Open vs Closed Vulnerabilities

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1. Day in the Life of an AppSec Engineer Using This Chart

An Application Security (AppSec) Engineer would use this chart in their daily security operations to monitor and manage vulnerabilities effectively:

• Morning Security Review:

  • The engineer checks the trend of open vulnerabilities (new or unresolved security issues) vs. closed vulnerabilities (remediated or mitigated issues).

  • If the gap between open and closed vulnerabilities is widening, it indicates security debt accumulation and requires immediate action.

• Vulnerability Management & Prioritization:

  • If the number of open vulnerabilities is consistently higher than closed ones, the engineer must prioritize high-risk vulnerabilities for remediation.

  • They might collaborate with engineering teams to ensure fixes are implemented faster.

• Security Meetings & Reporting:

  • Uses this chart for daily stand-ups, weekly security meetings, or executive reports.

  • Helps in explaining why security debt is increasing or decreasing.

• SLA Compliance & Enforcement:

  • If vulnerabilities are staying open beyond their SLA, it raises compliance concerns.

  • The engineer may escalate delayed remediation efforts to security leadership.

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2. Impact on AppSec Operations

This chart has a direct impact on how AppSec teams manage vulnerabilities and maintain security posture:

• Security Risk Reduction:

  • Helps track how effectively vulnerabilities are being resolved over time.

  • If closed vulnerabilities trend upward, it signals an improving security posture.

• Resource Allocation Optimization:

  • If vulnerabilities are not closing fast enough, security leadership may allocate more resources (e.g., more security engineers, automation, or training).

• Early Detection of Security Bottlenecks:

  • If open vulnerabilities continue to increase faster than they are being closed, it signals inefficiencies in vulnerability management processes.

• Continuous Compliance Monitoring:

  • Ensures the organization meets security compliance requirements by tracking how quickly vulnerabilities are addressed.

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3. What Decisions Does This Chart Drive?

• Are we closing vulnerabilities fast enough?

  • If the gap between open and closed vulnerabilities is increasing, security teams need to accelerate patching efforts.

• Is our security posture improving over time?

  • If the number of closed vulnerabilities is rising, it indicates effective remediation strategies.

  • If not, it suggests delays or bottlenecks in the security patching process.

• Which teams need additional support or enforcement?

  • If specific teams consistently fail to close vulnerabilities, security leaders may increase enforcement measures (e.g., blocking deployments with unpatched vulnerabilities).

• Do we need automation to speed up remediation?

  • If vulnerabilities are not closing fast enough, automated patching, AI-driven security fixes, or better tooling may be required.

• Should security policies be adjusted?

  • If teams are not resolving vulnerabilities within SLAs, security policies may need to enforce stricter timelines.