Vulnerability Scanning That Won't Break The Bank

Why Vulnerability Scanning Matters

Let's be honest: if you're reading this, you probably already know that vulnerability scanning is important. But just in case you need to convince your boss (or yourself) why spending money on this is worth it, let me paint you a picture.

Imagine your network is a house. A really big house with hundreds of doors, windows, and secret passages you forgot existed. Now imagine that every day, new burglars are discovering new ways to break into houses just like yours. They're sharing these techniques on the dark web faster than your teenager shares TikTok videos.

That's your network without vulnerability scanning.

According to the Ponemon Institute's 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a data breach is now $4.88 million CAD. For Canadian small and medium businesses, even a "small" breach can cost anywhere from $150,000 to $500,000. And here's the kicker: 60% of small businesses that experience a major cyber attack go out of business within six months.

The Three Pillars of Vulnerability Management

Discovery: You can't protect what you don't know exists. Vulnerability scanners find all your assets, including that IoT coffee maker someone plugged into the network without telling IT.

Assessment: Once found, every asset gets checked against a database of known vulnerabilities. Think of it as comparing your house locks against a list of locks that burglars have already learned to pick.

Prioritization: Not all vulnerabilities are created equal. Some are like leaving your front door wide open, others are like having a slightly loose window latch on the third floor. Good scanners tell you which to fix first.

The Pricing Horror Show

Now, let's talk about the elephant in the server room: traditional vulnerability scanning pricing. Grab some popcorn (or maybe a stress ball) because these numbers are wild.

The Qualys Quandary

Qualys is the 800-pound gorilla of vulnerability scanning. They're good at what they do, but their pricing model seems designed by someone who really, really likes expensive things.

The Typical Qualys Scenario:

• Small business with 50 assets to scan
• Basic vulnerability management subscription: $2,995 USD/year per scanner
• Want to scan cloud assets too? Add another $3,500 USD/year
• Need compliance reporting? That'll be $2,000 USD/year extra
• Professional services for setup? $5,000-$10,000 USD upfront

Total first-year cost: $13,495-$18,495 USD ($18,500-$25,000 CAD)

Enter OpenVAS: The Open-Source Champion

OpenVAS (Open Vulnerability Assessment System) is like that friend who's actually more qualified than the expensive consultant but doesn't feel the need to charge you a kidney for their help.

The Numbers That Matter

95,000+ Vulnerability Tests

Let me say that again: NINETY-FIVE THOUSAND. OpenVAS has one of the largest vulnerability databases in the industry, updated daily. That's more than most commercial scanners, and it's completely free.

The Catch (And The Solution)

The catch with OpenVAS—like most open-source security tools—is that it's not exactly plug-and-play. This is where most companies either give up and buy Qualys, or set up OpenVAS poorly and wonder why it's not working.

Enter ThinSky's Managed OpenVAS

We handle all of that for you. You get enterprise-grade vulnerability scanning at a fraction of the cost. We're talking 80% less than Qualys, without sacrificing capability.

The Magic of Continuous Scanning

Remember Log4Shell (CVE-2021-44228)? When that vulnerability was announced in December 2021, it was chaos. Organizations scrambling to figure out if they were vulnerable, where Log4j was even used.

Companies with quarterly scanning: Waited weeks for their next scheduled scan, manually searched systems, maybe found all instances.

Companies with continuous scanning: Got alerts within 24 hours showing exactly which systems were vulnerable, prioritized by criticality, with clear remediation paths.

Real-World Impact

Case Study: The Manufacturing Company

Client: 150-employee manufacturing company in Ontario
Previous Solution: Nessus Professional (3 licenses) + annual penetration test
Annual Cost: $24,000 CAD

After ThinSky:

• Comprehensive scanning of all assets (including previously uncovered IoT)
• Continuous monitoring instead of point-in-time testing
• New Annual Cost: $4,800 CAD (80% savings)
• Remediation speed: Reduced from average 90 days to 14 days

Conclusion

Vulnerability scanning doesn't have to cost more than your CEO's car payment. With ThinSky's Managed OpenVAS, you get:

• 95,000+ vulnerability tests updated daily
• Continuous scanning that catches new threats immediately
• 80% cost savings compared to Qualys or Tenable
• Full management by actual security experts (that's us)
• Clear, actionable reporting in English, not security jargon
• Compliance support for PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001