The Download
Recent research indicates that approximately 28% of the vulnerabilities listed in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog were actively leveraged by ransomware criminals in 2024. The KEV catalog, designed to highlight vulnerabilities with known exploits to aid organizations in prioritizing patching efforts, has inadvertently become a resource for threat actors to identify and target unpatched systems. Attackers monitor these publicly disclosed vulnerabilities, swiftly developing exploits to infiltrate systems lacking timely updates. Once exploited, these vulnerabilities can grant unauthorized access, allowing attackers to deploy ransomware, exfiltrate sensitive data, or disrupt critical services.
What You Can Do
To mitigate these risks, IT administrators must adopt a proactive vulnerability management strategy. Regularly monitoring and promptly addressing vulnerabilities listed in the KEV catalog is essential. Implementing automated patch management systems can expedite the remediation process, reducing the window of exposure. Additionally, conducting continuous security assessments and penetration testing can identify potential weaknesses before adversaries exploit them. Employing multi-factor authentication (MFA) and network segmentation further enhances defense mechanisms, limiting the impact of potential breaches. By staying vigilant and prioritizing the remediation of known exploited vulnerabilities, organizations can strengthen their resilience against ransomware attacks.
ThreatMate scans networks daily for vulnerabilities listed in the KEV catalog and alerts you to any present on the network. We know the adversaries monitor the KEV catalog, you should monitor networks for these vulnerabilities. ThreatMate automates this process for you. Sign up for a demo today!
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