From vulnerability whack-a-mole to strategic risk operations

"The cybersecurity industry has reached an inflection point where counting vulnerabilities no longer serves as a meaningful metric for security success. Alex Kreilein, VP of Product Security at Qualys, makes a compelling case for why organizations need to shift from endless vulnerability chasing to strategic risk operations that deliver measurable business outcomes. Speaking to us at Qualys' newly rebranded Risk Operations Conference (formerly QSC), Kreilein outlines how the traditional vulnerability management approach creates friction, wastes engineering time,"

"Traditional vulnerability management sends teams chasing CVEs without context, making engineers do work they don't want to do, and creating what Kreilein calls "an endless game of whack-a-mole." Instead, he advocates for understanding exposure and value at risk. "What I really want is 10,000 hours back," Kreilein explains. "I would rather get that time and invest it in things that are productive.""

Counting vulnerabilities is no longer a meaningful metric for security success. Traditional vulnerability management sends teams chasing CVEs without context, creating friction, wasting engineering time, and producing an endless whack-a-mole cycle. Risk is distinct from vulnerabilities; vulnerabilities are only attributes used to calculate risk. Effective security focuses on exposure and value at risk, prioritizing quality over quantity and investing resources where they reduce real exposure. The goal is reclaiming engineering hours for productive work and delivering measurable business outcomes. Software bills of materials provide value but do not, by themselves, eliminate the need for risk-based prioritization. Strategic risk operations should make attackers' jobs more expensive by addressing underlying security challenges at scale.

Read at Techzine Global