Validation
Vulnerability validation is a process that ensures the accuracy and reliability of identified vulnerabilities. Validation distinguishes between legitimate threats and erroneous detections, confirming which vulnerabilities pose genuine risks. Accurate validation minimizes wasted resources and ensures that critical issues are addressed efficiently.
Vulnerability reports may contain two potential erroneous findings: false positives and false negatives. A false positive is a finding that is recorded in a report but is not true. This can occur due to several factors, such as misconfigurations, outdated scanner signatures, or benign conditions misinterpreted as vulnerabilities. For example, a scanner might flag a port as open due to firewall rules when, in fact, no service is accessible behind it. False positives can lead to wasted time and resources if not properly identified and dismissed.
Conversely, a false negative is a vulnerability that exists but is not detected...
