Data breaches and cyberattacks are constantly in the news, often with one root cause: an unpatched security weakness. About 60% of breaches involve known vulnerabilities that had patches available but were never applied.
In this blog, we explain what vulnerability scanning is, why it matters, and the different types of scans that keep your business safe. We’ll also highlight the key benefits of regular scanning and how a partner like Periculo can support your organisation.
In sensitive sectors like digital health, finance, defence, and tech, even a single unpatched flaw can lead to data theft, fines, downtime, or lost customer trust. This is where vulnerability scanning comes in.
Vulnerability scanning is the process of identifying security weaknesses in your IT systems, networks, and applications using automated tools.
Think of it as a health check: the scanner examines your infrastructure—servers, network devices, computers, websites, databases, etc.—for known flaws such as missing patches, misconfigurations, or open ports. These scans are typically non-intrusive and can run on a regular schedule (e.g., monthly or quarterly) to catch new issues as they arise. The goal is to detect and report vulnerabilities so your team can fix them before attackers exploit them.
To get a full view of your risk surface, it’s best to use a mix of scanning types, each targeting a different layer of your environment:
Network-based scanning: Scans your internal and external networks for open ports, insecure services, or unknown devices. This helps you map the network perimeter and identify potential access points for attackers.
Authenticated host-based scanning: Uses credentials to log into specific systems—servers, desktops, laptops—to detect vulnerabilities that aren’t visible from the outside. These scans check for missing security updates, weak configurations, or outdated software at the system level, offering deeper visibility into actual risk.
Wireless scanning: Evaluates the security of your Wi-Fi environment, identifying weak encryption protocols, insecure configurations, or unnecessary SSIDs. While it doesn't typically detect rogue access points, it helps ensure your wireless setup doesn’t leave you exposed to common misconfigurations.
Application scanning: Targets the software layer, especially web applications, to identify flaws like outdated libraries, exposed admin panels, or insecure inputs. These scans help close common attack vectors like SQL injection or cross-site scripting.
Database scanning: Focuses on your databases—looking for weak passwords, missing patches, or default configurations. Given that databases often store sensitive data, securing them is critical to overall business protection.
Early detection and prevention: Catching vulnerabilities early allows you to patch them before attackers exploit them, reducing your overall cyber risk.
Regulatory compliance: Compliance frameworks like PCI DSS, ISO 27001, and GDPR often mandate vulnerability assessments. Scanning regularly ensures you're not only compliant but also have audit-ready documentation to prove it.
Lower breach risk: Fewer vulnerabilities = fewer attack paths. Regular scanning shrinks your threat surface and increases your resilience against ransomware, data theft, and business disruptions.
Rolling out vulnerability scanning in-house isn’t always easy, especially for fast-moving or resource-constrained teams. That’s where our free scan service adds value:
Tailored to your needs: We adjust our scanning approach to match your infrastructure, risk profile, and compliance requirements. Whether you're in digital health or financial services, we align with your priorities.
Compliance support: We can help ensure your scanning practices support the standards you’re aiming for—GDPR, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and more, making audits less stressful and more predictable.
By partnering with Periculo, you can build a strong, continuous vulnerability scanning without adding pressure to your team, giving you peace of mind that your business stays one step ahead of threats.