The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, commonly known by its acronym, CISA, stands as a pillar of the U.S. government’s efforts to bolster national cyber and physical infrastructure. Established to defend against the increasing cyber threats, CISA has become synonymous with resilience, protection, and digital integrity. The Kev has been the reference data for vulnerability exploitation and whether a fix is available. Recently CISA with STOP Ransomware has been monitoring the activities of ransomware data across organizations.
For a detailed analysis of the relation, refer to CISA KEV Ransomware deep dive
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts a user’s files or entire system, demanding a ransom for their release. It poses a significant threat to both individuals and organizations, often exploiting vulnerabilities in software and systems to gain access. The KEV catalogue serves as an invaluable tool for vulnerability management by identifying vulnerabilities that are particularly susceptible to ransomware attacks. This targeted focus allows organizations to prioritize patching these high-risk vulnerabilities, thereby reducing the likelihood of a successful ransomware exploit. In the realm of application security, understanding the nature of ransomware informs coding practices aimed at mitigating this specific type of threat. By focusing on vulnerabilities that are commonly exploited by ransomware, organizations can tailor their security measures to defend against this increasingly prevalent form of cyberattack.
The CISA KEV catalogue has evolved to become a crucial resource for vulnerability management and application security, especially with its Ransomware Vulnerability Warning Pilot. We analysed the data in details in this blog. This feature identifies vulnerabilities that are commonly associated with known ransomware campaigns. By comparing this data with the CVE database, organizations can gain a historical perspective on the most exploited vulnerabilities over the years. This is invaluable for vulnerability management, as it helps prioritize patching efforts for vulnerabilities known to be used in ransomware attacks. In the realm of application security, this information guides coding practices to mitigate the risk of ransomware exploits. The catalogue even includes a specific column titled “known to be used in ransomware campaigns,” providing immediate insights into the vulnerabilities most likely to be exploited.
In summary, the KEV catalogue offers a focused lens on the top exploited vulnerabilities in ransomware, aiding both vulnerability management and application security efforts.
The CISA KEV catalogue is a comprehensive resource for identifying vulnerabilities, but what stands out is its targeted focus on ransomware. Out of 1,225 catalogued vulnerabilities, only 177 are earmarked for ransomware exploits. This selective focus is invaluable for vulnerability management, as it allows organizations to prioritize their patching and security efforts on these high-risk vulnerabilities. In the realm of application security, this data informs coding practices to specifically mitigate the risk of ransomware attacks. The limited number of ransomware-focused vulnerabilities in the CISA KEV catalogue underscores the importance of targeted security measures. It serves as a guide for organizations to allocate resources effectively, concentrating on the vulnerabilities most likely to be exploited in hacker groups and ransomware attacks.
Let’s win the battle against ransomware prioritizing the fix of the vulnerabilities that matters most.
Trusted by more than 1000 users and 380 organizations
Derek Fisher – Head of product security at a global fintech. Speaker, instructor, and author in application security.
Derek is an award winning author of a children’s book series in cybersecurity as well as the author of “The Application Security Handbook.” He is a university instructor at Temple University where he teaches software development security to undergraduate and graduate students. He is a speaker on topics in the cybersecurity space and has led teams, large and small, at organizations in the healthcare and financial industries. He has built and matured information security teams as well as implemented organizational information security strategies to reduce the organizations risk.
Derek got his start in the hardware engineering space where he learned about designing circuits and building assemblies for commercial and military applications. He later pursued a computer science degree in order to advance a career in software development. This is where Derek was introduced to cybersecurity and soon caught the bug. He found a mentor to help him grow in cybersecurity and then pursued a graduate degree in the subject.
Since then Derek has worked in the product security space as an architect and leader. He has led teams to deliver more secure software in organizations from multiple industries. His focus has been to raise the security awareness of the engineering organization while maintaining a practice of secure code development, delivery, and operations.
In his role, Jeevan handles a range of tasks, from architecting security solutions to collaborating with Engineering Leadership to address security vulnerabilities at scale and embed security into the fabric of the organization.
Jeevan Singh is the Director of Security Engineering at Rippling, with a background spanning various Engineering and Security leadership roles over the course of his career. He’s dedicated to the integration of security practices into software development, working to create a security-aware culture within organizations and imparting security best practices to the team.
In his role, Jeevan handles a range of tasks, from architecting security solutions to collaborating with Engineering Leadership to address security vulnerabilities at scale and embed security into the fabric of the organization.
James Berthoty has over ten years of experience across product and security domains. He founded Latio Tech to help companies find the right security tools for their needs without vendor bias.
Chris Romeo is a leading voice and thinker in application security, threat modeling, and security champions and the CEO of Devici and General Partner at Kerr Ventures. Chris hosts the award-winning “Application Security Podcast,” “The Security Table,” and “The Threat Modeling Podcast” and is a highly rated industry speaker and trainer, featured at the RSA Conference, the AppSec Village @ DefCon, OWASP Global AppSec, ISC2 Security Congress, InfoSec World and All Day DevOps. Chris founded Security Journey, a security education company, leading to an exit in 2022. Chris was the Chief Security Advocate at Cisco, spreading security knowledge through education and champion programs. Chris has twenty-six years of security experience, holding positions across the gamut, including application security, security engineering, incident response, and various Executive roles. Chris holds the CISSP and CSSLP certifications.
Jim Manico is the founder of Manicode Security, where he trains software developers on secure coding and security engineering. Jim is also the founder of Brakeman Security, Inc. and an investor/advisor for Signal Sciences. He is the author of Iron-Clad Java: Building Secure Web Applications (McGraw-Hill), a frequent speaker on secure software practices, and a member of the JavaOne Rockstar speaker community. Jim is also a volunteer for and former board member of the OWASP foundation.
Get all the latest news, exclusive deals, and feature updates.
