Qualy-Cloud Platform for Vulnerability Management
Qualys Modules
Qualys is a modular suite of cloud-based tools intended to help UW-Madison IT administrators find and mitigate security vulnerabilities on their networks. The tools are licensed centrally and made available to campus units free of charge. The following modules are licensed for UW-Madison use:
VMDR (Vulnerability Management)
The VMDR module allows administrators to scan their networks from either on- or off-premises scanners to locate vulnerabilities. Fueled by a robust database of known threats, Qualys scanners can be configured and tuned based on the needs of the scan administrator. The Qualys vulnerability database is updated frequently to reflect the latest threat intelligence.
Global Asset View
Global Asset View displays detailed information, such as an asset’s details, running services, installed software, and more
Web Application Scanning
Vulnerability scanning provides an overall view of vulnerabilities on each host, the Web Application Scanning module further investigates potential threats in web applications, e.g. SQL injection or cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. Web application scans can be tailored to fit each application’s requirements; for example, scans can be configured to authenticate using NetID credentials or scripted to auto-complete form data.
Policy Audit
Policy Audit lets administrators assess, report, monitor and remediate security-related configuration issues based on the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Benchmarks. It supports the latest out-of-the-box CIS benchmark releases of operating systems, databases, applications and network devices. Controls can be customized to match UW-Madison security standards.
Cloud Agent
The Qualys Cloud Agent is a low-footprint application that is installed on each host computer that reports to a central database, which is in turn visible via the Qualys management console. Unlike the Vulnerability Management tool, the Cloud Agent application runs directly on the host computer and, therefore, provides a much higher degree of visibility into potential vulnerabilities on the host. The agent collects an inventory of applications and operating system information to evaluate potentially outdated and/or vulnerable software.
FAQ
- How can I get started using Qualys?
Send an email to cybersecurity@cio.wisc.edu to get started with Qualys. - How do I access the Qualys console?
The Qualys console is available at https://wiscan.services.wisc.edu/wisc. This will bring you to the UW-Madison NetID login page. You will login with your NetID credentials. You will need to be connected to WiscVPN in order to access the service. - Is Qualys an anti-virus or malware scanner?
Qualys is a vulnerability scanner that can be used to used identify vulnerabilities before they are targeted and exploited by attackers. It is not meant to replace anti-virus scanners. - What operating systems is Qualys Cloud Agent compatible with?
The full support matrix for Qualys Cloud Agent can be found at https://success.qualys.com/customersupport/s/cloud-agent-pam