Qualys: Simplifying Security Operations and Lowering the Cost of Compliance
Managing the IT security of an organization is no small task. Businesses need to be able to rely on their networks and data 24x7 in order to effectively operate, however today’s security perimeters are often distributed, complex and highly dynamic, making it difficult to keep up with ever-evolving cyber threats and ensure its overall security posture. In order for businesses to adapt to this ever changing landscape, it is critical to deploy best practices and frameworks in order to meet these complex security needs.Continuous Approach to Security
There are a number of trends happening today that are making it difficult to secure data and networks from cyber threats. Globalization of the workplace, the Internet of Things, diverse technology environments and the sheer speed at which business is being done, is making it difficult for security teams to keep up with ever-evolving cyber threats and ensure an organization’s overall security posture. “One of the best ways to tackle these challenges is by taking proactive, continuous approach to security. It is just not good enough anymore to look at security once a month or once a quarter. Attackers are targeting networks non-stop and enterprises need to be able to immediately identify potential threats in their perimeters in order to proactively respond. This is what we mean by continuous security,” says Sumedh Thakar, Chief Product Officer, Qualys.
Qualys is a leading provider of cloud security and compliance solutions and helps businesses simplify security operations and lower the cost of compliance. Its flagship product, the Qualys Cloud Platform and integrated suite of solutions deliver critical security intelligence on-demand and automate the full spectrum of auditing, compliance and protection for IT systems and web applications to more than 7,700 customers around the world.
“The Qualys Cloud Platform is made up of sensors in the form of appliances and lightweight cloud agents constantly gather security and compliance data. This data is automatically beamed up to the platform, where a suite of centrally managed best of breed solutions allows enterprises to monitor, detect and protect their global network from the perimeter to the core,” said Sumedh. “This gives users the ability to see their networks the way hackers do and provides a continuous view of your security and compliance landscape, including all of your IP-connected devices and web applications,” adds Sumedh.
Qualys provides one unified view across security and compliance as well as networks and applications, eliminating the need for organizations to deploy various point solutions
Advantages of a Cloud-Based Architecture
With the increasing reliance on electronic communications, securing the networks has become a problem of scalability and accuracy that only a cloud-based architecture can effectively address. “One of the unique advantages of having a cloud-based architecture is that each solution in our suite has instant access to all the data gathered so it can be analyzed and correlated to provide the most comprehensive protection. For example, the information collected can be used and correlated for asset discovery, identifying and blocking potential threats, prioritizing remediation, and providing compliance reports,” says Mudit Rastogi, Managing Director, Qualys India.
What sets Qualys Cloud Platform apart from other offerings in the market is its ability to scale. The Cloud Platform can scale from one to a million users, from a single office to a global network. In addition, the speed at which Qualys can be deployed and the rate at which new features can be added to it makes it a commendable solution.“Last year we analyzed over 400 billion security events all at the highest degree of accuracy with zero time wasted chasing false security threats,” adds Mudit.
Scalability and Accuracy of Security
In the ever changing world of information security, it is important that preventive technologies are augmented with detective technologies to help organizations stay ahead of hackers and to make the most of their security investment.
Qualys’ cloud delivery model enables organizations to ensure that IT systems and web applications remain secure and in compliance with data protection mandates at all times for a fraction of the cost of traditional solutions. All of its on-demand solutions can be deployed in hours anywhere around the globe, providing its customers with a view of their security and compliance posture immediately. “Akin to many of our other customers around the globe, Indian organizations are challenged with keeping track of IP assets and applications, which hampers security efforts. Our ability to provide a platform that can check compliance for specific standards or regulations makes Qualys an attractive solution to help them quickly achieve compliance,” shares Sumedh.
Qualys provides one unified view across security and compliance as well as networks and applications, eliminating the need for organizations to deploy various point solutions. This helps its customers in simplifying the process and reducing the cost of identifying and securing their IT assets, while ensuring compliance with internal policies and external regulations. Qualys also integrates with leading solutions in the security and risk management space so that an organization can have one dashboard to go to for their information security metrics.
New Capabilities to Address Changing Needs
Qualys was an early pioneer in SaaS-based security and continues to drive innovation by talking to customers to get feedback to incorporate it into its product roadmap. Such feedback often takes the form of new features and solutions to help solve its customers’ biggest security challenges. “Over the past several months, we have continued our expansion of the Qualys Cloud Platform by adding new capabilities to our Vulnerability Management, Policy Compliance and Web Application Scanning solutions, including new scanning options, reporting enhancements and support for new technologies and compliance frameworks,”explains Sumedh.
The company has also expanded its popular Qualys Continuous Monitoring solution to enable customers to monitor internal IT assets inside an enterprise’s DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). It has also released a new version of the Qualys Private Cloud Platform that is fully disconnected from its Secure Operations Centers, allowing organizations such as government agencies to utilize this scalable offering to secure their IT assets from cyber attacks, while maintaining full control of their security data and day-to-day management of the platform.
The Road Ahead
For 2015, Qualysis planning to deliver on an aggressive product roadmap. The company plans to introduce new solutions and services such as a new Cloud Agent, as well as Malware Protection and Log Manager Services. “We believe these new portfolio enhancements will further provide our customers with the ability to take a continuous approach to security. For example, Cloud Agent will be able to help organizations assess the security of systems that are not always connected to the corporate network,” envisions Sumedh. As the security and IT compliance market evolves, Qualys will continue to strive to give its customers the ability to continuously discover and analyze data (network, firewalls, web apps, etc.) to help them prioritize risk so that they can immediately address and mitigate threats within their global enterprise.
“The IT security market is quickly evolving. Given the number of high profile breaches we saw in 2014 including Home Depot, Sony and critical vulnerabilities in open source Software like Heartbleed and Shellshock, it's no longer a question of if there will be a data breach but when it will happen. We believe we are well positioned to help businesses evolve their security strategies to address their biggest challenges and continuously secure their most valuable assets,” said Sumedh.
Effective Management of Vulnerabilities
When New York based health care system, Catholic Health, was looking to identify and remedy system weaknesses and gaps in regulatory compliance, it chose to deploy the Qualys Cloud Platform. Catholic Health appreciated the fact that with the Qualys Cloud Platform there is no software or hardware to install and maintain, and as it is centrally managed, all of its vulnerability data and system updates are made in real time and are available to all customers concurrently. Since the implementation, Catholic Health has been able to more effectively manage the software and system vulnerabilities that need to be managed in its environment.
In the ever changing world of information security, it is important that preventive technologies are augmented with detective technologies to help organizations stay ahead of hackers and to make the most of their security investment.
Qualys’ cloud delivery model enables organizations to ensure that IT systems and web applications remain secure and in compliance with data protection mandates at all times for a fraction of the cost of traditional solutions. All of its on-demand solutions can be deployed in hours anywhere around the globe, providing its customers with a view of their security and compliance posture immediately. “Akin to many of our other customers around the globe, Indian organizations are challenged with keeping track of IP assets and applications, which hampers security efforts. Our ability to provide a platform that can check compliance for specific standards or regulations makes Qualys an attractive solution to help them quickly achieve compliance,” shares Sumedh.
Qualys provides one unified view across security and compliance as well as networks and applications, eliminating the need for organizations to deploy various point solutions. This helps its customers in simplifying the process and reducing the cost of identifying and securing their IT assets, while ensuring compliance with internal policies and external regulations. Qualys also integrates with leading solutions in the security and risk management space so that an organization can have one dashboard to go to for their information security metrics.
New Capabilities to Address Changing Needs
Qualys was an early pioneer in SaaS-based security and continues to drive innovation by talking to customers to get feedback to incorporate it into its product roadmap. Such feedback often takes the form of new features and solutions to help solve its customers’ biggest security challenges. “Over the past several months, we have continued our expansion of the Qualys Cloud Platform by adding new capabilities to our Vulnerability Management, Policy Compliance and Web Application Scanning solutions, including new scanning options, reporting enhancements and support for new technologies and compliance frameworks,”explains Sumedh.
The company has also expanded its popular Qualys Continuous Monitoring solution to enable customers to monitor internal IT assets inside an enterprise’s DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). It has also released a new version of the Qualys Private Cloud Platform that is fully disconnected from its Secure Operations Centers, allowing organizations such as government agencies to utilize this scalable offering to secure their IT assets from cyber attacks, while maintaining full control of their security data and day-to-day management of the platform.
The Road Ahead
For 2015, Qualysis planning to deliver on an aggressive product roadmap. The company plans to introduce new solutions and services such as a new Cloud Agent, as well as Malware Protection and Log Manager Services. “We believe these new portfolio enhancements will further provide our customers with the ability to take a continuous approach to security. For example, Cloud Agent will be able to help organizations assess the security of systems that are not always connected to the corporate network,” envisions Sumedh. As the security and IT compliance market evolves, Qualys will continue to strive to give its customers the ability to continuously discover and analyze data (network, firewalls, web apps, etc.) to help them prioritize risk so that they can immediately address and mitigate threats within their global enterprise.
“The IT security market is quickly evolving. Given the number of high profile breaches we saw in 2014 including Home Depot, Sony and critical vulnerabilities in open source Software like Heartbleed and Shellshock, it's no longer a question of if there will be a data breach but when it will happen. We believe we are well positioned to help businesses evolve their security strategies to address their biggest challenges and continuously secure their most valuable assets,” said Sumedh.
Effective Management of Vulnerabilities
When New York based health care system, Catholic Health, was looking to identify and remedy system weaknesses and gaps in regulatory compliance, it chose to deploy the Qualys Cloud Platform. Catholic Health appreciated the fact that with the Qualys Cloud Platform there is no software or hardware to install and maintain, and as it is centrally managed, all of its vulnerability data and system updates are made in real time and are available to all customers concurrently. Since the implementation, Catholic Health has been able to more effectively manage the software and system vulnerabilities that need to be managed in its environment.
