Syxsense launches vulnerability monitoring and remediation solution

Syxsense has announced a new security and endpoint management solution that delivers vulnerability monitoring and remediation across devices and network environments. The IT management and endpoint security vendor stated that the platform – Syxsense Enterprise – delivers a unified solution that scans and manages all endpoints, resolves problems in real-time, and reduces the risks associated with system misconfigurations, enabling organizations to better predict, identify, and remediate vulnerabilities in desktop, laptop, server, and mobile devices. The release comes shortly after a global cybersecurity advisory highlighted the importance of timely vulnerability management as attackers continue to target internet-facing systems to exploit vulnerabilities both old and new.

Syxsense Enterprise addresses vulnerabilities, patching and compliance

In a press release, Syxsense claimed that Syxsense Enterprise is the industry’s first unified security and endpoint management (USEM) solution that addresses the three key elements of endpoint security – vulnerabilities, patching, and compliance. It layers on the firm’s workflow automation tool – Syxsense Cortex – that remediates and eliminates endpoint security weaknesses through a single cloud-based interface with hundreds of prebuilt workflows, the firm added.

“This includes the ability to identify software vulnerabilities in both OS and third-party applications, misconfigurations from open ports, disabled firewalls, ineffective user account polices and more,” Syxsense stated. The platform also includes Syxsense’s recently launched Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution, which allows IT teams to manage devices running on iOS, iPadOS and Android, in addition to Windows, Linux and Mac environments.

“As threats get more complex, it’s important that IT teams have consolidated solutions for IT management and endpoint security,” commented Ashley Leonard, founder and CEO at Syxsense. “Syxsense Enterprise is designed to give them a centralized cloud-based platform for scanning, patching, recognizing, and remediating vulnerabilities that could lead to attack or exploitation of endpoints.”

According to the vendor, the new service includes the following key features:

• Vulnerability scanning that identifies authorization issues, security implementation problems, and antivirus status
• Automatic patch deployment for endpoint vulnerabilities inside the network and devices outside the network
• Compliance and device health checks that document patching with reporting for risk assessments, vulnerable devices and task summaries
• Device quarantining and endpoint isolation
• Remote device oversight with the ability to silently push OTA configurations, applications and policies

Organizations failing to patch in a timely manner

A recent joint advisory published by global security agencies including the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), and the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) detailed the 15 most targeted vulnerabilities of 2021. These included infamous exploits Log4Shell, ProxyShell and ProxyLogon, along with three vulnerabilities that were also routinely exploited in 2020: CVE-2020-1472, CVE-2018-13379 and CVE-2019-11510.

Their continued exploitation indicates that many organizations are failing to patch software in a timely manner and remain vulnerable to attacks over long periods of time, the advisory stated, adding that the ability to quickly update software, operating systems, applications and firmware is of critical importance. It also advocated the use of a centralized patch management system, replacing end-of-life software and the implementation of vendor workarounds it a patch for a known or critical vulnerability cannot be quickly applied.