Written with contributions from Bryon Singh, Director of Security Operations, RailWorks Corporation
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit is a technological marvel. But what truly makes it formidable isn’t just the armor, it’s the automated diagnostics and internal scans that constantly monitor for damage, threats, and system vulnerabilities. Every time Stark takes a hit, the suit runs a scan, identifies the issue, and adapts in real time.
This is precisely the kind of proactive defense strategy that CIS Safeguard 7.5 promotes in cybersecurity.
What Is CIS Safeguard 7.5?
CIS Safeguard 7.5 falls under the Vulnerability Management category of the CIS Critical Security Controls. It recommends that organizations “perform automated vulnerability scans of internal enterprise assets.”
This means regularly scanning internal systems: servers, endpoints, databases, and applications, for known vulnerabilities using automated tools. The goal is to identify weaknesses before adversaries do.
Why It Matters
Just like Stark’s suit, your enterprise infrastructure is constantly exposed to threats. Without automated scans, vulnerabilities can go unnoticed, leaving systems open to exploitation. Manual checks are too slow and error-prone for today’s threat landscape.
Unlike manual checks, automated scanning tools:
- Continuously monitor internal assets
- Detect known vulnerabilities using updated databases (e.g., CVE feeds)
- Prioritize remediation based on severity
- Integrate with patch management and SIEM systems
How to Implement It (Stark Style)
To align with CIS Safeguard 7.5, organizations should:
- Deploy automated vulnerability scanners and agents (e.g., Tenable, Qualys, Rapid7) across internal networks
- Schedule regular scans: daily, weekly, or monthly depending on asset criticality
- Ensure authenticated scans for deeper visibility into system configurations
- Integrate results into dashboards for real-time visibility and reporting
- Track remediation efforts and verify fixes with follow-up scans
Iron Man’s Internal Scans
In Iron Man 3, after Stark’s suit is damaged during an attack, it runs a full diagnostic to assess internal failures. It identifies broken servos, depleted power cells, and compromised armor plates, then adapts accordingly.
This mirrors how vulnerability scanners work: they identify weaknesses, report them, and enable remediation; ideally before a breach occurs.
Final Thoughts
CIS Safeguard 7.5 isn’t just a checkbox, it’s a mindset. Think of your enterprise like Stark’s suit: complex, powerful, and constantly under threat. Automated vulnerability scanning is your internal diagnostic system, ensuring you're always one step ahead of attackers.
Resources
Here’s a link to the Policy Templates provided free of charge from the fine folks at the Center for Internet Security:
Looking for even more detail? Here you go. If this still doesn’t satisfy your curiosity, DM me.
CIS Control 7 – Continuous Vulnerability Management
Develop a plan to continuously assess and track vulnerabilities on all enterprise assets within the enterprise’s infrastructure, in order to remediate, and minimize, the window of opportunity for attackers. Monitor public and private industry sources for new threat and vulnerability information.
CIS Safeguard 7.5 – Perform Automated Vulnerability Scans of Internal Enterprise Assets
Perform automated vulnerability scans of internal enterprise assets on a quarterly, or more frequent, basis. Conduct both authenticated and unauthenticated scans.
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