Unpatched CVEs remain a leading cause of cloud breaches because they’re often introduced during development, overlooked in runtime, and exploited before security teams can act.
That’s why modern security teams require more than just scanners. They need platforms that:
✅ Block vulnerabilities at the source
✅ Continuously assess live environments
✅ Detect and respond to active threats
Unified Vulnerability Management brings together all your scanners—code, cloud, runtime—and enriches them with context like exposure, ownership, and exploitability. Instead of static lists, you get a single prioritized view that turns findings into actionable remediation.
This article evaluates the top vulnerability management platforms using a modern, three-pillar framework to spotlight coverage gaps, compare capabilities, and show how Wiz unifies everything you need for ironclad vulnerability management.
The Ultimate Vulnerability Management Playbook
Actionable steps to identify, assess, and mitigate AWS vulnerabilities, ensuring your cloud infrastructure is protected.
The three pillars of modern vulnerability management
In cloud-native environments, vulnerability management is no longer just about scanning for CVEs—it’s about continuously reducing real risk across the entire attack surface. The most effective programs are built on three tightly connected pillars:
1. Code-to-cloud visibility
This pillar focuses on identifying risks early in the development pipeline—including insecure code, vulnerable dependencies, and misconfigured infrastructure as code (IaC)—to secure infrastructure and applications before they reach production.
Key capabilities:
Scanning IaC, containers, and software packages for misconfigurations and CVEs
Generating software bills of materials (SBOMs) for supply chain transparency
Surfacing risks directly in CI/CD workflows with developer-friendly context
Mapping pre-production risks to what gets deployed in production
This is the foundation for shifting left but with enough context to tie findings to actual cloud impact.
2. Unified cloud risk posture
This pillar focuses on runtime visibility and contextual prioritization, not just raw vulnerability counts. The bottom line? It’s essential to continuously monitor your cloud environment for vulnerable, exposed, and over-permissioned assets.
Key capabilities:
Agentless scanning of cloud workloads (VMs, containers, serverless, PaaS)
Asset inventory enriched with exposure, identity, and network reachability context
Prioritization using toxic combinations (e.g., internet-exposed + vulnerable + admin access)
Continuous posture monitoring across multicloud environments
This moves vulnerability management beyond static CVSS scores to real risk scoring based on actual exploitability in your environment.
3. Exploit detection and response
This pillar focuses on real-time detection, blast radius analysis, and remediation workflows—so teams can act fast when it matters most. In other words, you need to identify and respond to vulnerabilities that are being actively exploited in your environment.
Key capabilities:
Runtime threat detection linked to known vulnerabilities
Integration of threat intelligence (e.g., KEV, EPSS) with cloud telemetry
Guided response: isolate, re-scan, verify, and auto-generate remediation tickets with owner mapping
Signal correlation across runtime, cloud config, and code layers
This is where visibility turns into action—bridging the gap between vulnerabilities and threats.
How to evaluate vulnerability management solutions
Modern vulnerability management demands more than just scanning. When teams evaluate solutions, they should look for Unified Vulnerability Management capabilities—centralized scanning, contextual enrichment, deduplication, and ownership mapping.
1. Coverage across development, runtime, and exploitability
Look for a solution that protects workloads throughout the lifecycle:
Development: Can it scan infrastructure as code (IaC), container images, packages, and third-party components before deployment?
Runtime: Does it continuously assess live workloads—VMs, containers, and serverless—for known vulnerabilities and configuration risks?
Exploitability: Does it help detect and respond to vulnerabilities that are actively being exploited in your environment?
Unified solutions that correlate these phases eliminate blind spots and help teams act before issues escalate.
2. Risk-based prioritization using cloud context
Not all vulnerabilities are equal. Modern tools should prioritize based on:
Exposure: Is the asset internet-facing or publicly accessible?
Reachability: Can the asset be accessed by an attacker through lateral movement or internal network paths?
Permissions: Do associated identities have sensitive privileges (e.g., admin, assume-role)?
Exploit intelligence: Does it incorporate data like Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV), EPSS, or active threat signals?
Solutions should highlight toxic combinations—cases where multiple weak points, when combined, create a high-impact risk scenario.
Risk Based Vulnerability Management: How to Prioritize the Threats That Actually Matter
En savoir plus
3. Agentless or hybrid deployment aligned to your workloads
The deployment model should match your infrastructure:
Agentless: Fast time to value, ideal for ephemeral or dynamic cloud environments; uses cloud APIs and metadata for continuous scanning
Agent-based: May offer deeper runtime visibility where needed but requires setup and maintenance
Hybrid flexibility: The best platforms combine agentless speed with agent-based depth for edge cases.
For most organizations, agentless-first with optional depth provides the best balance of coverage and cost-efficiency.
4. Built-in support for remediation and response
Detection alone isn’t enough. Evaluate how the platform drives resolution:
Can it detect active exploitation of known vulnerabilities?
Does it correlate vulnerabilities with runtime threat signals?
Can it guide teams through verification steps (e.g., confirm fixes through rescans)?
Does it support integrations with ticketing, SIEM, and remediation automation workflows?
The best platforms help security and engineering teams collaborate to shrink mean time to remediation.
5. Scalability and operational fit
Modern environments require platforms that:
Scale across cloud accounts and regions: Multi-cloud support is table stakes
Scale across teams and workflows: Role-based access and integrations with CI/CD, ITSM, and collaboration tools
Reduce noise: Platforms should deduplicate issues and surface what matters most—no alert fatigue
Prioritize solutions that deliver a single prioritized view of risk, not a fragmented list of issues.
Top vulnerability management platforms compared
Next, let’s look at the top vulnerability management platforms based on a combination of PeerSpot and G2 rankings. Read on to learn more about their capabilities, how well they support the three core vulnerability management pillars, and what users think about their performance.
#1: Wiz
Wiz’s vulnerability management solution is an end-to-end platform designed for modern teams seeking real-time threat detection and response, risk-based vulnerability management, and autonomous remediation of security weaknesses in cloud-native and multi-cloud environments.
Ratings:
Pillar coverage:
Secure development via Wiz Code ✅
Secure runtime posture via Wiz Defend ✅
Exploit detection & response via Wiz Defend ✅
Strengths
Security Graph–powered risk prioritization: Correlates CVEs with misconfigurations, exposed identities, internet exposure, and sensitive data access to identify the small set of vulnerabilities that actually matter.
Wiz Code for shift-left protection: Scans IaC templates, open-source libraries, and hardcoded secrets pre-deployment—then blocks risky PRs in CI/CD with developer-friendly fix suggestions.
Agentless scanning across cloud environments: Instantly scans VMs, containers, and serverless apps without installing agents—delivering full-stack coverage in minutes, not months.
Runtime threat detection and blocking: Optional eBPF-based sensor detects and blocks active exploits in real time by killing malicious processes like reverse shells and file-tampering attempts.
Developer-ready remediation: Generates merge-ready PRs and remediation guidance directly in CI pipelines and ticketing tools like Jira to speed up MTTR and reduce back-and-forth between security and dev teams.
Reviews
“Quick setup, fast value, clear visibility, and actionable cloud security”—Steven B. (Security Manager)
“Wiz has been a game-changer for our hospital's cloud security strategy…The transition from our previous Prisma solution was smooth, and the ongoing enhancements, such as the ServiceNow integration, continue to add value. I highly recommend Wiz to organizations looking to streamline their cloud security operations without sacrificing depth or quality in their monitoring and response processes.”—Nathan M. (Senior Security Engineer)
Best for: Businesses that need an all-in-one cloud-native security tool that sets up fast, offers deep visibility, covers all cloud security needs, and is ideal for every member of the team
#2: Qualys VMDR
Qualys VMDR is an agent-based scanner that offers business risk management in addition to vulnerability scanning.
Ratings:
Pillar coverage:
Secure development ❌
Secure runtime posture ✅
Exploit detection and response ✅
Strengths:
Proprietary risk quantification framework, TruRisk™: Detects live threat indicators and measures business risk posed by vulnerabilities
Runtime SCA: Discovers open-source dependency risks introduced during development or after deployment
CIS Benchmark–based evaluation: Identifies vulnerabilities and misconfigurations to align IT environments with vulnerability management best practices
Review:
“So much more efficient than managing via Windows and MS Office."—Tina T. (Group Quality Systems Manager)
Best for: Organizations looking to accurately quantify cloud vulnerabilities who don’t mind the time required to configure cloud agents
#3: Tenable Nessus
Tenable Nessus is a vulnerability and attack surface management solution that offers prioritized insights using the CVSS, EPSS, and proprietary VPR scoring systems.
Ratings:
Pillar coverage:
Secure development ✅
Secure runtime posture ✅
Exploit detection and response ❌
Strengths:
High-priority exposure detection: Normalizes vulnerability data across 50 trillion data points to discover and alert on vulnerabilities being exploited in the wild
PCI-certified vendor: Scans internet-facing assets in compliance with PCI DSS
Asset identification algorithm: Ensures no asset goes unscanned
Review:
“Tenable Nessus is easy to set up and easy to navigate. The reporting gives good detail to help remediate the vulnerabilities.”—Verified user in banking
Best for: Businesses focused on minimizing their network attack surface and demonstrating asset compliance with PCI DSS to customers
#4: Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management
Microsoft Defender, native to Azure cloud workloads, delivers in-depth vulnerability assessments, exploit likelihood predictions, and a built-in remediation toolbox.
Ratings:
Pillar coverage:
Secure development ✅
Secure runtime posture ✅
Exploit detection and response ✅
Strengths:
Comprehensive security: Has a unified dashboard that integrates endpoint detection and response (via Defender XDR) and SIEM (via Microsoft Sentinel) with Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management, supporting all three pillars of modern vulnerability management
Lightweight and customizable: Adds little to no resource overhead, and scanning can be customized very quickly for enterprise-specific workloads
Support for integrations: Offers flexible plans and integration APIs that let users choose any of the Microsoft Defender standalone products (e.g., EDR or cloud vulnerability management) with third-party tools
Review:
“A sufficient solution for security by Microsoft.”—Ambrish M. (Network Security Engineer)
Best for: Businesses using Azure Cloud only who are also looking to invest in other Azure-native security solutions
#5: ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus
ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus is a Zoho product designed to secure enterprise endpoints with continuous scanning, remote troubleshooting, data hardening, and automated patching.
Ratings:
PeerSpot: 9.4/10.0 (3 reviews)
Pillar coverage:
Secure development ❌
Secure runtime posture ✅
Exploit detection and response ❌
Strengths:
Data hardening: Secures enterprise attack surface from internal and external threats
Patch management: Automatically patches servers and endpoints
Baseline monitoring: Identifies configurations and user activities that deviate from baseline specifications
Review:
“We use the solution to patch our servers. We also use it to monitor and fix vulnerabilities.”—Srijith Chandran (Senior Manager)
Best for: Endpoint security hardening
#6: Pentera
Pentera focuses on exposure management to minimize risks and also enhances root cause analysis for faster incident response.
Ratings:
PeerSpot: 7.8/10.0 (9 reviews)
Pillar coverage:
Secure development ❌
Secure runtime posture ✅
Exploit detection and response ❌
Strengths:
Multi-layered pen testing: Validates the security of various layers of enterprise stacks, including internal networks, cloud environments, and external attack surface
Automated scanning and remediation: Fixes repetitive issues without human intervention, letting teams focus on more critical risks
Review:
“Great innovative tool for testing your environment”—Andey B. (Information Security Specialist)
Best for: Pen testing, security validation, and security posture assessment
#7: Intruder
Intruder incorporates scanning engines from multiple vulnerability and attack surface management tools to enable live exploit detection and response.
Ratings:
PeerSpot: N/A (no reviews)
Pillar coverage:
Secure development ❌
Secure runtime posture ✅
Exploit detection and response ✅
Strengths:
Automatic discovery and remediation: Lets teams configure Intruder to automatically scan new internet-facing assets, discover the exact source of the risk within hours, and offer remediation steps to shorten the attack window
Private pen testers: Has an elite pen testing team that enterprises can pay extra for, to find exploits that scanning can’t dig out
Customer support: Offers rapid response to issues and provides forums where end users get to vote on product enhancements
Reviews:
"Convenient but thorough penetration and vulnerability testing wrapped in an affordable package!"—Roy M. (Director of IT)
Best for: Businesses looking to validate their cloud security with a pen testing tool and team
#8 Scrut Automation
Scrut Automation excels at managing governance and compliance risks in cloud-native workloads.
Rating:
PeerSpot: N/A (no reviews)
Pillar coverage:
Secure development ❌
Secure runtime posture ✅
Exploit detection and response ❌
Strengths:
Drift detection: Continuous monitoring to detect non-compliance with internal policies
Compliance audit trails: Ready-to-use audit trails demonstrating compliance and security posture
Collaborative workflows: Built-in and custom workflows with alerts and daily tasks to get all teams involved in internal policy and regulatory standards compliance
Review:
“Easy to use, great support, got us audit-ready fast.”—Naureen A. (CEO)
Best for: Companies that want to combine Scrut’s automated compliance with a comprehensive vulnerability management tool
#9: NinjaOne
NinjaOne imports vulnerability intelligence, deploys AI-driven prioritization, and automates patching.
Rating:
PeerSpot: 8.2/10.0 (18 reviews)
Pillar coverage:
Secure development ❌
Secure runtime posture ✅
Exploit detection and response ❌
Strengths:
360-degree endpoint visibility: Detects vulnerabilities and applies zero-touch patching
Endpoint hardening: Provided through predefined conditional processes and endpoint security workflows
Review:
"Excellent endpoint management tool."—Greg S. (IT Manager)
Best for: Businesses that already have a cloud vulnerability management solution and want to combine it with an automated endpoint and patch management tool
#10: RiskProfiler
RiskProfiler scans enterprise networks and external attack surfaces to uncover exploits, prioritize high-risk attack paths, and fix security risks.
Rating:
Pillar coverage:
Secure development ❌
Secure runtime posture ✅
Exploit detection and response ✅
Strengths:
Dark-web monitoring: Discovers exploits and attacker TTPs (tactics, techniques, and procedures) in real time for accurate risk prioritization
Fast reconnaissance: Detects new and shadow assets as well as phishing and spoofing attempts
Attack path analysis: Continuous attack surface surveillance maps asset relationships and visualizes attackers’ entry points
Review:
“Enhancing threat response with impact-based prioritization"—Valentina J. (HR Operations Associate)
Best for: Organizations that are focused on threat hunting and post-deployment security
Why does Wiz stand out?
Looking for more than just basic vulnerability management? Wiz’s suite of tools, including the Wiz CNAPP, Wiz Security Graph, Wiz Code, and Wiz Defend are thoroughly integrated into Wiz vulnerability scanning. This allows our industry-leading platform to deliver continuous CVE management, advanced live-exploit prevention, real-time threat response, and automated compliance management for businesses of all sizes.
And because we know the struggles security teams face trying to conquer cloud risks, Wiz prioritizes vulnerabilities using multiple well-combined frameworks (think CVSS, EPSS, KEV, and business-specific risks). Wiz then autonomously fixes routine issues and provides easy fixes for more complex ones—complete with code snippets right in the IDE, so developers can build secure apps right from the start!
The major takeaway? Wiz is built for Unified Vulnerability Management. By merging runtime sensors, agentless scanning, developer-friendly shift-left protection, and AI-powered fix workflows, Wiz shrinks the distance between detection and resolution. See for yourself how Wiz shrinks your exploitable risk surface—and helps your teams fix what matters fast. Get a demo today.
