Vulnerability Scanning for Small Business IT

Vulnerability scanning identifies known security weaknesses in your systems before attackers do. Regular scanning is a foundational security practice and required by many compliance frameworks (PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2). Free/low-cost scanning tools: OpenVAS (open source, runs on Linux), Nessus Essentials (free for up to 16 IPs, from Tenable), and Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management (included in Defender for Endpoint). For external exposure scanning, use Shodan or Qualys FreeScan to see what's visible from the internet. Run internal scans monthly and external scans quarterly. Prioritize remediation by severity: Critical and High findings within 7–30 days, Medium within 90 days, Low as part of regular maintenance. False positives occur — validate findings before patching. Export scan results and track remediation progress in a spreadsheet or ticketing system. Share summary reports with management to demonstrate security posture improvement over time.