Tenable

CTEM Without the Hype: Understanding Gartner's Continuous Threat Exposure Management Framework

The article explains the evolution of vulnerability management from basic scheduled scanning to risk-based approaches and finally to Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM). It positions CTEM as a comprehensive program introduced by Gartner in 2022 that integrates asset management, EASM, CAASM, automated pentesting, and business-context prioritization. The five-stage cycle of Scoping, Discovery, Prioritization, Validation, and Mobilization is detailed with practical examples such as protecting customer databases in an e-commerce environment. Gartner predicts organizations prioritizing CTEM will suffer three times fewer breaches by 2026, though only 16% have reached operational maturity. The piece also covers common implementation pitfalls and the emergence of the first Magic Quadrant for Exposure Assessment Platforms featuring vendors like Tenable, Qualys, and Rapid7.

Agent, Scan or Beyond: Modern Methods for Comprehensive Infrastructure Vulnerability Scanning

The eighth installment in the Vulnerability Management for Beginners series explains why traditional scanning approaches no longer cover today's dynamic environments. It details three classic methods—Host Discovery, Pentest, and Audit—alongside agent-based scanning, cloud snapshot techniques, passive traffic analysis, container and SCA tools, and integrations with existing IT systems. The guide stresses that agents from Tenable and Qualys complement but do not replace network scanning, while Orca Security and Wiz pioneered disk snapshot analysis for short-lived cloud instances. It also covers container image scanning with Trivy and Grype before deployment, passive monitoring for OT environments, and the importance of combining multiple data sources to eliminate blind spots. Practical recommendations include scanning frequency by asset type and six post-scan steps for effective remediation.

Prepare for Summer Vacation: Patch Tuesday Overlaps with Obon Holiday Week Raises Risks

As August approaches and organizations enter summer vacation season, many will face a challenging overlap between Microsoft's Patch Tuesday and Japan's Obon holiday week in 2026. System administrators and security teams are often unavailable during extended breaks, leading to slower detection, reporting, and remediation of threats. Ransomware campaigns frequently target periods such as evenings, weekends, and consecutive holidays when response times are delayed. Experts recommend completing software updates on servers, network devices, and endpoints before departure to close known vulnerabilities. Security product definition files should be refreshed, unused systems powered down after risk assessment, and basic controls verified in advance. The advisory from Security NEXT highlights that dispersed vacation schedules in some organizations still leave concentrated risk windows for others.