What is meant by "vulnerability management"?

Vulnerability management is a comprehensive and proactive approach to identifying, evaluating, treating, and reporting on security vulnerabilities within an organization's systems and networks. This process aims to systematically reduce the risk of exploitation by addressing potential weaknesses before they can be leveraged by attackers.

The first step involves identifying vulnerabilities through various means such as vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and security assessments. Once identified, these vulnerabilities must be evaluated to understand their potential impact and risk level. Subsequently, organizations will treat these vulnerabilities, which could involve applying patches, configuring settings securely, or implementing compensating controls to mitigate the risks. Finally, monitoring and reporting on the status of vulnerabilities ensure that the organization can keep track of its security posture over time.

This approach is crucial because it helps establish a continual cycle of improvement and risk management, allowing organizations to prioritize security initiatives based on the potential impact and likelihood of vulnerabilities being exploited.

The other choices pertain to different aspects of cybersecurity but do not encapsulate the full scope of what vulnerability management entails, further emphasizing why option B is the most fitting definition.