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10 Best Vulnerability Management Tools Shortlist

Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 14 tools reviewed.
  1. 1. Intruder — Best for proactive security scanning
  2. 2. New Relic — Best for data-driven Engineers
  3. 3. Qualys — Offers lightweight container security solution for DevOps teams
  4. 4. Syxsense Manage — Cloud-based endpoint security solution with pre-built remediation workflows
  5. 5. ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus — Automatic scanning ensures endpoints have up-to-date antivirus protection
  6. 6. Kenna Security — Utilizes data science to deliver highly accurate risk prioritization
  7. 7. F-Secure — Best vulnerability management tool for device protection against viruses, ransomware, and malware
  8. 8. Heimdal Security — Multi-layered security suite featuring DNS over HTTPS traffic filtering tool
  9. 9. Tenable — Provides benchmarking dashboards to compare cyber exposure against industry peers
  10. 10. GFI Languard — Vulnerability management solution with extensive threat database

Vulnerability management tools help organizations protect themselves from today’s ever-evolving onslaught of digital attacks. These tools often combine data science, artificial intelligence, and threat research to detect the most elusive threats and guard attack surfaces. 

From antivirus scanners to automated patch managers, vulnerability management tools offer a wide range of features to ensure your software, system, or product receives continuous protection. Here’s a list of the top vulnerability management tools and advice to help you choose the best solution for your business. 

What are Vulnerability Management Tools?

Vulnerability management tools enable system and software managers and developers to manage vulnerabilities. They often include features that offer protection from malicious viruses or cyber threats; some cover common threat testing scenarios to prepare for in advance so vulnerabilities are proactively prevented.

The 10 Best Vulnerability Management Tools

The following overviews highlight information from my selection criteria above, links to that tool provider’s website, and standout features users like myself find especially valuable. You’ll also find details on plan pricing, pros and cons, and whether a free plan and/or trial are available.

1

Intruder

Best for proactive security scanning

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.8
151 reviews

14-day free trial

From $196/month/application

Intruder is a cloud-based vulnerability scanner designed to help small and medium-sized businesses proactively identify and address security weaknesses in their digital infrastructure. By offering continuous scanning, effortless reporting, and proactive threat response, the platform positions itself as a leading solution for SMBs seeking to maintain robust security postures.

I selected this software because it provides a comprehensive view of an organization's attack surface, combining continuous network monitoring with automated vulnerability scanning and proactive threat response capabilities. What distinguishes Intruder is its focus on delivering not just information regarding threats, but also how to address them. Scan results come with accompanying instructions on how to resolve issues.

The software integrates natively with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Github, and Gitlab. Other integrations can be accessed through Zapier and API.

Paid plans start from $196 per month, per application. A 14-day free trial is also available.

2

New Relic

Best for data-driven Engineers

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.3
415 reviews

Free version available

From $49/user/month

New Relic is an all-in-one observability platform that helps you monitor, troubleshoot, and tune your full stack. It's like having a super-smart, all-seeing eye on your software, helping you spot and fix issues before they become big problems.

I picked New Relic because of how easy it is for you to see all of the vulnerable entities and libraries across the estate you are responsible for. The vulnerability dashboard lets you see an overview of what is going on and you can drill down into the details with a few clicks. Inside each entity, you will find a vulnerabilities section that lists all the anomalies that have been detected. You can then go into each one and find specific details about this vulnerability and even suggestions on how to resolve it.

Now, if you are an app owner or developer, you can get help from New Relic on how to prioritize your work. The platform's vulnerability triage feature gives you information based on criticality. Then, it displays a prioritized list of your vulnerable libraries as well as suggestions on which libraries to update to.

New Relic integrates with over 600 applications within the categories of application monitoring, infrastructure, security, traffic simulation, logging, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Services, open-source monitoring, machine learning ops, and Prometheus.

3

Qualys

Offers lightweight container security solution for DevOps teams

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.4
173 reviews

30 Days Free Trials

Qualys Vulnerability Management combines lightweight cloud agents, virtual scanners, and network analysis to deliver global visibility and protection to your IT assets. The system was designed for hybrid IT environments with the capability to identify known and unknown assets on-premises and in the cloud with its Global AssetView application. Your security team will receive real-time alerts on zero-day vulnerabilities, compromised assets, and network irregularities.

DevOps teams can also utilize Qualys to monitor and protect container applications. Qualys Container Security (CS) detects vulnerabilities and compliance issues in container-native applications on AWS without disrupting continuous integration and delivery. Along with detecting vulnerabilities, Qualys CS also enables developers to control which container images are deployed and automatically enforce normal application behavior.

Qualys offers native integrations with Splunk, ServiceNow, and several DevOps tools, including Puppet, Jenkins, and Bamboo.

Pricing is available upon request. Teams can also try Qualys free for 30-days.

4

Syxsense Manage

Cloud-based endpoint security solution with pre-built remediation workflows

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.6
63 reviews

$600/year for ten devices

Syxsense is a cloud-based endpoint management and security solution for small to medium-sized businesses and large enterprises. The tool’s security scanner actively monitors for blacklisted software, hashes, and threats across all your managed devices. Syxsense’s AI capability helps security teams stay ahead of attackers by predicting vulnerabilities before they occur.

Distributed IT teams can protect their organization’s network from anywhere by automating security patches from the cloud. Teams can automatically deploy patches for operating systems and third-party applications. Syxsense also automates Windows 10 feature updates.

Threat remediation is also simplified through the Syxsense Cortex Remediation Workflow library. It features over 100 pre-built and pre-tested remediation workflows for common vulnerabilities. Security teams can simply review the pre-built remediation workflow and approve it for deployment.

Syxsense’s Open API lets you easily integrate and share data between the platform and your existing security and IT solutions, including helpdesk and asset management applications.

Pricing starts at $600/year for ten devices.

5

ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus

Automatic scanning ensures endpoints have up-to-date antivirus protection

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.2
219 reviews

$1,195 for 100 workstations and a single-user license.

ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus is an enterprise vulnerability management and compliance solution. The tool provides comprehensive coverage of threats and vulnerabilities for endpoints on local, DMZ, and remote networks. Vulnerability Manager Plus also offers more than 75 CIS benchmarks to help security teams maintain secure baseline system configurations.

Malware and viruses can attack enterprise networks from a thousand angles. With Vulnerability Manager Plus, all of your endpoints are automatically scanned to determine if antivirus software is present. The system also determines if your antivirus protection is up-to-date with the latest antivirus definitions. Users can deploy antivirus definition updates directly from the platform to Windows Defender Antivirus and McAfee VirusScan Enterprise.

Pricing for Vulnerability Manager Plus Enterprise Edition starts at $1,195 for 100 workstations and a single-user license. Custom pricing is also available.

6

Kenna Security

Utilizes data science to deliver highly accurate risk prioritization

$12 per asset for a one-year subscription

Kenna Security is a cloud-based vulnerability management solution that combines threat intelligence and data science to deliver highly accurate risk prioritization. Security teams can also perform network vulnerability assessments and penetration testing. Kenna doesn’t have its own security scanner, however, users can easily integrate with their existing vulnerability scanners and asset management tools.

Kenna utilizes an algorithm-based scoring system to simplify risk prioritization. The system analyzes internal and external data and produces risk scores for each vulnerability, asset, or asset group on your network within seconds. For each vulnerability, security teams receive remediation guidance and data-driven SLA recommendations.

Kenna supports integrations with a range of tools, including Appspider, Jira, BMC, and Black Duck.

Pricing starts at $12 per asset for a one-year subscription. Discounts are available for multi-year subscriptions.

7

F-Secure

Best vulnerability management tool for device protection against viruses, ransomware, and malware

30 Days Free Trial

$67.49/per month/ up to 3 devices

F-Secure is a vulnerability management tool that allows organizations to monitor and address malware issues. The tool boasts a simple and detailed user interface that makes it easy to navigate and review the results of a vulnerability scan.

Why I picked F-Secure: the tool focuses on defending your entire system against malware and ransomware, allowing you to ensure your system's security is fully covered. As some of the most vulnerable aspects of your system are your organization's employee devices, protecting them ensures you can manage vulnerability threats effectively,

The tool allows you to choose from various scan options starting with a simple quick scan all the way to a full computer scan. You can also set the particulars of the scan you wish to execute.

F-Secure Standout Features & Integrations

Features include access to VPN services, customer support, identity monitoring, kill switch, password manager, antivirus functions, browser protection, and more.

Integrations include all major OS systems such as macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.

F-Secure Plans & Pricing

The cost of F-Secure starts at $67.49/per month for up to 3 devices. The tool also offers a 30-day free trial and freemium service.

8

Heimdal Security

Multi-layered security suite featuring DNS over HTTPS traffic filtering tool

Heimdal Security simplifies IT operations and security by combining threat prevention, vulnerability management, and antivirus into one platform. The tool stops the most sophisticated cyberattacks on day one, including ransomware and insider threats. Heimdal’s Patch & Asset Management software enables security teams to automatically deploy and patch any Microsoft and Linux operating system and third-party and proprietary software.

Advanced threat hunting is provided through Heimdal’s Threat Prevention solution. Threat Prevention protects organizations from hidden malware and other exploits of legitimate network assets and cloud services. Security teams can threat hunt beyond the limits of DNS by leveraging DNS over HTTPS traffic filtering to spot malicious URLs and activity.

Pricing for each Heimdal product is available upon request. Teams can also try Heimdal for free.

9

Tenable

Provides benchmarking dashboards to compare cyber exposure against industry peers

7 Days Free Trial

$3,390/Year License

Tenable provides organizations with insights, research, and data to uncover vulnerabilities across their entire attack surface. The vulnerability management solution delivers comprehensive visibility into all of your assets while helping you understand the full context of each vulnerability found on your network. Tenable lets you know how critical current vulnerabilities are and also assesses the likelihood of future cyberattacks.

The platform is also a great benchmarking tool that enables security teams to compare cyber exposure between internal business units and locations. With Tenable’s trending dashboards, you can also map your security performance against that of your industry peers over time. Equipped with this information, teams can evaluate the maturity and effectiveness of their security processes.

Tenable users can integrate with various security and IT operations technologies, including AWS, Splunk, and ServiceNow.

Pricing varies for each Tenable solution. Free trials are also available.

10

GFI Languard

Vulnerability management solution with extensive threat database

$26/machine/year

GFI LanGuard is a patch management and network auditing solution compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. The system automatically discovers your network elements, including computers, virtual machines, and routers. Security teams can auto-deploy security patches centrally or deploy agents on individual devices. You have complete control over which patches are installed and can easily roll back any patches that cause issues.

GFI LanGuard scans for over 60,000 known vulnerabilities with its built-in vulnerability assessment database. The database continuously updates with the latest information from BugTraq, SANS Corporation, OVAL, and CVE. It’s also refreshed with the latest Microsoft security updates and vulnerability checks.

GFI LanGuard supports several virtual machines, including VMWare, Hyper-V, and Parallels.

Pricing starts at $26/machine/year.

The 10 Best Vulnerability Management Tools Summary

Tool Trial Info Price
1
Intruder

Best for proactive security scanning

14-day free trial

From $196/month/application Website
2
New Relic

Best for data-driven Engineers

Free version available

From $49/user/month Website
3
Qualys

Offers lightweight container security solution for DevOps teams

30 Days Free Trials

Website
4
Syxsense Manage

Cloud-based endpoint security solution with pre-built remediation workflows

Not available

$600/year for ten devices Website
5
ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus

Automatic scanning ensures endpoints have up-to-date antivirus protection

Not available

$1,195 for 100 workstations and a single-user license. Website
6
Kenna Security

Utilizes data science to deliver highly accurate risk prioritization

Not available

$12 per asset for a one-year subscription Website
7
F-Secure

Best vulnerability management tool for device protection against viruses, ransomware, and malware

30 Days Free Trial

$67.49/per month/ up to 3 devices Website
8
Heimdal Security

Multi-layered security suite featuring DNS over HTTPS traffic filtering tool

Not available

Website
9
Tenable

Provides benchmarking dashboards to compare cyber exposure against industry peers

7 Days Free Trial

$3,390/Year License Website
10
GFI Languard

Vulnerability management solution with extensive threat database

Not available

$26/machine/year Website

Other Options

Here are a few more vulnerability management systems that didn’t make the top list.

  1. Rapid7

    Leverages open data research to discover external-facing assets

  2. SecPod SanerNow Cyberhygiene Platform

    Best vulnerability management tool for automating cyber hygiene operations

  3. Tripwire

    Automated vulnerability management software for IT and OT environments

  4. AppTrana

    Best vulnerability management service for enterprise organizations that fully managed

How I Picked the Best Vulnerability Management Tools

To decide which tools to feature in this list, I evaluated and compared the details for several popular vulnerability management tools. I weighed various key factors and functions that would be top of mind for businesses of all sizes.

Below is the selection criteria I used to review the most effective vulnerability management tools available on the market. 

  1. User Interface (UI): A responsive interface makes navigating vulnerability management tools simple. 
  2. Usability: Good software usability ensures security teams can quickly adopt new tools without extensive training.
  3. Support: Knowing you can rely on dedicated support resources can maximize the value potential a tool brings to your organization.
  4. Integrations: Access to various integrations means you can easily add new security solutions to your existing CI/CD pipeline without disrupting productivity. 
  5. Licenses and Pricing: The best vulnerability management tools are cost-efficient and highly effective at securing your IT environment. 

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By Ben Aston

Ben Aston is the Co-Founder of The QA Lead. He's been in the digital industry for more than 20 years working in the UK at London’s top digital agencies including Dare, Wunderman, Lowe and DDB. I’ve delivered everything from film to CMS', games to advertising and eCRM to eCommerce sites. I’ve been fortunate enough to work across a wide range of great clients; automotive brands including Land Rover, Volkswagen and Honda; Utility brands including BT, British Gas and Exxon, FMCG brands such as Unilever, and consumer electronics brands including Sony.