As old as the threat of danger itself, vulnerability management (VM) has been the responsibility of leaders in every human organization, from tribes and fiefdoms right up through modern multinationals. Today, the focus of vulnerability management is still on infrastructure, but as knowledge is power and the lifeblood of any organization is its capacity for quick system-wide response, current emphasis needs to be placed on maintaining the integrity of IT applications, so critical to the real and the virtual infrastructure and productivity of any community or business entity.

Where information truly moves at the speed of light, without dedicated vigilance and proactive maintenance, we are always one failed gate or one lazy sentry … one accident or one act of malfeasance … away from systemic disaster.

Written by international security consultant Park Foreman, Vulnerability Management demonstrates a proactive approach. Illustrated with examples drawn from more than two decades of multinational experience, Foreman demonstrates how much easier it is to manage potential weaknesses, than to clean up after a violation. Covering the diverse realms that chief officers need to know and the specifics applicable to singular areas of departmental responsibility, he provides both the strategic vision and action steps needed to prevent the exploitation of IT security gaps, especially those that are inherent in a larger organization. Providing a fundamental understanding of technology risks from an interloper’s perspective, this efficiently organized work —

• Offers the guidance you need to develop and personalize your own VM management program
• Goes far beyond the obvious to cover those areas often neglected, as well as those that are actually less secure than they might appear
• Demonstrates a host of proven methods to assess and reduce the potential for exploitation from within and without
• Provides detailed checklists used by the author

Throughout history, the best leaders not only responded to manifested threats but anticipated and prepared for potential ones that might overtly or insidiously compromise infrastructure and the capacity for productivity. Great vulnerability management is often hard to quantify, as the best measure of its success is that which never happens.