IBM unveils new software to help organizations identify and predict security risk

IBM today announced an integrated security intelligence solution that helps organizations identify key vulnerabilities in real-time, while reducing total cost of security operations.

IBM QRadar Vulnerability Manager gives security officers a prioritized view across their entire network, helping them to quickly strengthen and fortify their defenses. By aggregating vulnerability information into a single view, security teams can see the results from multiple network, endpoint, database or application scanners where it can be quickly reviewed and managed.

More than 70,000[1] security vulnerabilities exist today, with more than a dozen more being reported every day[2]. The rapid expansion of social, mobile and cloud computing can further increase the number of potential vulnerabilities, expanding the threat landscape.

Part of the IBM Security Intelligence Platform, QRadar Vulnerability Manager (QVM) combs through security holes to help close them to potential exploits, excluding those hidden behind firewalls, associated with inactive applications or otherwise unreachable from external attacks. By simply activating a license key, this new software can automatically scan the network and perform the analysis helping security teams moreeffectively direct their limited staff resources. 

“Security Intelligence is about putting all the available data into context, and making it useful for each client’s unique security needs,” said Ahmed Auda, Business Unit Executive, Software Group, IBM Middle East. “We have relentlessly expanded QRadar's capabilities, and tight integration of vulnerability management is the next natural extension.”

Designed to Address Gaps in Vulnerability Management Solutions

IBM QRadar Vulnerability Manager helps clients reduce the remediation and mitigation burden by aggregating vulnerability information into a single risk-based view where it can be quickly prioritized. Security teams can see the results from multiple network, endpoint, database or application scanners alongside the latest X-Force Threat Intelligence alerts and incident reports from the National Vulnerability Database. The new offering also includes its own embedded, PCI-certified scanner which can be scheduled to run periodically or triggered based on network events. 

"QRadar Vulnerability Manager is a breakthrough for the IT security industry,” said Murray Benadie Managing Director, Zenith Systems, an IBM Business Partner. “It can cut a huge list of vulnerabilities in half, if not more.  Users will quickly see vulnerabilities on their networks, without trying to mash products together– that is how information falls through the cracks. This is a true game changer.” 

New Intrusion Prevention Solution Provides “Virtual Patch” When Remediation isn’t Available

IBM is enhancing its intrusion prevention platform with the introduction of the IBM Security Network Protection XGS 5100. Fully integrated with IBM QRadar Security Intelligence Platform, the platform now provides ongoing network data feeds to help identify stealthy Secure Socket Layer attacks (SSL--a security protocol to enable Web sites to pass sensitive information securely in an encrypted format), in addition to helping provide real-time protection from advanced threats and heightened levels of network visibility and control.  This enhanced intrusion prevention platform also includes IBM’s “virtual patch” technology to provide vulnerability protection when a software patch is not yet available.

Additionally, IBM is also announcing a new version of the IBM Security zSecure Suite, a mainframe security solution with IBM QRadar Security Intelligence Platform integration. This combined solution helps provide organizations with enterprise-wide visibility of mainframe security events, supported with automated real-time threat alerts and customized compliance reporting.