VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTSecurity Vulnerability Assessment

Service Overview

As organizations increasingly use IT systems to improve operational efficiency and advance digital transformation (DX), the threat of cyberattacks continues to grow. In this environment, identifying system vulnerabilities early and implementing effective security measures is essential. Nevertheless, many organizations continue to operate systems that remain vulnerable to external attacks. Leaving vulnerabilities unresolved can lead to serious incidents, including major data breaches and system outages.

MASON Consulting Co., Ltd. (MASON) provides vulnerability assessment services that comprehensively evaluate system security. Our independent assessments enable organizations to identify and remediate potential risks in the systems they manage at an early stage.

What Is a Vulnerability Assessment?

A vulnerability assessment comprehensively evaluates weaknesses in IT infrastructure and systems. While a vulnerability assessment broadly identifies system vulnerabilities, a penetration test evaluates the effectiveness of security measures against specific attack scenarios targeting selected information assets, such as confidential or personal information.

Purpose of a Vulnerability Assessment

A vulnerability assessment systematically examines potential known weaknesses to identify vulnerabilities throughout the system.

Prioritizing Security Risks	We evaluate identified vulnerabilities and security risks to determine which issues require priority remediation.
Verifying the Effectiveness of Security Controls	We assess how effectively existing security controls withstand attacks and recommend improvements and remediation priorities as needed.
Improving Employee Security Awareness	Understanding real-world intrusion risks raises employee security awareness and helps strengthen the organization's overall security posture against sophisticated social engineering and other threats.

Who Needs a Vulnerability Assessment?

MASON recommends conducting a vulnerability assessment in the following situations. Vulnerability assessments are also frequently performed before penetration testing to define its scope by identifying areas that are likely to contain vulnerabilities.

Benefits of a Vulnerability Assessment

A vulnerability assessment conducted by MASON provides the following benefits.

Reduced Risk of Data Breaches	Identify potential attack paths in advance and minimize the risk of data leakage.
Reduced Financial Risk	Reduce the cost of responding to incidents and help prevent damage to corporate trust and reputation.
Stronger Defenses Against Cyberattacks	A comprehensive system assessment helps establish a security posture capable of addressing the latest threats.

Vulnerability Assessment Process

1. Preliminary Review	We conduct interviews and preliminary research based on your system environment and security maturity. At this stage, we confirm the systems to be tested, the network architecture, and any required access permissions, preparing for an efficient, effective, and comprehensive assessment.
2. Assessment Execution	We assess the systems for known and potential vulnerabilities from multiple perspectives to identify latent risks.
3. Results and Remediation Recommendations	We analyze the assessment results, evaluate the severity of identified vulnerabilities and risks, and recommend specific remediation measures. The report includes details of each vulnerability, practical steps to prevent recurrence, and long-term measures to minimize risk.
4. Follow-Up	We verify the implementation status of recommended improvements and provide retesting or additional advice as needed. Because vulnerability assessments and penetration tests should be conducted regularly, MASON supports continual security improvement.

Deliverables

At the conclusion of the vulnerability assessment, we provide a comprehensive report and recommendations to help you effectively remediate the vulnerabilities identified.

• List of Identified Vulnerabilities and Remediation Plan
  We provide a list of identified system vulnerabilities, classified according to their exploitability and potential impact on your systems and business, together with a remediation plan.
• List of System Changes Made During Testing
  The test protocol documents the equipment and tools used, the areas examined, and the issues identified. It also includes actionable recommendations for resolving the security issues discovered.

The report provides an overall rating and remediation priorities based on assessment criteria such as those below.

Overall Rating

Grade	Assessment Criteria
A	No vulnerabilities were identified. Alternatively, only findings that are not realistically likely to have an impact at present were identified. Security controls are considered robust.
B	Vulnerabilities with only minor impact were identified, such as issues that require complex conditions to exploit or disclose information that could assist an attacker. A reasonable level of security controls is considered to be in place.
C	Numerous vulnerabilities or vulnerabilities that could cause significant harm if exploited by someone with a degree of technical expertise were identified. Planned remediation is required.
D	Vulnerabilities that could result in serious harm were identified, including data breaches or the alteration of critical information. Immediate remediation is required.

Vulnerability Severity Ratings

Severity	Required Action	Assessment Criteria
Low	Monitoring is required	Findings that disclose information useful to an attacker, such as version or system information, or vulnerabilities that are not currently practical to exploit and would not cause significant harm on their own. Items that are not currently vulnerabilities but should be reviewed to determine whether security measures are needed based on system and operational requirements, such as apparently unnecessary open ports or files.
Medium	Remediation is required within approximately six months	Vulnerabilities that are not easy to exploit due to technical or environmental constraints but could cause significant harm in the hands of someone with a degree of expertise, including theft or alteration of personal or confidential information, unauthorized system use, or system disruption. Vulnerabilities that may cause harm when combined with other weaknesses or whose exploitation is constrained, but which do not independently and immediately enable the theft or alteration of personal or confidential information, unauthorized system use, or system disruption.
High	Prompt remediation is required	Vulnerabilities that can be exploited easily from the internet using simple techniques and could result in serious harm, such as the large-scale theft of personal or confidential information.

Web Application Vulnerability Assessment
Rating Scale

Rating	Description
Informational	Provided for informational purposes only.
Low	Exploitation of this vulnerability generally has a limited impact.
Medium	Exploitation of this vulnerability generally has a moderate impact.
High	Exploitation of this vulnerability generally has a significant impact.