One question we frequently encounter is: “What kind of risk rating framework do you use after testing?” This is a valid and crucial inquiry, as the type of report and ratings provided post-testing play a significant role in meeting compliance requirements and addressing security vulnerabilities effectively.
At MainNerve, we utilize two well-established frameworks for our risk ratings: the Damage, Reproducibility, Exploitability, Affected Users, and Discoverability (DREAD) model and the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). Each system offers unique benefits tailored to different business needs, whether you’re an SMB or a larger enterprise.
The DREAD Risk Rating Framework
The DREAD framework provides a qualitative assessment of vulnerabilities based on five critical factors:
Damage Potential: This assesses the potential damage that could result from exploiting a vulnerability. Damage could include data loss, system downtime, financial loss, etc.
Reproducibility: This factor evaluates how easy it is for an attacker to reproduce the conditions necessary to exploit the vulnerability. Â If a vulnerability is easily exploitable across different environments, it poses a higher risk.
Exploitability: Exploitability refers to how easily an attacker can exploit the vulnerability. Â Factors such as the availability of tools, skill level required, and complexity of the attack contribute to this assessment.
Affected Users: This considers the number of users who could be impacted by the vulnerability. Â A vulnerability that affects many users poses a higher risk.
Discoverability: Discoverability assesses how likely it is for an attacker to discover the vulnerability. Â Vulnerabilities that are easy to find are considered riskier.
Quick overview:
Qualitative Assessment: DREAD provides a qualitative assessment of vulnerabilities based on five factors. This can be beneficial for SMBs that may not have the resources or expertise to perform detailed technical assessments.
Holistic View: DREAD considers factors beyond technical aspects, such as potential damage and the number of affected users. This can provide SMBs with a more holistic view of the risks associated with vulnerabilities.
Simplicity: DREAD is relatively simple to understand, which can benefit SMBs with limited cybersecurity expertise.
The DREAD report typically assigns a score to each factor, which is used to prioritize which vulnerabilities should be addressed first.  At MainNerve, we break the report down into four categories: High, Medium, Low, and Informational. The higher scores indicate greater risk and should require immediate attention. Additionally, our DREAD reports often include recommendations for mitigating the identified vulnerabilities.
The CVSS Risk Rating Framework
The CVSS framework provides a standardized, quantitative assessment of vulnerabilities, focusing on technical aspects and their potential impact:
Base Score: This is the core score of the vulnerability and is calculated using several metrics:
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- Attack Vector: Describes how the vulnerability was exploited.
- Attack Complexity: Refers to how complex the attack is to execute.
- Privileges Required: Determines the level of privileges an attacker required to exploit the vulnerability.
- User Interaction: Describes whether the vulnerability can be exploited without user interaction.
- Scope: Defines whether an exploited vulnerability impacts resources beyond the immediate scope.
Temporal Score: This score reflects the current state of the vulnerability, considering factors such as exploit availability and remediation level.
Environmental Score: This score reveals the vulnerability’s impact within a specific environment, considering factors such as the importance of the affected assets and the sensitivity of the impacted data.
Quick overview:
Standardized Scoring: CVSS provides a standardized scoring system widely recognized and used across the cybersecurity industry. This can be beneficial for some Medium to Large Businesses as it allows for easier comparison and prioritization of vulnerabilities.
Technical Focus: CVSS focuses on technical aspects of vulnerabilities, such as exploitability and impact. This can be useful for organizations with a strong technical understanding of their systems and vulnerabilities.
Quantitative Assessment: CVSS assigns numerical scores to vulnerabilities, allowing for a quantitative risk assessment. This can help certain SMBs prioritize vulnerabilities based on severity and potential impact on their systems.
CVSS scores help organizations prioritize and address vulnerabilities efficiently by providing a standardized way to assess their severity. Â They also aid in communication between different stakeholders, such as security teams and management, by providing a common language for discussing the risks associated with vulnerabilities.
Choosing the Right Framework
The choice between DREAD and CVSS depends on factors such as the organization’s technical expertise, the need for standardized scoring, and available resources. Some organizations may find value in using both approaches to gain a comprehensive understanding of their vulnerability landscape.
At MainNerve, we find the DREAD report particularly suited for SMBs due to its straightforward, qualitative nature that is easy to understand from the C-Suite to the most technical staff. For more technically inclined organizations or those needing standardized scoring, CVSS provides a robust framework.
Regularly assessing your cybersecurity posture with comprehensive penetration testing reports is essential in today’s digital landscape. Whether you prefer the qualitative insights of DREAD or the quantitative assessments of CVSS, understanding and acting on these reports is crucial for maintaining robust security.
If you would like to know more about MainNerve and our reporting, please give us a call at 833-847-3280. We’re here to help you navigate the complexities of cybersecurity and ensure your business is well-protected.
