The free service determines whether an organization is resilient to vulnerabilities and attacks.
Tanium develops endpoint security software. Its platform maps all endpoints in an environment, including devices, containers and servers. Several tools recognize and remove suspicious users, vulnerabilities and malicious traffic.
Tanium recently launched a free service. Within five days, users receive an assessment of their environment’s cybersecurity. The service works through an agent. Users deploy the agent to their endpoints, allowing Tanium to read data and determine the endpoint’s security.
The assessment focuses on several categories. First, each endpoint is held against compliance standards and a database of known vulnerabilities. The final report shows the number of vulnerable endpoints, the most notable vulnerabilities and the compliance standards that are not met.
Second, Tanium points at endpoints that allow unauthorized users to move across the network. These endpoints allow intruders to reach key locations. Third, Tanium reports on unencrypted network traffic and endpoints storing unencrypted data.
Welcome but limited
The service is welcome for organizations that have no indication of their resilience. Yet, its introduction raises a number of questions. Tanium claims the assessment is free. While that is true, an organization has to implement the agent on its own. Deployment costs time and money.
In addition, the information in the final report is limited. Tanium reports on the number of vulnerable endpoints, but sheds no light on the locations of vulnerable endpoints. It’s hardly possible to use the report for improvement. For the latter, users depend on Tanium’s paid services.
Despite everything, the assessment can steer some organizations in the right direction. Implementing the agent takes time, but comparable security assessments typically charge a service fee. Moreover, Tanium uses the same agent for its paid services. The new service allows those interested to review the agent for a later investment.
Tip: Tanium increases relevance thanks to integrations and TaaS
9 hours ago
