Qualys - Detailed Review

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Qualys - Detailed Review Contents
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    Qualys - Product Overview



    Introduction to Qualys

    Qualys is a leading provider of cloud-based IT, security, and compliance solutions, founded in 1999. The company’s flagship product is the Qualys Cloud Platform, which consolidates various IT, security, and compliance tools into a single platform for enhanced visibility and control over global IT assets.



    Primary Function

    The primary function of Qualys is to provide comprehensive vulnerability management, detection, and response capabilities. It uses an Inference-Based Scanning Engine to intelligently scan and identify vulnerabilities in networked devices, including routers, switches, servers, workstations, and other IP devices. This engine fingerprints hosts by sending specially crafted packets and interpreting the results, allowing it to accurately identify operating systems, services, and open ports with over 99% accuracy.



    Target Audience

    Qualys solutions are designed for a wide range of organizations, including enterprises, government agencies, managed service providers, consulting organizations, and merchants across various industries. Notable customers include companies like Adobe, BMW, GoDaddy, Infosys, and UPS, among others. The platform is particularly popular in industries with advanced IT infrastructure and security needs, such as technology, financial services, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, transportation, government, and telecommunications.



    Key Features



    Vulnerability Management

    Qualys Vulnerability Management (Qualys VM) identifies, monitors, and mitigates vulnerabilities. It scans network perimeters, virtual machines, and cloud services based on preconfigured or custom policies. The platform prioritizes vulnerabilities based on severity levels and provides automated workflows for remediation.



    Inference-Based Scanning

    The scanning engine selectively runs tests applicable to the target device, minimizing network traffic and improving accuracy. It also adapts dynamically to reduce scan speed if it detects performance deterioration during a scan.



    Compliance and Risk Management

    Qualys offers tools for policy compliance, continuous network monitoring, and risk management. It integrates with ITSM systems and provides a unified view of cyber risk posture through the Enterprise TruRisk Platform.



    Automated Patching and Remediation

    Qualys VMDR (Vulnerability Management, Detection, and Response) automates patching with no-code workflows, reducing the mean time to remediation (MTTR) by up to 4 hours. It also prioritizes vulnerabilities based on evidence of exploitation and likelihood of exploitation.



    Reporting and Visualization

    Qualys provides highly configurable and customizable reports, including network maps that display device details and vulnerability status. The reports are sortable, filterable, and groupable, and include trend analysis and summaries in graph and chart formats.



    Integration and Support

    The platform supports distributed scanning with centralized reports and integrates with various systems for comprehensive security management. Qualys offers 24/7 customer and technical support, including free phone and email support, as well as in-person and online training.

    Overall, Qualys is a powerful tool that helps organizations manage and mitigate cyber risks efficiently, ensuring the security and compliance of their IT assets.

    Qualys - User Interface and Experience



    Enhanced User Interface (UI 4.0)

    The latest update to the Qualys Cloud Platform introduces UI 4.0, which includes several key upgrades:

    • Enhanced Navigation: A vertical navigation bar on the left side provides quick access to modules, and a secondary navigation bar at the top offers intuitive sub-menu options. Active tabs are highlighted in bold for clear visibility.
    • Refreshed Dashboard: The dashboards have been improved for better accessibility, color scheme, typography, and data interpretation, making it easier for users to consume information.
    • Standardized UI Elements: The interface has been standardized across all modules to enhance usability and reduce the learning curve, ensuring a seamless transition between different parts of the platform.
    • Reorganized Communication Tab: The Communication tab is now more user-friendly, with clear sections for Notifications and Messages, helping users quickly find important information.


    Qualys Web Application Scanning (WAS) Interface

    The new interface for Qualys WAS also offers several enhancements:

    • Redesigned Home Page: The home page has been redesigned for a more efficient and user-friendly experience.
    • Enhanced Scalability and Performance: The new interface can handle a higher volume of concurrent users and requests, ensuring scalability and performance even under increased demand.
    • High Availability and Fault Tolerance: The system emphasizes resilience and fault tolerance with automatic failover and recovery mechanisms, ensuring uninterrupted access and consistent service delivery.
    • Consistent and Intuitive User Experience: The new interface follows the same design principles as other Qualys products, ensuring consistency and reducing the learning curve for users.
    • Improved Search Functionality: The new WAS interface includes improved search functionality to help users find information more easily.


    AI-Driven Features

    Qualys also leverages AI to enhance the user experience, particularly in predictive analysis and cloud security:

    • Qualys TruRisk AI: This feature uses AI-powered predictive analysis to identify and prioritize vulnerabilities, highlighting the most critical ones based on granular asset and threat intelligence data.
    • Qualys TotalCloud™: This CNAPP solution uses deep learning AI to deliver advanced threat detection across cloud environments, providing a comprehensive view of the cloud kill chain and immediate remedial actions.

    Overall, the user interface of Qualys is designed to be intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly, with a focus on enhancing usability and reducing the learning curve for its users.

    Qualys - Key Features and Functionality



    Qualys Overview

    Qualys, a leading provider of cloud-based IT, security, and compliance solutions, integrates AI extensively in its networking tools and security products. Here are the main features and functionalities of their AI-driven products:



    Qualys TotalAI



    Holistic Discovery and Vulnerability Assessment

    Qualys TotalAI enables the discovery, inventory, and classification of all AI and large language model (LLM) assets, including GPUs, software, packages, and models. This helps in correlating their exposure with the attack surface, ensuring comprehensive visibility.



    Prevention of Model Theft and Data Leaks

    This solution assesses, prioritizes, and remediates AI software vulnerabilities using over 650 AI-specific detections. It correlates these detections with threat feeds and asset exposures to prevent model and data theft, as well as detect issues like prompt injection and sensitive information disclosure.



    Addressing OWASP Top 10 Risks

    Qualys TotalAI specifically addresses the OWASP Top 10 most critical risks for LLM applications, such as prompt injection, sensitive information disclosure, and model theft. This ensures that organizations can securely adopt AI technologies while maintaining rigorous security standards.



    AI and Machine Learning in Data Analysis



    Pattern Analysis

    Qualys uses AI techniques like machine learning and deep learning to analyze patterns in petabytes of anonymized data from endpoints. This helps surface new insights that individual data points could not reveal on their own.



    Large Language Models

    Qualys is exploring the use of large language models fine-tuned on its proprietary data sets to provide more contextualized responses that directly apply to customers’ environments. Each engineering team has access to these models pre-trained on codebases to assist with tasks like generating documentation or sample code.



    Automated Machine Learning Pipeline



    Continuous Refinement and Redeployment

    Qualys has an automated machine learning pipeline that allows for the continuous refinement and redeployment of AI models without disrupting work. Over time, this aims to have LLMs understand the full context of each project, offering trustworthy solutions aligned with the organization’s policies and guidelines.



    Vulnerability Management with AI



    Continuous Scanning and Identification

    Qualys Vulnerability Management (VM) continuously scans and identifies vulnerabilities with high accuracy, protecting IT assets on premises, in the cloud, and on mobile devices. AI-powered scanning helps in detecting vulnerabilities faster and with minimal network impact.



    Cloud Agents

    The lightweight, self-updating Qualys Cloud Agents extend network coverage to assets that can’t be scanned traditionally, providing real-time visibility into vulnerabilities and unexpected changes in the network.



    API Security with AI



    API Discovery and Inventory Management

    Qualys Web Application Scanning (WAS) with API Security automatically identifies and catalogues all APIs within an organization’s network, including internal, external, undocumented, rogue, and shadow APIs. This ensures an updated inventory across all platforms.



    API Vulnerability Testing

    Qualys performs comprehensive API vulnerability testing using AI-assisted clustering and deep learning. This targets critical areas efficiently, achieving a high detection rate with reduced scan time. It detects API-specific security vulnerabilities, including those listed in the OWASP API Top 10.



    Integration with CI/CD Tools

    Qualys integrates seamlessly with CI/CD tools and IT ticketing systems, supporting both shift-left and shift-right security practices. This facilitates automated security testing and real-time threat detection without disrupting development workflows.

    These features and functionalities highlight how Qualys leverages AI to enhance security, compliance, and the overall management of IT assets, ensuring organizations can adopt AI technologies securely and effectively.

    Qualys - Performance and Accuracy



    Performance

    Qualys demonstrates high performance in several areas:

    Scalability and Volume

    Qualys performs over 6 billion scans annually, which is a testament to its scalability and capacity to handle large volumes of data.

    Bandwidth Efficiency

    The service is designed to minimize network bandwidth usage. It dynamically adjusts the scan speed based on the network and host performance, ensuring minimal impact on network traffic.

    Customization

    Qualys scans are highly customizable, allowing users to run scans on demand or on a scheduled basis, and to select specific IP addresses, asset groups, or entire networks. Users can also tweak settings such as TCP and UDP ports, load balancer detection, and performance settings.

    Accuracy

    Qualys is renowned for its high accuracy:

    Six Sigma Accuracy

    Qualys’ vulnerability and configuration scans achieve an accuracy of 99.99966%, exceeding the Six Sigma standard. This high accuracy is crucial for identifying and addressing security and compliance issues effectively.

    Inference-Based Scanning Engine

    Qualys uses an adaptive scanning engine that intelligently runs only the tests applicable to the host being scanned. This approach accelerates the scanning process and improves accuracy by minimizing unnecessary tests.

    Device and OS Identification

    Qualys can identify the host operating system, services running, and ports opened with an accuracy exceeding 99%. This is achieved through a pre-scan module that fingerprints the host using specially crafted packets.

    Limitations and Areas for Improvement

    While Qualys is highly accurate and performant, there are some areas to consider:

    False Positives and Negatives

    Although Qualys has a high accuracy rate, no system is perfect. However, Qualys’ continuous updates to its Vulnerability KnowledgeBase and its adaptive scanning engine help minimize false positives and negatives.

    Device Sensitivity

    Some devices may be sensitive to scanning and could fail or experience service crashes. Qualys addresses this by automatically adjusting its scans to avoid overloading these devices.

    AI and Cybersecurity Challenges

    While not specific to Qualys’ core scanning functionality, the broader use of AI in cybersecurity can face challenges such as adversarial AI, ethical and privacy issues, and high costs. However, these are more general challenges in the field rather than specific limitations of Qualys.

    Additional Features

    Qualys also offers several features that enhance its performance and accuracy:

    Comprehensive Reporting

    Qualys generates detailed, customizable reports that can be exported in various formats. These reports include map reports, scan reports, and vulnerability assessment data, which help in trend analysis and prioritizing fixes.

    Continuous Updates

    The Vulnerability KnowledgeBase is updated daily to address new and evolving threats, ensuring that users have the latest information to secure their systems. Overall, Qualys stands out for its high accuracy, scalability, and customizable scanning capabilities, making it a reliable tool for vulnerability and configuration scanning in network security.

    Qualys - Pricing and Plans



    When considering the pricing structure and plans for Qualys’ networking tools and security services, here are the key points to note:



    Subscription Plans

    Qualys offers flexible subscription plans that cater to various business needs. Here are the main components:

    • Cloud Platform Apps: Pricing depends on the selection of Cloud Platform Apps, the number of network addresses (IPs), web applications, and user licenses.
    • Included Features: All subscriptions include access to all Cloud Platform Apps, unlimited scans, and unlimited Cloud Agents for inventory. This encompasses tools like Vulnerability Management (VM), Policy Compliance (PC), File Integrity Monitoring (FIM), and Patch Management (PM).


    Pricing Tiers

    Qualys provides several editions to fit different business sizes and needs:

    • Enterprise: For large enterprises, offering comprehensive features and support.
    • Express: For medium-sized businesses, providing a balanced set of features.
    • Express Lite: For small-sized businesses, with a more streamlined set of tools.
    • Consulting Edition: For consultants, consulting organizations, and Managed Service Providers (MSPs).


    Specific Features by Plan

    Here are some of the features available in each plan:

    • Vulnerability Management (VM): Includes network discovery and mapping, asset management, and continuous monitoring capabilities.
    • Policy Compliance (PC): Extends compliance assessment to endpoints in real-time.
    • File Integrity Monitoring (FIM): Tracks and monitors critical assets for changes across various environments.
    • Patch Management (PM): Deploys patches to remote systems and public cloud assets.
    • Qualys Gateway Service (QGS): Allows extending Cloud Agent deployments into secured environments.


    Free Options

    Qualys offers several free services and tools:

    • Qualys Community Edition: A free version of the Enterprise TruRisk Platform, allowing users to discover IT assets, manage vulnerabilities, scan web apps, and inventory cloud assets. This is a cloud-based service with no software to download or install.
    • Global IT Asset Discovery and Inventory: A free service that detects all IT assets on the network, providing a complete and categorized inventory.
    • CertView: Identifies certificate grades, issuers, and expirations for all Internet-facing certificates.


    Historical Pricing Context

    While the current pricing is based on the selection of Cloud Platform Apps and the number of IPs, web applications, and user licenses, it’s worth noting that in the past, Qualys also offered per-scan pricing models. For example, in 2002, they introduced per-scan subscription packages ranging from $4,995 for 250 scans to $149,995 for 100,000 scans.

    For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing, it is recommended to contact Qualys directly or visit their website, as pricing can vary based on specific needs and may change over time.

    Qualys - Integration and Compatibility



    Qualys Overview

    Qualys, a leading provider of cloud-based security and compliance solutions, integrates seamlessly with a wide range of tools and platforms to enhance its functionality and provide comprehensive security intelligence.

    Integrations with Other Tools

    Qualys integrates with various third-party services to enrich its security and compliance capabilities. Here are some key integrations:

    ServiceNow

    Qualys integrates with ServiceNow for inventory management, ticketing, and other IT service management (ITSM) functions. This integration helps in synchronizing asset inventories and automating security-related tickets.

    SIEM Systems

    Qualys integrates with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems like Splunk and IBM QRadar to provide detailed security intelligence and enhance threat detection and response.

    DevOps Tools

    Integrations with DevOps tools such as Jenkins, Azure DevOps, and Atlassian Bamboo enable the incorporation of security scans into continuous integration and continuous development (CI/CD) pipelines. This includes web application scanning, host scanning, and infrastructure as code (IaC) security.

    Public Cloud Providers

    Qualys has native integrations with public cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, providing full visibility into cloud assets and ensuring comprehensive cloud security.

    GRC and Risk Management

    Qualys integrates with governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) tools and risk management systems to quantify and prioritize risks, enhancing overall security posture.

    Compatibility Across Different Platforms and Devices

    Qualys supports a broad range of platforms and devices to ensure widespread compatibility:

    Operating Systems

    The Qualys Agent Scan supports various operating systems including Amazon Linux, CentOS, Debian, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), Ubuntu, Windows Server, and macOS. It also supports different architectures such as x86, x86_64, and ARM64.

    Virtualization Platforms

    Qualys Virtual Scanner Appliance is compatible with multiple virtualization platforms including VMware, OpenStack, Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix XenServer, Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Proxmox, and AzureStack. However, it does not support ARM-based infrastructure like Apple products with M1 and M2 chipsets.

    Cloud Environments

    Qualys provides full visibility and support for assets in public, hybrid, and private cloud environments, ensuring that all cloud assets are securely managed.

    InsightCloudSec Integration

    Qualys also integrates with InsightCloudSec, allowing organizations to gain visibility into where the Qualys Cloud Agent is deployed across their cloud footprint. This integration involves configuring the Qualys Server URL, username, and password within InsightCloudSec to enable daily polling of Qualys data and apply specific filters such as instances with or without the Qualys Agent configured.

    Conclusion

    In summary, Qualys offers extensive integration capabilities with various tools and platforms, ensuring comprehensive security and compliance management across a wide range of devices and environments.

    Qualys - Customer Support and Resources



    Qualys Customer Support Options

    Qualys offers a comprehensive suite of customer support options and additional resources, particularly for its networking tools and AI-driven products.

    Customer Support Portal

    Qualys provides a streamlined Customer Support Portal (CSP) that integrates various support functions. This portal allows users to:

    Key Features

    • Access technical support content, including support technical articles, discussion forums, training courses, and documentation.
    • Track and update their support cases and feature requests. Users can create new support cases, provide detailed descriptions of their issues, and attach relevant files to aid in resolution.
    • Utilize a unified search feature that retrieves results from multiple sources such as discussion forums, blog posts, training courses, and documentation.
    To access the Customer Support Portal, users can log in to their Qualys Cloud Suite account, go to the “Help” section, and select “Contact Support.” Alternatively, they can visit the Qualys Community and choose the “Support” option, although this method does not provide authenticated access to personal support cases.

    Support Service Level Agreement (SLA)

    Qualys has a clear SLA that outlines the support process. Customers can log support requests via a web-based ticketing system or by phone on a 24×7 basis. Each query receives a ticket number and can be tracked until resolution. The SLA also specifies target response times for different severity levels of support requests.

    Continuous Monitoring and Vulnerability Management

    Qualys offers tools like Continuous Monitoring, which integrates with Vulnerability Management to provide real-time alerts about network irregularities, vulnerabilities, and misconfigurations. This tool allows users to set up monitoring profiles, define rulesets for specific events, and configure notifications to relevant individuals or teams. This ensures proactive addressing of potential security issues rather than reactive responses.

    AI/ML Integration

    Following the acquisition of Blue Hexagon’s AI/Machine Learning platform, Qualys has enhanced its capabilities to include:

    Advanced Features

    • Real-time zero-day threat detection
    • Active vulnerability exploitation detection
    • Adaptive risk mitigation
    • Network detection and response with deep learning-based solutions. This integration augments the Qualys Cloud Platform with advanced security risk assessment and detection capabilities.


    Additional Resources

    • Qualys Community: This is a central hub where users can access support content, participate in discussion forums, and find training and documentation. The community also includes the Qualys Blog, which provides updates and insights on security and compliance.
    • Training and Documentation: The Customer Support Portal includes extensive training resources, documentation, and guides to help users get started and resolve common issues efficiently.
    These resources and support options are designed to ensure that customers have the tools and assistance they need to effectively manage and secure their IT environments.

    Qualys - Pros and Cons



    Advantages



    High Accuracy

    Qualys is renowned for its extremely high accuracy in vulnerability scanning, exceeding Six Sigma 99.99966% accuracy. This reduces the likelihood of false positives and false negatives, making it a reliable tool for identifying and addressing vulnerabilities.



    Comprehensive Security Coverage

    The platform offers a wide range of security features, including vulnerability management, asset discovery, network security, web application security, threat protection, and compliance monitoring. This comprehensive coverage helps in managing and securing various aspects of an organization’s infrastructure.



    Ease of Use

    Many users praise the ease of use of the Qualys dashboard, especially when managing multiple sites. The platform is cloud-based, which eliminates the need for server setup and maintenance, making it user-friendly for deployment and administration.



    Automated Patch Management

    Qualys Patch Management automates patch deployment and compliance, reducing vulnerabilities and ensuring security. It also offers features like deferred reboots and automated scheduling for bandwidth efficiency.



    Detailed Reporting

    Qualys provides high-quality, easy-to-read reports that include detailed information on vulnerabilities and necessary patches. These reports help in quickly identifying and remediating vulnerabilities.



    Integration and Scalability

    The platform integrates well with various IT systems, including ITSM tools like ServiceNow, and offers a unified view of the entire cyber risk posture. This scalability and integration capability make it suitable for large and complex environments.



    Disadvantages



    Pricing

    One of the significant drawbacks is the higher pricing compared to other vendors. This can be a barrier for organizations with limited budgets.



    Limited Support for Certain Environments

    There is a need for improved support in patching VMware and other virtualized environments. Additionally, Qualys may not be suitable for air-gapped environments due to its lack of offline deployment capabilities.



    User Interface Issues

    Some users have reported that the user interface is outdated, and reporting modules may need to be purchased separately. However, this feedback is not consistent across all reviews.



    Scan-Related Issues

    There have been instances where scan attempts caused confusion or application outages, and some users found the scheduling of scans to be limited. Additionally, intermittent slow scans when scanning endpoints have been reported.



    False Positives and Negatives

    Although Qualys has high accuracy, some users still encounter false positives and negatives. However, the platform has mechanisms in place to minimize and address these issues promptly.

    Overall, Qualys offers a powerful and accurate solution for vulnerability management and security, but it comes with some limitations, particularly in pricing and support for specific environments.

    Qualys - Comparison with Competitors



    When Comparing Qualys’ AI-Driven Networking and Security Tools

    When comparing Qualys’ AI-driven networking and security tools, particularly its Web Application Scanning (WAS) and API Security, with other similar products in the market, several key points and alternatives emerge.



    Qualys Key Features

    • Comprehensive API Discovery and Inventory Management: Qualys automatically identifies and catalogues all APIs, including internal, external, undocumented, rogue, and shadow APIs, across various environments such as multi-cloud, containerized architectures, and API gateways.
    • API Vulnerability Testing & AI-Powered Scanning: Qualys uses AI to scan for vulnerabilities and provides continuous discovery to ensure an updated inventory and prevent unauthorized access points.
    • Integration with Other Qualys Products: For existing Qualys customers, the API security module can be bundled and managed within the same ecosystem, making it cost-effective.


    Potential Drawbacks

    • Slow and Noisy Scans: Qualys API scans can be slow, taking up to 12 hours to complete, and generate a high volume of false positives, which can be cumbersome to manage.
    • Limited API Support: Qualys only supports REST and SOAP APIs, lacking support for other types like GraphQL.
    • Dependence on Predefined Schemas: Effective scans require accurate Swagger/OpenAPI files, which can be difficult to maintain and manage.
    • Limited Reporting and UI: The API security reporting features are relatively basic, offering limited insights and prioritization features.


    Alternatives and Competitors



    Juniper Networks

    • AI-Native Networking Platform: Juniper’s platform unifies campus, branch, and data center networking operations via a common AI engine. It reduces networking trouble tickets by up to 90%, lowers OpEx by up to 85%, and speeds up incident resolution by up to 50%.
    • Mist Marvis Virtual Network Assistant (VNA): Provides reliable, measurable, and secure connections for all devices, users, applications, and assets.


    Arista Networks

    • Arista Etherlink AI Platforms: Designed for optimal network performance for demanding AI workloads, such as training and inferencing. Arista’s CloudVision platform integrates AI for network monitoring, predictive analytics, and automation.
    • Continuous Monitoring and Automation: Streamlines network configuration and management tasks, anticipating potential issues before they impact operations.


    Nile AI Services Platform

    • AI-Based Network Design and Automation: Nile’s platform includes AI-based network design, automated network deployment, and AI-powered network monitoring and operations. It integrates security, cloud-native service delivery, and closed-loop automation for campus and branch IT infrastructures.
    • Nile Copilot and Autopilot Applications: Enhance network monitoring and operations with AI-driven insights and automation.


    Cisco DNA Center

    • Automated Troubleshooting and Policy Management: Uses AI to automate network operations, providing real-time analytics for better network visibility and simplifying the application of security policies.
    • Network Health Insights: Offers automated troubleshooting and policy management, enabling professionals to make data-driven decisions.


    Conclusion

    While Qualys offers comprehensive API discovery and AI-powered scanning, its limitations in terms of scan speed, API support, and reporting features might make it less suitable for organizations needing more advanced and automated API security solutions. Alternatives like Juniper Networks, Arista Networks, Nile, and Cisco DNA Center provide more holistic and efficient AI-driven networking and security capabilities, addressing various needs such as network performance, automation, and advanced analytics. Each of these alternatives has unique features that could better align with the specific requirements of different organizations.

    Qualys - Frequently Asked Questions



    Frequently Asked Questions about Qualys



    What is network discovery in Qualys, and what information does it provide?

    Network discovery in Qualys involves identifying each device on your network. This process creates a map of all devices found, which includes details such as network topology, access points, machine names, IP addresses, operating systems, and discovered services like HTTP, SMTP, and Telnet. The network map can be viewed in graphical or text format and can be downloaded in various formats like PDF, ZIP (HTML), XML, MHT, and CSV.

    How does Qualys find vulnerabilities and characterize network systems?

    Qualys uses an inference-based scan engine to find vulnerabilities. The process starts with a pre-scan module that accurately fingerprints a host by sending specially crafted packets and interpreting the results. This allows Qualys to identify the host’s operating system, services running, and ports opened with over 99% accuracy. The inference-based scan engine then selects and runs only the appropriate vulnerability checks for the target device, minimizing network traffic and improving accuracy.

    What types of devices does Qualys analyze during a scan?

    Qualys assesses the security risk of all networked, IP devices. This includes routers, switches, hubs, firewalls, servers (across common operating systems), workstations, desktop computers, printers, and wireless access devices.

    How does Qualys test a network for a Denial of Service (DoS) attack without causing service interruptions?

    When testing for DoS vulnerabilities, Qualys sends specially crafted packets designed not to impact the host’s availability. By analyzing the host’s response, Qualys can determine if the host is vulnerable to a DoS attack without flooding it with traffic. Additionally, authenticated scanning using user credentials can perform deeper assessments without jeopardizing the host’s stability.

    What impact will Qualys have on my network?

    Qualys is designed to minimize both the audit time and the network bandwidth it uses. The service dynamically adjusts the scan speed if it detects any deterioration in the target host or network performance during a scan. This ensures minimal impact on network traffic load.

    How is the service bandwidth-efficient?

    Qualys allows for variable bandwidth load settings (low, normal, high, or custom) on the machines being scanned. It monitors the time-response and dynamically adjusts the load according to the selected setting, ensuring only relevant vulnerability checks are run for each machine type.

    Does Qualys look for viruses, backdoors, and trojans?

    Qualys primarily focuses on vulnerability management and does not specifically look for viruses, backdoors, and trojans. However, it does detect malware through its continually updated database of vulnerability signatures known as the Qualys KnowledgeBase.

    How does Qualys assist with remediation?

    After detecting a vulnerability, Qualys provides detailed information to help correct the problem. It generates customizable reports and offers remediation workflow tools, including the creation of remediation tickets. Qualys also helps in maintaining compliance by integrating with other security and IT tools.

    Can I customize or configure Qualys scans to meet my needs?

    Yes, you can customize Qualys scans. The service allows for variable bandwidth load settings and the selection of specific vulnerability checks based on the host profile. Additionally, Qualys supports pre-defined and custom scan policies to meet different organizational needs.

    How does Qualys leverage AI in its security solutions?

    Qualys uses AI, particularly through its TruRisk AI, to enhance predictive analysis of vulnerabilities. This AI-powered approach helps in identifying and prioritizing critical vulnerabilities, streamlining incident response, and improving asset hygiene. It also extends to cloud security with solutions like Qualys TotalCloud™, which uses deep learning AI to detect complex threats in cloud environments.

    What are the reporting capabilities of Qualys?

    Qualys generates detailed, customizable reports that can be exported in various formats such as HTML, MHT, PDF, CSV, and more. The reports include network assets, discovered vulnerabilities, network security status, and trend analysis. The reports are highly configurable for sorting, filtering, and grouping, and they can also include interactive network maps showing device details.

    Qualys - Conclusion and Recommendation



    Final Assessment of Qualys in the Networking Tools AI-driven Product Category

    Qualys stands out as a leading solution in the AI-driven networking tools category, particularly for vulnerability management and web application security. Here are some key points that highlight its strengths and the types of organizations that would benefit most from using it.

    Key Features and Strengths



    Comprehensive API Discovery and Inventory Management

    Qualys automatically identifies and catalogues all APIs within an organization, including internal, external, undocumented, rogue, and shadow APIs. This ensures a complete and updated inventory across various platforms like multi-cloud environments, containerized architectures, and API gateways.

    AI-Powered Scanning and Vulnerability Testing

    Qualys uses AI techniques such as machine learning and deep learning to analyze patterns in vast amounts of data, surfacing new insights that individual data points could not reveal. This helps in accurate vulnerability testing and reduces false positives and negatives.

    Accuracy and Up-to-Date Vulnerability Database

    Qualys maintains a highly accurate and comprehensive list of critical security vulnerabilities, updated three times a day. This ensures customers are protected from the latest vulnerabilities.

    Distributed Scanning and Centralized Reports

    The platform offers a global scanning infrastructure that can scan both inside and outside the firewall, providing centralized reports. This makes it easy to implement and maintain, with minimal training required.

    Pure SaaS Model

    Qualys operates on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, which allows for easy deployment, automatic updates, and access from any web browser. This model scales infinitely with network growth and is available 24x7x365.

    Who Would Benefit Most

    Qualys is particularly beneficial for organizations that have stringent data protection and privacy requirements. These include:

    Regulated Industries

    Financial institutions, retail and online merchants, healthcare providers, government agencies, and pharmaceutical organizations that are subject to information security regulations.

    Network and Data Intensive Groups

    High-technology manufacturing, state universities, entertainment, and transportation sectors that rely heavily on network and data security.

    Organizations with Existing Vulnerability Scanning Solutions

    Those already using open source or software vulnerability scanning solutions can benefit from Qualys’ advanced features, accuracy, and ease of use.

    Overall Recommendation

    Qualys is highly recommended for any organization seeking a comprehensive and accurate vulnerability management and web application security solution. Its AI-driven capabilities, continuous monitoring, and up-to-date vulnerability database make it a reliable choice for maintaining a strong security posture. The ease of implementation, minimal training requirements, and scalable SaaS model further enhance its appeal. In summary, Qualys offers a powerful, accurate, and user-friendly solution that can significantly enhance an organization’s security and compliance efforts, making it an excellent choice for a wide range of industries and organizational sizes.

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