Is an annual security check enough to protect your company’s data?

A few years ago, many companies considered it normal to check their security weaknesses once a year. Often, this was done because of an audit, procurement requirement or customer request.

Today, this is no longer enough.

A company’s IT environment changes constantly. New devices, users, access rights, cloud services, software updates and business-critical applications are added all the time. At the same time, new vulnerabilities emerge, and attackers actively look for ways to exploit them.

If security checks are carried out only once a year, an important risk may remain invisible for months. That is exactly the time attackers need.
 

Cybersecurity requires regular visibility

NIS2 and changes in cybersecurity legislation are guiding companies from one-off checks toward regular risk management. Cybersecurity is no longer only about an audit or a single report. It requires continuous visibility into what vulnerabilities have appeared, how critical they are and whether they have actually been resolved.

This is why monthly vulnerability checks are becoming a new practical standard.

They help companies understand:

• which vulnerabilities have appeared in the IT environment;
• which of them are business-critical;
• who is responsible for resolving them;
• whether the fixes have actually been implemented.

For management, this matters because cybersecurity directly affects business continuity, reputation, customer trust and compliance.

What does Digital Security Monitoring provide?

Primend’s Managed Security Monitoring is a monthly subscription-based service that helps identify weaknesses in IT systems before attackers do. The service helps companies move from one-off checks to regular vulnerability management.

Digital Security Monitoring helps protect reputation and revenue, support risk management and strengthen business continuity. Regular visibility into vulnerabilities enables better decisions and helps direct resources to where the risk is highest.

What is included in the service?

Primend’s Digital Security Monitoring includes:

• internal and external automated vulnerability scanning at least once a month;
• a monthly automated report;
• quarterly report interpretation and recommendations for risk mitigation;
• up to three hours of security specialist time per quarter;
• access to the management environment.

The service can be used to check, for example, whether devices have known vulnerabilities, whether disk encryption and firewall protection are enabled, whether antivirus software is working, whether the operating system and third-party applications are updated, and whether public services are securely configured.

The remediation of identified vulnerabilities is not included in the monthly service fee. If needed, Primend can support remediation work for an additional fee or forward the findings to the company’s IT management partner.

Why are both internal and external checks needed?

Internal vulnerability scanning checks the systems, applications and devices inside the company’s internal network. It helps identify weaknesses that could be exploited by internal threats or by attackers who have already gained access to the company’s network.

External vulnerability scanning checks systems connected to the internet, such as websites, firewalls, cloud services and public-facing services. It helps identify weaknesses that attackers could exploit from outside the organisation.

In simple terms: external checks protect the company’s public digital surface, while internal checks help protect the company’s core. Together, they help reduce financial, regulatory and reputational risks.

Cybersecurity is a continuous management process

An annual security check provides a snapshot of one point in time, but it does not show what happens during the remaining months of the year. In today’s IT environment, a lot can change during that time.

Regular vulnerability checks help identify risks early, prioritise them and decide which actions need faster attention.

Cybersecurity is no longer an annual audit. It is a continuous management process that helps protect company data, operational reliability and trust.

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