An external vulnerability scan is a security evaluation conducted from outside your organization’s network. These vulnerabilities, which face the public, pose a considerable threat due to their accessibility to potential attackers. By carrying out an external vulnerability scan, your business can proactively identify and address potential security threats before they can be exploited by malicious actors. This process not only enhances your security posture but also helps safeguard your organization's sensitive information.

Methods:

Attack Surface Discovery

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Perform a complete port scan on all public IP addresses to discover the attack surface and identify any potentially misconfigured firewall rules.

External Network Vulnerability Assessment

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Conduct a network vulnerability assessment to discover vulnerable services that could provide external access to your network.
For example: outdated and vulnerable OpenSSH versions running on web servers' port 22.

Web Application Vulnerability Assessment

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Assess web applications on websites that are accessible over the public network. Web applications should be tested for widespread vulnerabilities such as SQL injection and remote command execution.

Continuous Security Monitoring

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Hackers constantly scan the internet, searching for businesses that leave security gaps. To quickly identify and address vulnerabilities, it's essential to repeat these tests regularly instead of relying solely on a one-time assessment.