Managing Vulnerabilities with Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management

Managing Vulnerabilities with Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management

05/08/2024

This technical and educational article aims to guide security analysts, IT administrators, and systems engineers in using Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management (MDVM) to identify, assess, prioritize, and remediate vulnerabilities in their environments. MDVM is a risk-based vulnerability management solution integrated with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint that provides continuous asset visibility, intelligent assessments, and built-in remediation tools [1].

Introduction

In an ever-evolving cyber threat landscape, effective vulnerability management is a fundamental pillar of any robust security strategy. Failure to identify and remediate vulnerabilities can leave organizations exposed to attacks that exploit known software flaws, misconfigurations, or outdated systems. Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management goes beyond simple detection by providing a proactive, risk-based approach to managing the attack surface, allowing security teams to focus their efforts where they will have the greatest impact [2].

This practical guide will cover how to configure and use MDVM, from asset visibility and vulnerability discovery to risk-based prioritization, creating security recommendations, and remediation tracking. Step-by-step instructions, interface usage examples, and validation methods will be provided so that the reader can implement an effective vulnerability management program, reducing risk exposure and strengthening their organization's security posture.

Why is Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management crucial?

  • Comprehensive Visibility: Continuous discovery of assets and vulnerabilities across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and network devices, without the need for additional agents for devices already onboarded in Defender for Endpoint.
  • Risk-Based Assessment: Prioritizes vulnerabilities based on environmental context, Microsoft threat intelligence, and breach detections in your organization, helping you focus on the most critical risks.
  • Actionable Recommendations: Provides clear, detailed recommendations for remediation, with step-by-step steps and links to relevant resources.
  • Native Integration: Fully integrated with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and the Microsoft Defender portal, simplifying security operations.
  • Built-in Remediation Tools: Allows you to create remediation tasks directly from the portal, integrating with Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager.
  • Exposure Measurement: Provides metrics such as "Security Score" and "Exposure Score" to track progress and improve security posture over time.

Prerequisites

To use Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management, you will need the following items:

  1. Licensing: A license that includes Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 or Microsoft 365 E5 Security/E5. MDVM is included in these licenses [3].
  2. Administrative Access: An account with Security Administrator, Security Operator or Security Reader permissions in the Microsoft Defender portal (https://security.microsoft.com).
  3. Onboarded Devices: Windows, macOS, or Linux devices must be onboarded with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint so that MDVM can collect vulnerability data.

Step by Step: Managing Vulnerabilities with MDVM

Let's explore the main functionalities of MDVM to identify, prioritize and remediate vulnerabilities.

1. Accessing the Microsoft Defender Portal

  1. Open your browser and navigate to https://security.microsoft.com.
  2. Log in with an account that has the necessary permissions.

2. MDVM Dashboard Overview

In the MDVM dashboard, you will find an overview of your organization's security posture, including the "Exposure Score" and "Secure Score".

  1. In the left navigation pane, select Vulnerability Management.
  2. The dashboard will display information such as:
    • Exposure Score: A dynamic score that reflects your organization's exposure to vulnerabilities.
    • Secure Score: A measure of your security posturegeneral urance, with recommendations for improvement.
    • Main Security Recommendations: The most impactful actions to reduce risk.
    • Top Vulnerabilities: The most common or critical vulnerabilities in your environment.

3. Viewing Security Recommendations

Recommendations are actionable actions to fix vulnerabilities and improve security posture.

  1. In the left navigation pane, select Vulnerability Management > Recommendations.
  2. The recommendations page lists suggested actions, prioritized by Exposure Score impact and number of affected devices.
  3. Click on a recommendation (e.g. Update Google Chrome) to see more details.

4. Investigating a Recommendation

By clicking on a recommendation, you can further investigate.

  1. On the recommendation details page, you will see:
    • Description: Explains the vulnerability and why the fix is important.
    • Exposure: Details about the impact on Exposure Score.
    • Affected Devices: A list of all devices that have the vulnerability.
    • Related vulnerabilities: CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) associated with the recommendation.
    • Fix options: Suggestions on how to fix the vulnerability.

5. Creating a remediation task

MDVM allows you to create remediation tasks directly from the portal, integrating with patch management tools.

  1. On the recommendation details page, click Remediation Options.
  2. Select Request remediation.
  3. Fill in the request details:
    • Priority: Set the priority of the task.
    • Due date: Set a deadline for the correction.
    • Notes: Add any additional information for the IT team.
    • Remediation group: (Optional) Assign to a specific group.

  4. Click Submit Request.

  5. You can track the status of remediation tasks under Vulnerability Management > Remediation.

6. Viewing Software Inventory

Software inventory gives you a complete view of all software installed on your devices and their associated vulnerabilities.

  1. In the left navigation pane, select Vulnerability Management > Software Inventory.
  2. You can filter and search for software, and click on each one to see details such as known vulnerabilities (CVEs) and security recommendations.

7. Viewing Device Inventory

Device inventory provides a list of all onboarded devices, with information about their vulnerabilities and security settings.

  1. In the left navigation pane, select Assets > Devices.
  2. Click a device to view its full profile, including vulnerabilities, security recommendations, installed software, and security settings.

Validation and Testing

Validating the effectiveness of MDVM involves verifying that vulnerabilities are detected and that remediations are applied successfully.

1. Checking for Detection of New Vulnerabilities

  1. Intentionally introduce a known vulnerability into a test device (e.g. install an old, vulnerable version of software).
  2. Wait a few hours for MDVM to collect the data.
  3. Check the MDVM dashboard and security recommendations to see if the new vulnerability was detected and a remediation recommendation was generated.

2. Validating the Remediation

  1. Create a remediation task for a detected vulnerability (e.g. update software).
  2. Apply the fix to the affected device (e.g. update the software manually or via Intune/SCCM).
  3. Wait a few hours for MDVM to re-evaluate the device.
  4. Check the Remediation page to see if the task has been marked as Completed and the vulnerability has been removed from Recommendations.

Security Tips and Best Practices

  • Full Onboarding: Ensure all relevant devices are onboarded with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to gain complete MDVM visibility.
  • Risk-Based Prioritization: Use exposure scores and prioritized recommendations to focus on the most critical risks for your organization.
  • Integration with Patch Management: Integrates MDVM remediation tasks with your existing patch management tools (Intune, SCCM) to automate the remediation process.
  • Continuous Monitoring: Regularly monitor the MDVM dashboard, recommendations, and remediation status to maintain a proactive security posture.
  • Software Revisions: Use software inventory to identify unauthorized or outdated software and plan for its removal or update.
  • Education and Awareness: Educate users about the importance of keeping software up to date and following the organization's security policies.
  • Response Automation: Explore MDVM integration with Azure Sentinel to automate responses to high-risk vulnerabilities or misconfigurations.

Common Troubleshooting

  • Devices do not appear in MDVM: Verify that devices are onboarded correctly in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Check the Defender agent status on devices. There may be delays in data synchronization.
  • Undetected vulnerabilities: Ensure that vulnerable software is installed and active on the device. Verify that your Defender for Endpoint security settings are up to date. There may be a delay in detecting and processing data.
  • Remedies are not applied: Check patch management tool (Intune, SCCM) logs for errors. Make sure affected devices are online and accessible. Check the permissions of the account running the remediation task.
  • False Positives: If a recommendation appears incorrect, investigate the details of the vulnerability and the affected software. You can suppress recommendations that are not relevant to your environment, but do so with caution.
  • Console Performance: In environments with many devices, data loading may take time. Use filters and searches to optimize your view.

Conclusion

Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management is a powerful tool that empowers organizations to take a proactive, risk-based approach to vulnerability management. By providing continuous visibility, intelligent assessments, and integrated remediation tools, MDVM simplifies the complex process of identifying and remediating security breaches. Effective implementation of MDVM, combined with patch management and security best practices, enables IT and security teams to significantly reduce the attack surface, improve the "Secure Score" and strengthen the organization's cyber resilience against the latest threats. With this guide, security professionals will be well-equipped to efficiently manage vulnerabilities and maintain a secure and compliant Microsoft environment.

References:

[1] Microsoft Learn. Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management. Available at: https://learn.microsoft.com/pt-br/defender-vulnerability-management/defender-vulnerability-management [2] Microsoft Learn. Vulnerability Assessment User Guide. Available at: https://learn.microsoft.com/pt-br/defender-vulnerability-management/trial-user-guide-defender-vulnerability-management [3] Microsoft Learn. Compare Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management features. Available at: https://learn.microsoft.com/pt-br/defender-vulnerability-management/defender-vulnerability-management-capabilities