Network Vulnerability Scanner PRTG

Network vulnerability scanning or vulnerability detection automatically scans networks for security gaps and vulnerabilities. It uses databases of known vulnerabilities to identify potential risks and generates reports with recommendations for solving these issues. The scanner inventories network devices, checks configurations, and prioritizes vulnerabilities based on risk. It can run periodic vulnerability tests and integrate with other security tools to ensure continuous network security.

PRTG as a network vulnerability scanner scans all devices and applications in your network at defined intervals and notifies you of potential risks that may exist.

Good network vulnerability scanning tools should possess a range of features to effectively identify, analyze, and manage security vulnerabilities in a network. Here are some of the key features to look for:

1. Comprehensive scanning:

• Ability to scan a wide range of devices and operating systems.
• Support for different network types (e.g., wired, wireless, cloud environments).
• Capability to detect various types of vulnerabilities, including software flaws, misconfigurations, and missing patches.

2. Accuracy:

• High detection rate with minimal false positives and false negatives.

3. Customization and flexibility:

• Customizable scan settings to target specific devices, IP ranges, or network segments.
• Ability to schedule scans at convenient times to minimize network disruption.

4. User-friendly interface:

• Intuitive and easy-to-navigate user interface.
• Clear and detailed reporting with actionable insights.
• Visualization tools to help interpret scan results (e.g., dashboards, charts).

5. Integration capabilities:

• Seamless integration with other security tools, such as SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems, ticketing systems, and patch management solutions.
• API support for custom integrations and automation.

6. Real-time monitoring and alerts:

• Continuous monitoring for new vulnerabilities and real-time alerts.
• Notification system to alert administrators of critical vulnerabilities as soon as they are detected.

Intrusion detection is the monitoring and analysis of computer systems or network activity to identify unauthorized access or security breaches. Techniques include network-based and host-based monitoring, as well as signature and anomaly detection methods. One challenge in intrusion detection is managing false positives, which are false alarms that indicate a potential threat that is not actually present.

PRTG helps you with intrusion detection by monitoring network traffic and cloud-based web applications, and using an analyzer to detect suspicious unusual activity or potential cyberattacks in real time.

Vulnerability management is the systematic process of identifying, assessing, and troubleshooting security vulnerabilities in systems and networks. It involves scanning for vulnerabilities, prioritizing them based on severity and impact (such as CVEs - Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures), and solving them with patches or security controls.

PRTG tracks the status of security patches and updates on network devices and servers, and identifies new devices connected to the network.

Access control monitoring oversees and regulates who can access specific resources, data, or areas within a system or organization. It continuously monitors user activity, permissions, and authentication processes to ensure compliance with security policies and detect unauthorized access attempts. In addition, cybersecurity and automation play a critical role in enhancing these monitoring processes, streamlining response actions, and reducing the risk of human error.

PRTG monitors user access to critical systems and resources and detects unauthorized access attempts.

Asset management is the process of identifying, inventorying, and controlling all devices that have access to an organization's network and resources. This includes maintaining a comprehensive inventory, implementing access controls, and monitoring device activity for compliance with security policies.

PRTG helps you with your asset management by keeping track of all network devices and their configurations to ensure that only authorized devices are connected to the network.

Compliance monitoring is the ongoing process of tracking, assessing, and ensuring conformance to regulatory requirements, industry standards, internal policies, and best practices. It systematically monitors activities, processes, and controls to verify alignment with compliance frameworks and policies.

PRTG monitors network activities to ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, etc.

In PRTG, “sensors” are the basic monitoring elements. One sensor usually monitors one measured value in your network, for example the traffic of a switch port, the CPU load of a server, or the free space on a disk drive. On average, you need about 5-10 sensors per device or one sensor per switch port.