Perform Root Cause Analysis on Security Vulnerabilities
Description
Perform root cause analysis on security vulnerabilities. When reviewing vulnerabilities, root cause analysis is the task of evaluating underlying issues that create vulnerabilities in code, and allows development teams to move beyond just fixing individual vulnerabilities as they arise.
Implementation Checklist
Tool Recommendations
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Threats & Vulnerabilities (CIS RAM)
Threat Scenarios
Recurring Vulnerability Pattern Exploited Across Multiple Applications
IntegrityThe same class of vulnerability such as SQL injection recurs across multiple applications because individual flaws are patched without analyzing the root cause, allowing the systemic coding error to persist.
Development Team Repeatedly Introduces Same Vulnerability Type
ConfidentialityA development team continues producing code with the same authentication bypass flaw because no root cause analysis identifies the underlying process or knowledge gap causing the recurring vulnerability.
Vulnerabilities (When Safeguard Absent)
No Root Cause Analysis on Security Vulnerabilities
Without root cause analysis, the organization only addresses symptoms (individual bugs) rather than underlying causes (insecure coding patterns, missing training, flawed architecture), leading to recurring vulnerabilities.
Reactive-Only Vulnerability Management
Absence of root cause analysis keeps the development team in a purely reactive mode, patching individual vulnerabilities without improving the systemic security of the codebase.
Evidence Requirements
| Type | Evidence Item | Collection Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Technical | Configuration screenshots or exports showing protection controls enabled | Captured quarterly |
| Document | Procedure documentation for protection measures | Reviewed annually |
| Technical | Vulnerability scan reports showing scope and findings | Per scan cycle |
| Record | Vulnerability remediation tracking with SLA compliance metrics | Monthly |
| Document | Governing policy document (current, approved, communicated) | Reviewed annually |