CIS Controls v8 7.5 — Perform Automated Vulnerability Scans of Internal Enterprise Assets

What this control requires

Perform automated vulnerability scans of internal enterprise assets on a quarterly, or more frequent, basis. Conduct both authenticated and unauthenticated scans, using a SCAP-compliant vulnerability scanning tool.

In plain English

Perform automated vulnerability scans of internal enterprise assets on a quarterly, or more frequent, basis. In practice, this means you can prove you perform vulnerability-level controls on a defined cadence.

Why it matters

The CIS Controls are an industry-vetted, prioritised defence: skipping a safeguard widens the attack surface that the safeguards above and below it assume is closed. Audit frameworks (FedRAMP, PCI DSS, HIPAA) all cite CIS as evidence of due care.

This control is rated high. Auditors expect a named owner, a remediation SLA, and a tooling artefact that evidences continuous operation.

What an auditor looks for

A CIS-aligned reviewer wants to see (a) which Implementation Group you are targeting, (b) a documented owner for the safeguard, and (c) a tooling or process artefact (config, scan output, ticket) that proves the safeguard runs on the cadence the control demands.

Within Identify, the assessor will trace your implementation back to the catalogue reference (Control 7.5) and look for objective evidence on the latest two assessment cycles.

How to implement

Vulnerability Management

Scanners. Pair an unauthenticated scanner (Nessus / Qualys / Tenable.io) for external surface with an authenticated agent for OS/library CVEs on every host.

SLA. Document remediation SLAs by CVSS / EPSS: critical 7 days, high 30 days, medium 90 days; report monthly trend to leadership.

Containers. Scan images in CI (Trivy / Grype / Snyk Container) AND at runtime; block deploys on critical findings without exception.

Policy Management

Docs. Keep each policy in version-controlled Markdown alongside the code that implements it; ship a signed PDF snapshot at each annual review and link the SHA into the SoA.

Operational checklist

• Perform. Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence.
• Conduct. Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence.
• Scope: vulnerability, enterprise.

Evidence to collect

• Policy Document. A signed and version-controlled policy / standard / procedure document.

Signed policy or standard documents the safeguard. Focus: Perform Automated Vulnerability Scans of Internal Enterprise Assets.

Common pitfalls

• Scans that hit only the perimeter; missing authenticated scans of OS, runtime libs and base images so most CVEs are invisible.
• Policies that no engineer has read; the version in Confluence drifts from the version that's actually being enforced.

How it maps to other frameworks

Computed from shared tags, control component and key-operation subjects — handy when you are reconciling controls across an audit.

• ISO/IEC 27001:2022 A.8.8 — Management of technical vulnerabilities
• SOC 2 (2017 TSC) CC3.1 — Objective Setting
• NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 3.12.1 — Security Assessment
• NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CA-7(1) — Independent Assessment
• GDPR Article 83 — General conditions for imposing administrative fines

Related controls in CIS Controls v8

• Control 7.6 — Perform Automated Vulnerability Scans of Externally-Exposed Enterprise Assets
• Control 7.1 — Establish and Maintain a Vulnerability Management Process
• Control 2.2 — Ensure Authorized Software is Currently Supported
• Control 18.1 — Establish and Maintain a Penetration Testing Program
• Control 17.3 — Establish and Maintain an Enterprise Process for Reporting Incidents
• Control 7.7 — Remediate Detected Vulnerabilities

References

• Center for Internet Security — CIS Controls v8
• Catalogue identifier: Control 7.5

Topics: governance riskvulnerability managementpolicy management