Qualys is a comprehensive cloud-based cybersecurity and vulnerability management platform designed to help organizations identify, prioritize, and remediate security vulnerabilities across their entire IT infrastructure.
What Qualys Does
Qualys provides a wide range of security and compliance solutions to ensure the security and integrity of an organization’s networks, systems, and applications. It is renowned for its scalability, comprehensive coverage, and ease of use. Here are the primary functions of Qualys:
Vulnerability Management
Qualys performs automated vulnerability scanning and assessment to identify and prioritize vulnerabilities in an organization’s IT infrastructure. It helps in managing the full lifecycle of vulnerabilities, from detection to remediation.
Asset Inventory
The platform maintains an up-to-date inventory of all assets, including servers, workstations, network devices, and applications. This helps organizations keep track of their managed and unmanaged assets, including hardware, software, IT, and IoT devices.
Patch Management
Qualys assists in patch management by identifying missing patches and helping organizations prioritize and apply critical security updates. It also automates the deployment of available patches, which is particularly beneficial in fast-paced DevOps environments.
Compliance Monitoring
Qualys offers compliance scanning against various security standards and regulations such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR, ensuring organizations meet their compliance requirements.
Key Features and Functionality
Vulnerability Assessment
Qualys conducts automated vulnerability scanning and assessment across an organization’s IT infrastructure, including networks, systems, and applications. This helps in identifying vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by hackers.
Web Application Scanning
The platform scans web applications for common vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and insecure authentication, ensuring the security of web-based assets.
Network Security
Qualys assesses and secures network infrastructure by identifying misconfigurations, weak passwords, and potential attack vectors. It complements other security solutions like firewalls and intrusion detection systems with a proactive approach.
Container Security
Qualys provides solutions to scan and secure containerized applications and container orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes. This ensures the security of container-as-a-service environments.
File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)
The platform offers FIM capabilities to monitor and detect unauthorized changes to critical files and directories, enhancing the overall security posture of the organization.
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Integration
Qualys can integrate with SIEM platforms to provide real-time threat detection and incident response capabilities, enhancing the organization’s ability to respond to security incidents promptly.
Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)
Qualys helps organizations secure their cloud environments by identifying misconfigurations, compliance violations, and security risks in cloud services like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
Qualys Cloud Platform
The platform is powered by cloud agents, virtual scanners, and network analysis capabilities. It allows for centralized management and orchestration of vulnerability management efforts from a single, integrated platform.
Continuous Monitoring
Qualys Continuous Monitoring (CM) provides real-time scanning to identify threats and unexpected changes in the Internet perimeter, allowing IT staff to take immediate action to prevent breaches.
User Interface and Customization
The platform features a redesigned and customizable dashboard, enhanced support for Qualys Query Language (QQL), and seamless integration with other modules like CSAM/EASM, providing a more intuitive and feature-rich experience.
Deployment and Accessibility
Qualys is available as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, accessible 24x7x365 through any web browser. It scales infinitely with an organization’s network growth and is supported by various scanner appliances, including internet-based, physical, and virtual appliances, as well as cloud agents that install locally on host assets.
In summary, Qualys is a robust and scalable cybersecurity solution that streamlines vulnerability management, enhances security, and facilitates compliance efforts for organizations of all sizes.
