stand at the forefront, turning chaos into opportunity by securing digital assets across the entire infrastructure...

Qualys WAS Unveils New Features in an Upgraded User Interface

Qualys Web Application Scanning WAS has been at the forefront of web application and API security innovation, and today, were excited to announce a significant leap - the launch of our New User Interface UI. From improved performance and reliability to cutting-edge technology adoption and enhance...

OpenCMS Unauthenticated XXE Vulnerability (CVE-2023-42344)

OpenCms is a popular open-source Java framework developed by Alkacon Software. OpenCms provides a platform for users to design and develop web applications. The latest version of the framework is 16.0. About CVE-2023-42344 CVE-2023-42344 is a critical vulnerability where users can execute code...

Mitigating Risk with Custom First-Party Software and Application Components: A CISOs’ Guide

What is First-Party Software Anyway? First-party software, unlike off-the-shelf ‘Third-Party’ software, is custom open-source software OSS and applications created by organizations to stitch together existing software to meet custom business needs. Nearly every company today uses some form of...

A New Approach to Discover, Monitor, and Reduce Your Modern Web Attack Surface

Web applications reign the internet universe, but also bring new risks that let attackers poke holes in an ever-expanding attack surface. Stolen credentials have been the historical culprit. Recent analysis saw a spike in exploits targeting web applications directly through specially-crafted...

Qualys Security Updates: Cloud Agent for Linux

The security and protection of our customers is of the utmost importance to Qualys, as is transparency whenever issues arise. A customer responsibly disclosed two scenarios related to the Qualys Cloud Agent: 1. For the first scenario, we added supplementary safeguards for signatures running on...