An Easy and Effective Strategy To Shield Your Business From Ransomware

Ransomware continues to make headlines and remains a top concern 2022 was a breakout year for ransomware as it wreaked havoc on individuals and organizations around the world. The numbers are staggering: Ransomware attacks surged dramatically in 2022 and were involved in 25% of all breaches,...

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...

Building an AppSec Program with Qualys WAS -Introduction and Configuring a Web Application or API: Default Scan Settings

Qualys WAS Web Application Scanning tools stand out as The Leading Dynamic Application Security Testing DAST solutions in the industry. Since it comes with default scan settings, understanding these settings in detail is critical to uncover vulnerabilities effectively. Scan performance and covera...

Closing the Visibility Gap: How Qualys Cloud Agent Passive Sensor (CAPS) Eliminates Blind Spots Without the Hassle

In modern networks, the most significant risks come from systems that fall through the cracks. Modern networks are full of unknown and unmanaged assets. Some are seemingly benign devices introduced by well-meaning employees or contractors that can turn rogue. While some of these may be genuinely...

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...

Atlassian Confluence Broken Access Control Vulnerability (CVE-2023-22515)

Atlassian issued an Advisory on October 4, 2023, for CVE-2023-22515, a critical severity vulnerability affecting Confluence Server and Data Center. According to the advisory, the vulnerability was initially published as a Privilege Escalation vulnerability but was later updated to a Broken Access...

Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, November 2023 Security Update Review

Microsoft released its second last Patch Tuesday edition of the year. We invite you to join us to review and discuss the details of these security updates and patches. Microsoft Patch Tuesday for November 2023 In this months Patch Tuesday edition, Microsoft has addressed a total of 75...

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...

De-risking in Practice: How Qualys Customers are Driving Value in Their Organizations

As the threat landscape continues to grow in complexity, it has become more important than ever for the modern enterprise to measure, communicate, and eliminate cyber risk with efficiency. What does that mean in practice? Over the last two days, during the 2023 Qualys Security Conference QSC taki...

Leveraging AI-informed Cybersecurity to Measure, Communicate, and Eliminate Cyber Risk

Dilip Bachwani, Qualys CTO, shares the Qualys AI strategy with TruRisk AI at QSC 2023. The threat landscape is constantly evolving, and so are the implications of cyber risk across any organization. As attacker tactics become more sophisticated and persistent, cybersecurity strategies must grow...

Effectively Measure, Communicate, and Eliminate Cloud Risks with TotalCloud

Cloud is a dynamic and ever-evolving environment characterized by transient workloads and an expansive attack surface. This inherent nature of cloud infrastructure contributes to the ongoing complexity and challenges in maintaining robust security measures. According to the 2023 Qualys TotalCloud...

Cybersecurity at a Crossroads: New Implications on Business Risk

During our 2023 Qualys Security Conference QSC taking place in Orlando, Florida, November 6-9, 2023, I unveiled an exciting new milestone for the company – the release of our new Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform, marking a seismic shift for the future of Qualys as a leader in managing and...

CVSS v4 Is Now Live and What You Need To Know About It

On November 1st, 2023, the Common Vulnerability Scoring System version 4 CVSS v4 was officially launched in General Availability GA following a period of public preview and feedback collection. This launch was orchestrated by the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams FIRST, marking a...

Explaining the Business Value of Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform to Your Leadership

New IDC White Paper Reports Findings by Qualys Customers As a cybersecurity leader, you may struggle to help your C-suite see the business value of what your team does. Forget “speeds and feeds”; key decision-makers are solely focused on The Numbers. While reports from most security tools excel a...

Qualys API Best Practices: Policy Compliance – Posture Streaming (PCRS) API

This API Best Practices Series is designed for Qualys customer programmers or stakeholders with a general knowledge of programming who want to implement best practices for improving the development, design, and performance of their programs that use the Qualys API. For non-customers, the Qualys A...

PCI DSS 4.0: How to Ensure Full Compliance with New Requirements

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard PCI DSS is one of the oldest mainstream requirements for compliance, originating in 2004. The PCI Security Standards Council manages the standard to ensure security for the global payment system. It globally applies to all entities that store,...

Qualys API Best Practices: Web Application Scanning API

This API Best Practices Series is designed for Qualys customer programmers or stakeholders with a general knowledge of programming who want to implement best practices for improving the development, design, and performance of their programs that use the Qualys API. For non-customers, the Qualys A...

Safeguard Your Organization this Holiday Season with Endpoint Security from Qualys

The holiday season is approaching, bringing joy, family gatherings, and celebrations. As we dust off the decorations and begin drafting shopping lists, security professionals must grapple with an underlying concern: the increased risk of cyberattacks. Year-end festivities bring a rise in online...

Building an AppSec Program with Qualys WAS – Configuring a Web Application or API: Crawl Settings

Qualys Web Application Scanning WAS stands out as the industrys leading Dynamic Application Security Testing DAST solution. Delving deeper into these settings is crucial for effectively harnessing its potential to uncover vulnerabilities. Scan coverage is greatly influenced by the crawl settings,...

Qualys Named a Leader in KuppingerCole CSPM Report

Cloud Security Posture Management CSPM is a crucial requirement in cloud security. CSPM is all about identifying misconfiguration issues and compliance risks in cloud environments. Since cloud misconfigurations are the leading cause of data breaches, you want an excellent CSPM solution on your...

Oracle Patch Tuesday, October 2023 Security Update Review

Oracle has released its fourth quarterly edition of Critical Patch Update, which contains a group of patches for 387 security vulnerabilities. Some of the vulnerabilities addressed in this update impact more than one product. These patches address vulnerabilities in Oracle code and third-party...

Critical Cisco 0day Exploited – Do you have Blind Spots in your Risk Management?

In the dynamic realm of cybersecurity, the importance of exhaustive vulnerability management and robust risk assessment is paramount. While agent-based solutions have garnered favor among organizations bolstering their cyber protections, it prompts the question: "Is an agent-only strategy truly...

Building an AppSec Program with Qualys WAS – Introduction

Part 1 - Introduction and Configuring a Web Application or API: Basic Information Welcome to our introductory series of blogs where we will take you step-by-step through your application security journey with Qualys Web Application Scanning WAS to build and deploy secure web applications and APIs...

Discover and Assess the Risk of Embedded Open-Source Software (OSS) Vulnerabilities

Runtime Software Composition Analysis with the Qualys Cloud Agent In a blog post published last week, we discussed the importance of managing risk across software developed in-house. A great deal of that risk is introduced by vulnerabilities in open-source packages like Log4Shell, OpenSSL, etc...

Qualys FIM Playbook for PCI 4.0

This File Integrity Monitoring FIM playbook is your comprehensive guide to establishing and maintaining an effective FIM program aligned with the latest PCI DSS 4.0 standards. By meticulously monitoring and ensuring the integrity of vital files and configurations, your organization can bolster it...

How does Qualys TotalCloud prevent secret leaks for Containers?

This blog post introduces new product capabilities to help prevent container secret leaks. Discover how Qualys TotalCloud can provide a unified view of secrets-related risks. Why is Secret Detection Needed for Container Security? A recent study by researchers at the RWTH Aachen University in...

CVE-2023-44487 HTTP/2 Rapid Reset Attack

Today, Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare, and Google, in a coordinated announcement, reveal their experiences mitigating powerful HTTP/2-based DDoS attacks utilizing a zero-day technique referred to as Rapid Reset, documented under the vulnerability identifier CVE-2023-44487. The attack magnitudes...

Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, October 2023 Security Update Review

Microsoft released its October edition of Patch Tuesday! In this months updates, Microsoft has addressed 105 vulnerabilities in different products, features, and roles. Lets take a look at the updates in detail. Microsoft Patch Tuesday for October 2023 Microsoft has addressed three zero-day...

The Qualys Security Conference Mumbai: That’s a Wrap!

In recent years, the world of cybersecurity has experienced a dramatic transformation. The threat landscape has erupted, creating a host of complex challenges, with malicious actors continuously upping their game. In this high-stakes environment, the need for robust cloud security platforms...

Curl 8.4.0 – Proactively Identifying Potential Vulnerable Assets

On Wednesday, October 4, 2023, the curl project maintainers announced pre-notification for curl version 8.4.0 to be released on October 11. This version will fix two new vulnerabilities with one high and one low-severity CVE. The prenotification stated that the high-severity issue is arguably the...

Achieving DORA Compliance with Qualys: A Comprehensive Approach

In the ever-changing landscape of finance and technology, it is crucial to have robust operational resilience and compliance frameworks. The Digital Operational Resilience Act DORA framework is a significant step in this direction, as it is intended to strengthen the resilience of financial...

PCI DSS 4.0 FIM Requirements Simplified with Qualys File Integrity Monitoring

File Integrity Monitoring FIM is one of the essential requirements under PCI DSS 4.0. It helps organizations detect and respond to unauthorized changes in critical system files, configuration files, or content files, which is crucial for maintaining the security of cardholder data. Organizations...

CVE-2023-4911: Looney Tunables – Local Privilege Escalation in the glibc’s ld.so

The Qualys Threat Research Unit TRU has discovered a buffer overflow vulnerability in GNU C Librarys dynamic loaders processing of the GLIBCTUNABLES environment variable. We have successfully identified and exploited this vulnerability a local privilege escalation that grants full root privileges...

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...

Qualys Named a Market Leader in GigaOm Radar Report for Application Security Testing

Qualys Web Application Scanning WAS has been named a leader in the GigaOm Radar Report for Application Security Testing, 2023. Web app security is critical for every organization, for attacks on this vector caused 25% of breaches, according to the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report. T...

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...

Qualys Survey of Top 10 Exploited Vulnerabilities in 2023

The Qualys Threat Research Unit TRU has thoroughly analyzed vulnerabilities reported in 2023. Our comprehensive study assesses factors including weaponization status, existence in the CISA KEV, instances or usage of malware and ransomware, trending vulnerabilities, various scoring metrics, and...

The MGM Cybersecurity Breach: Learnings and Prevention Measures

As many are aware, the systems of the $14 billion dollar gaming and hospitality giant MGM have been brought to a halt for nearly 5 days due to a multi-vector attack that has come to affect Caesars Entertainment as well. While the culprits of the attack are not confirmed, hacking group Scattered...

Qualys Is the Outperformer in the New GigaOm Radar Report for Continuous Vulnerability Management

GigaOm has unveiled its third-annual Radar for Continuous Vulnerability Management featuring Qualys. In this Report, GigaOm provides a detailed analysis of the value and progression of vulnerability management VM capabilities to help organizations build the best security and vulnerability...

Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, September 2023 Security Update Review

Microsoft has released the Patch Tuesday edition for September. This months updates have addressed 66 security vulnerabilities including Edge Chromium-based in multiple products, features, and roles. Microsoft Patch Tuesday for September 2023 Microsoft has addressed two zero-day publicly exploite...

Risk Fact #5: Keeping the Pace of Remediation at Cloud Scale Requires Automation

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...

Qualys Top 20 Most Exploited Vulnerabilities

The earlier blog posts showcased an overview of the vulnerability threat landscape that is either remotely exploited or most targeted by attackers. A quick recap – We focused on high-risk vulnerabilities that can be remotely exploited with or without authentication, and with the view on the time ...

Elevate Your Security Posture: Implementing CIS Top 18 Controls Through Qualys Cloud Platform

The Center for Internet Security CIS is a 501c3 nonprofit organization originally formed in October 2000. CIS has created what is considered one of the industry’s “gold standard” security frameworks based on its mission to “help people, businesses, and governments protect themselves against...

Risk Fact #4: Malware in your Cloud means Exploitation is underway

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...

Qualys Tackles 2022’s Top Routinely Exploited Cyber Vulnerabilities

A unified front against malicious cyber actors is climactic in the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape. The joint Cybersecurity Advisory CSA, a collaboration between leading cybersecurity agencies from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, is a critical guide to...

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...

Risk Fact #2: Weaponized 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...

Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, August 2023 Security Update Review

Microsoft has released its August edition of Patch Tuesday. This months updates have addressed 89 security vulnerabilities in multiple products, features, and roles. Microsoft Patch Tuesday for August 2023 Microsoft has addressed two zero-day vulnerabilities known to be publicly exploited in this...

Ensuring Compliance with DORA: How Qualys Solutions Can Help

Introduction The Digital Operational Resilience Act DORA is a new regulation implemented by the European Union to ensure the stability and security of the financial sector. Coming into effect in 2022, DORA mandates enhanced cybersecurity and operational resilience standards for financial...