In this project, we simulate the implementation of a comprehensive vulnerability management program, from inception to completion.
Inception State: the organization has no existing policy or vulnerability management practices in place.
Completion State: a formal policy is enacted, stakeholder buy-in is secured, and a full cycle of organization-wide vulnerability remediation is successfully completed.
- Tenable (enterprise vulnerability management platform)
- Azure Virtual Machines (Nessus scan engine + scan targets)
- PowerShell & BASH (remediation scripts)
- Vulnerability Management Policy Draft Creation
- Mock Meeting: Policy Buy-In (Stakeholders)
- Policy Finalization and Senior Leadership Sign-Off
- Mock Meeting: Initial Scan Permission (Server Team)
- Initial Scan of Server Team Assets
- Vulnerability Assessment and Prioritization
- Distributing Remediations to Remediation Teams
- Mock Meeting: Post-Initial Discovery Scan (Server Team)
- Mock CAB Meeting: Implementing Remediations
- Remediation Round 1: Outdated Wireshark Removal
- Remediation Round 2: Insecure Protocols & Ciphers
- Remediation Round 3: Guest Account Group Membership
- Remediation Round 4: Windows OS Updates
- First Cycle Remediation Effort Summary
This phase focuses on drafting a Vulnerability Management Policy as a starting point for stakeholder engagement. The initial draft outlines scope, responsibilities, and remediation timelines, and may be adjusted based on feedback from relevant departments to ensure practical implementation before final approval by upper management.
Draft Policy
In this phase, a meeting with the server team introduces the draft Vulnerability Management Policy and assesses their capability to meet remediation timelines. Feedback leads to adjustments, like extending the critical remediation window from 48 hours to one week, ensuring collaborative implementation.
Mock conversation:
Server Team Manager: "I had a chance to read through the policy draft and overall, it makes sense. However, we cannot meet the aggressive remediation timelines with our current staffing."
Analyst: "Understandable. Maybe we can adjust criticals to one week remediation time frame, while reserving 48-hour remediation for the most severe zero-days."
Server Team Manager: "That's very reasonable. We appreciate the flexibility. Is it also possible to have some sort of leeway during the beginning of implementation for this new program so we can adjust accordingly?"
Analyst: "Absolutely. After the policy is officially implemented, we plan on giving each department around 6 months to fully adjust to the new work flow."
Server Team Manager: "Thank you for the cooperation. If any other questions arise, I will reach out to you."
After gathering feedback from the server team, the policy is revised, addressing aggressive remediation timelines. With final approval from upper management, the policy now guides the program, ensuring compliance and reference for pushback resolution.
Finalized Policy
The team collaborates with the server team to initiate scheduled credential scans. A compromise is reached to scan a single server first, monitoring resource impact, and using just-in-time Active Directory credentials for secure, controlled access.
Mock conversation:
Analyst: "With our vulnerability management program now in place, I'd like to get started on conducting scheduled credentialed scans."
Server Team Manager: "Alright, what do you need from me? What will the process look like?"
Analyst: "We're planning to schedule weekly scans of the server infrastructure. We estimate that the process will take about 4 to 6 hours to scan all assets involved.
We will also require administrative credentials to allow the scan engine to remotely log into the targets and thoroughly assess them."
Server Team Manager: "What does scanning actually entail? I'm concerned about resource utilization. And providing administrative credentials to every machine doesn't sound very safe."
Analyst: "I appreciate your concerns. The scan engine will be sending various traffic to a server in order to check for the existence of certain vulnerabilities.
This process would include looking into the registry, looking for certain out of date software installed or insecure protocols and cipher suites being used."
Server Team Manager: "I see. So what can we expect in terms of resource utilization then?"
Analyst: "We can run a full scan on just one server, that way we can monitor the resource utilization."
Server Team Manager: "Good idea."
Analyst: "As for the credentials, if you could set up AD credentials and leave them disabled until we are ready to conduct the scans. Then, after we are finished, we can deprovision those credentials.
That way, we only have access as needed."
Server Team Manager: "Sounds like a plan."
In this phase, an insecure Windows Server is provisioned to simulate the server team's environment. After creating vulnerabilities, an authenticated scan is performed, and the results are exported for future remediation steps.
We assessed vulnerabilities and established a remediation prioritization strategy based on ease of remediation and impact. The following priorities were set:
- Third Party Software Removal (Wireshark)
- Windows OS Secure Configuration (Protocols & Ciphers)
- Windows OS Secure Configuration (Guest Account Group Membership)
- Windows OS Updates
Mock email:
Subject: Vulnerability Remediation Scripts for Testing and Deployment
Hi [Team],
Based on our initial vulnerability scan and assessment, we have created a set of scripts to help you tackle the initial remediation efforts. These scripts target key vulnerabilities and can be easily integrated into your deployment platform (e.g., SCCM). Please test them before deploying to production.
- Third-Party Software Removal (Wireshark)
- Windows OS Secure Configuration (Insecure Protocols)
- Windows OS Secure Configuration (Insecure Ciphersuites)
- Windows OS Secure Configuration (Guest Account Group Membership)
Let me know if you have any questions or need any adjustments!
Best regards,
[Name], Security Analyst
Governance, Risk, and Compliance
The server team reviewed vulnerability scan results, identifying outdated software, insecure accounts, and deprecated protocols. The remediation packages were prepared for submission to the Change Control Board (CAB).
The Change Control Board (CAB) reviewed and approved the plan to remove insecure protocols and cipher suites. The plan included a rollback script and a tiered deployment approach.
The server team used a PowerShell script to remove outdated Wireshark. A follow-up scan confirmed successful remediation.
Wireshark Removal Script
The server team used PowerShell scripts to remediate insecure protocols and cipher suites. A follow-up scan verified successful remediation, and the results were saved for reference.
PowerShell: Insecure Protocols Remediation
PowerShell: Insecure Ciphers Remediation
The server team removed the guest account from the administrator group. A new scan confirmed remediation, and the results were exported for comparison.
PowerShell: Guest Account Group Membership Remediation
Windows updates were re-enabled and applied until the system was fully up to date. A final scan verified the changes
The remediation process reduced total vulnerabilities by 80%, from 30 to 6. Critical vulnerabilities were resolved by the second scan (100%), and high vulnerabilities dropped by 90%. Mediums were reduced by 76%. In an actual production environment, asset criticality would further guide future remediation efforts.
After completing the initial remediation cycle, the vulnerability management program transitions into Maintenance Mode. This phase ensures that vulnerabilities continue to be managed proactively, keeping systems secure over time. Regular scans, continuous monitoring, and timely remediation are crucial components of this phase. (See Finalized Policy for scanning and remediation cadence requirements.)
Key activities in Maintenance Mode include:
- Scheduled Vulnerability Scans: Perform regular scans (e.g., weekly or monthly) to detect new vulnerabilities as systems evolve.
- Patch Management: Continuously apply security patches and updates, ensuring no critical vulnerabilities remain unpatched.
- Remediation Follow-ups: Address newly identified vulnerabilities promptly, prioritizing based on risk and impact.
- Policy Review and Updates: Periodically review the Vulnerability Management Policy to ensure it aligns with the latest security best practices and organizational needs.
- Audit and Compliance: Conduct internal audits to ensure compliance with the vulnerability management policy and external regulations.
- Ongoing Communication with Stakeholders: Maintain open communication with teams responsible for remediation, ensuring efficient coordination.
By maintaining an active vulnerability management process, organizations can stay ahead of emerging threats and ensure long-term security resilience.