Comprehensive guide to monitoring vulnerability scanning and security on Linux servers. Learn how to track vulnerability scans, monitor security findings, detect new vulnerabilities, and set up automated monitoring with Zuzia.app.

Last updated: 2026-01-11

Vulnerability Scanning Security Monitoring - Complete Guide

Vulnerability scanning security monitoring is essential for maintaining system security and ensuring vulnerabilities are detected and remediated promptly. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about monitoring vulnerability scans, tracking security findings, and managing vulnerability remediation.

For related security topics, see VPN Connections Security Monitoring. For troubleshooting vulnerability issues, see Vulnerability Exposure Security Risk.

Why Vulnerability Scanning Monitoring Matters

Vulnerability scanning monitoring helps you track scan execution, monitor vulnerability findings, detect new vulnerabilities, ensure timely remediation, maintain security compliance, and improve overall security posture. Without proper monitoring, vulnerabilities can go undetected and expose systems to security risks.

Effective vulnerability scanning monitoring enables you to:

Track vulnerability scan execution and completion
Monitor vulnerability findings and severity
Detect new vulnerabilities as they emerge
Ensure timely vulnerability remediation
Maintain security compliance and reporting
Improve security posture over time

Understanding Vulnerability Scanning Metrics

Before diving into monitoring methods, it's important to understand key vulnerability scanning metrics:

Scan Execution Metrics

Scan frequency shows how often scans run. Scan completion indicates successful scan execution. Scan coverage shows systems scanned. Scan duration indicates scan execution time.

Vulnerability Metrics

Vulnerability count shows total vulnerabilities found. Severity distribution indicates vulnerability severity levels. New vulnerabilities shows recently discovered issues. Remediated vulnerabilities indicates fixed issues.

Remediation Metrics

Remediation time shows time to fix vulnerabilities. Remediation rate indicates fix completion percentage. Remediation SLA compliance shows SLA adherence. Outstanding vulnerabilities indicates unaddressed issues.

Key Metrics to Monitor

Scan execution: Scan frequency, completion, coverage
Vulnerability findings: Count, severity, new vulnerabilities
Remediation progress: Remediation time, rate, SLA compliance
Security posture: Overall vulnerability status and trends

Method 1: Monitor Vulnerability Scan Execution

Track vulnerability scan execution and completion:

Check Scan Status

# Check if vulnerability scanner is installed
which openvas-scanner || which nessus || which nikto || echo "Scanner not found"

# Check scan process status
ps aux | grep -E "openvas|nessus|nikto|nmap" | grep -v grep

# Check scan log files
ls -la /var/log/vulnerability-scans/ 2>/dev/null || ls -la /var/log/nessus/ 2>/dev/null

# Check last scan timestamp
find /var/log/vulnerability-scans -name "*.log" -type f -exec stat -c "%y %n" {} \; | sort -r | head -1

Scan status monitoring shows whether scans are running and completing.

Monitor Scan Execution

# Check scan schedule (if using cron)
crontab -l | grep -i "scan\|vulnerability"

# Check scan completion status
if [ -f /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.log ]; then
  LAST_SCAN=$(grep "Scan completed" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.log | tail -1)
  echo "Last scan: $LAST_SCAN"
else
  echo "No scan log found"
fi

# Monitor scan progress (if scanner supports it)
# Check scan job status in scanner management interface

Scan execution monitoring ensures scans run as scheduled.

Track Scan Coverage

# List scanned systems (from scan reports)
find /var/log/vulnerability-scans -name "*.xml" -o -name "*.json" | while read report; do
  echo "Report: $report"
  # Extract scanned hosts (format depends on scanner)
  grep -oP 'host[^<]*' "$report" 2>/dev/null || echo "Cannot parse report"
done

# Count scanned systems
SCANNED_COUNT=$(find /var/log/vulnerability-scans -name "*.xml" -o -name "*.json" | wc -l)
echo "Systems scanned: $SCANNED_COUNT"

Scan coverage tracking shows which systems are being scanned.

Method 2: Monitor Vulnerability Findings

Track vulnerability findings and severity:

Check Vulnerability Count

# Parse vulnerability scan report (example for XML format)
if [ -f /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml ]; then
  VULN_COUNT=$(grep -c "<vulnerability>" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
  echo "Vulnerabilities found: $VULN_COUNT"
else
  echo "No scan report found"
fi

# Count vulnerabilities by severity (example)
CRITICAL=$(grep -c "severity.*critical" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
HIGH=$(grep -c "severity.*high" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
MEDIUM=$(grep -c "severity.*medium" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
LOW=$(grep -c "severity.*low" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
echo "Critical: $CRITICAL, High: $HIGH, Medium: $MEDIUM, Low: $LOW"

Vulnerability count tracking shows security findings.

Monitor Vulnerability Severity

# Track severity distribution
echo "Vulnerability Severity Distribution:"
for severity in critical high medium low; do
  COUNT=$(grep -ic "severity.*$severity" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/*.xml 2>/dev/null | wc -l || echo "0")
  echo "$severity: $COUNT"
done

# Calculate severity percentage
TOTAL_VULN=$(grep -c "<vulnerability>" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
if [ "$TOTAL_VULN" -gt 0 ]; then
  for severity in critical high medium low; do
    COUNT=$(grep -ic "severity.*$severity" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
    PERCENT=$(echo "scale=2; $COUNT * 100 / $TOTAL_VULN" | bc 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
    echo "$severity: ${PERCENT}%"
  done
fi

Severity monitoring shows vulnerability risk levels.

Detect New Vulnerabilities

# Compare current scan with previous scan
if [ -f /var/log/vulnerability-scans/current-scan.xml ] && [ -f /var/log/vulnerability-scans/previous-scan.xml ]; then
  NEW_VULN=$(comm -13 <(grep -oP 'vuln-id[^<]*' /var/log/vulnerability-scans/previous-scan.xml | sort) \
                       <(grep -oP 'vuln-id[^<]*' /var/log/vulnerability-scans/current-scan.xml | sort) | wc -l)
  echo "New vulnerabilities: $NEW_VULN"
else
  echo "Cannot compare scans - previous scan not found"
fi

# Track vulnerability discovery date
grep -oP 'discovered[^<]*' /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml | head -10

New vulnerability detection identifies recently discovered issues.

Method 3: Monitor Vulnerability Remediation

Track vulnerability remediation progress:

Track Remediation Status

# Check remediated vulnerabilities (if tracked)
if [ -f /var/log/vulnerability-scans/remediation.log ]; then
  REMEDIATED=$(grep -c "remediated" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/remediation.log)
  echo "Remediated vulnerabilities: $REMEDIATED"
else
  echo "Remediation log not found"
fi

# Calculate remediation rate
TOTAL_VULN=$(grep -c "<vulnerability>" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
REMEDIATED=$(grep -c "remediated" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/remediation.log 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
if [ "$TOTAL_VULN" -gt 0 ]; then
  REMEDIATION_RATE=$(echo "scale=2; $REMEDIATED * 100 / $TOTAL_VULN" | bc 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
  echo "Remediation rate: ${REMEDIATION_RATE}%"
fi

Remediation tracking shows fix progress.

Monitor Remediation Time

# Calculate time to remediate (if tracked)
if [ -f /var/log/vulnerability-scans/remediation.log ]; then
  while read line; do
    VULN_ID=$(echo "$line" | cut -d',' -f1)
    DISCOVERED=$(echo "$line" | cut -d',' -f2)
    REMEDIATED=$(echo "$line" | cut -d',' -f3)
    if [ -n "$DISCOVERED" ] && [ -n "$REMEDIATED" ]; then
      REMEDIATION_TIME=$((REMEDIATED - DISCOVERED))
      echo "Vulnerability $VULN_ID: ${REMEDIATION_TIME} seconds to remediate"
    fi
  done < /var/log/vulnerability-scans/remediation.log
fi

# Calculate mean time to remediate (MTTR)
# (Implementation depends on remediation tracking format)

Remediation time monitoring measures fix speed.

Check Outstanding Vulnerabilities

# List unresolved vulnerabilities
if [ -f /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml ]; then
  RESOLVED_IDS=$(grep "remediated" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/remediation.log 2>/dev/null | cut -d',' -f1)
  ALL_VULN_IDS=$(grep -oP 'vuln-id[^<]*' /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml)
  OUTSTANDING=$(comm -23 <(echo "$ALL_VULN_IDS" | sort) <(echo "$RESOLVED_IDS" | sort))
  echo "Outstanding vulnerabilities: $(echo "$OUTSTANDING" | wc -l)"
  echo "$OUTSTANDING"
fi

Outstanding vulnerability tracking shows unaddressed issues.

Method 4: Automated Vulnerability Scanning Monitoring with Zuzia.app

While manual vulnerability monitoring works for small environments, production systems require automated vulnerability scanning monitoring that continuously tracks scan execution, stores historical data, and alerts you when new vulnerabilities are detected or remediation SLAs are at risk.

How Zuzia.app Vulnerability Scanning Monitoring Works

Zuzia.app automatically monitors vulnerability scanning through its monitoring system. The platform:

Tracks vulnerability scan execution and completion automatically
Stores all vulnerability scan data historically in the database
Sends alerts when new vulnerabilities are detected or remediation SLAs are at risk
Tracks vulnerability trends over time
Provides AI-powered analysis (full package) to detect patterns
Monitors vulnerability scanning across multiple systems simultaneously

You'll receive notifications via email, webhook, Slack, or other configured channels when vulnerability issues are detected, allowing you to respond quickly before security risks increase.

Setting Up Vulnerability Scanning Monitoring in Zuzia.app

Add Server in Zuzia.app Dashboard
- Log in to your Zuzia.app dashboard
- Click "Add Server" or "Add Host"
- Enter your server connection details
- Vulnerability scanning monitoring can be configured as custom checks
Configure Vulnerability Scan Check Commands
- Add scheduled task: Check scan execution status
- Add scheduled task: Parse vulnerability scan reports
- Add scheduled task: Compare scans to detect new vulnerabilities
- Add scheduled task: Track remediation status
- Configure alert conditions for new vulnerabilities
Set Up Alert Thresholds
- Set warning threshold (e.g., new high-severity vulnerability detected)
- Set critical threshold (e.g., new critical vulnerability detected)
- Set emergency threshold (e.g., critical vulnerability unpatched > 7 days)
- Configure different thresholds for different severity levels
Choose Notification Channels
- Select email notifications
- Configure webhook notifications
- Set up Slack, Discord, or other integrations
- Configure SMS notifications (if available)
Automatic Monitoring Begins
- System automatically starts monitoring vulnerability scanning
- Historical data collection begins immediately
- You'll receive alerts when issues are detected

Custom Vulnerability Scanning Monitoring Commands

You can also add custom commands for detailed vulnerability analysis:

# Check scan execution status
ps aux | grep -E "openvas|nessus" | grep -v grep

# Parse vulnerability count
grep -c "<vulnerability>" /var/log/vulnerability-scans/last-scan.xml

# Check for new vulnerabilities
# (Compare current and previous scans)

Add these commands as scheduled tasks in Zuzia.app to monitor vulnerability scanning continuously and receive alerts when issues are detected.

Best Practices for Vulnerability Scanning Monitoring

1. Monitor Vulnerability Scanning Continuously

Don't wait for problems to occur:

Use Zuzia.app for continuous vulnerability scanning monitoring
Set up alerts before vulnerabilities become security risks
Review vulnerability trends regularly (weekly or monthly)
Plan remediation based on vulnerability data

2. Set Appropriate Alert Thresholds

Configure alerts based on your security requirements:

Warning: New high-severity vulnerability detected
Critical: New critical vulnerability detected
Emergency: Critical vulnerability unpatched > 7 days, multiple critical vulnerabilities

Adjust thresholds based on your security policies and compliance requirements.

3. Monitor Both Detection and Remediation

Monitor at multiple levels:

Detection: Scan execution, vulnerability findings, new vulnerabilities
Remediation: Remediation status, remediation time, SLA compliance
Posture: Overall vulnerability status and trends

Comprehensive monitoring ensures early detection of issues.

4. Correlate Vulnerability Monitoring with Other Metrics

Vulnerability monitoring doesn't exist in isolation:

Compare vulnerability trends with system changes
Correlate vulnerabilities with patch management
Monitor vulnerabilities alongside security events
Use AI analysis (full package) to identify correlations

5. Plan Remediation Proactively

Use monitoring data for planning:

Prioritize vulnerabilities by severity and exploitability
Plan remediation windows based on vulnerability data
Track remediation progress and compliance
Optimize vulnerability management processes

Troubleshooting Vulnerability Scanning Issues

Step 1: Identify Vulnerability Scanning Problems

When vulnerability scanning issues are detected:

Check Current Scan Status:
- View Zuzia.app dashboard for current vulnerability status
- Check scan execution status
- Review vulnerability findings and severity
- Check remediation progress
Identify Scanning Issues:
- Review scan execution and completion
- Check vulnerability detection accuracy
- Verify scan coverage
- Identify scanning gaps

Step 2: Investigate Root Cause

Once you identify vulnerability scanning problems:

Review Scanning History:
- Check historical vulnerability scanning data in Zuzia.app
- Identify when scanning issues started
- Correlate scanning problems with system events
Check Scanning Configuration:
- Verify scanner configuration and schedules
- Check scan coverage and target systems
- Review scanning policies and procedures
- Identify configuration errors or gaps
Analyze Vulnerability Trends:
- Review vulnerability frequency and severity trends
- Check remediation progress and timing
- Identify recurring vulnerability types
- Analyze vulnerability management effectiveness

Step 3: Take Action

Based on investigation:

Immediate Actions:
- Fix scan execution issues if detected
- Prioritize critical vulnerabilities for remediation
- Improve scan coverage if gaps exist
- Address outstanding high-severity vulnerabilities
Long-Term Solutions:
- Implement better vulnerability scanning monitoring
- Optimize vulnerability management processes
- Plan vulnerability remediation improvements
- Review and improve scanning policies

FAQ: Common Questions About Vulnerability Scanning Monitoring

What is considered healthy vulnerability scanning status?

Healthy vulnerability scanning status means scans run regularly and complete successfully, vulnerability findings are tracked and remediated promptly, new vulnerabilities are detected quickly, remediation SLAs are met, and overall vulnerability count is decreasing over time.

How often should I run vulnerability scans?

For production systems, weekly or monthly scans are common. Critical systems may require daily scans. Scan frequency depends on your security requirements, compliance needs, and system change rate. Zuzia.app can monitor scan execution and alert you if scans fail or are delayed.

What's the difference between vulnerability scanning and patch management?

Vulnerability scanning identifies security vulnerabilities. Patch management applies fixes (patches) to address vulnerabilities. Both are important for security, but scanning focuses on detection while patch management focuses on remediation.

Can unpatched vulnerabilities cause security breaches?

Yes, unpatched vulnerabilities can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access, compromise systems, or steal data. Early detection through scanning and prompt remediation minimize security risks. Critical vulnerabilities should be patched immediately.

How do I identify which vulnerabilities need immediate attention?

Prioritize vulnerabilities by severity (critical > high > medium > low), exploitability (actively exploited vulnerabilities first), and business impact. Critical vulnerabilities affecting internet-facing systems should be addressed immediately. Zuzia.app can track vulnerability severity and help prioritize remediation.

Should I be concerned about false positives in vulnerability scans?

Yes, false positives can waste time and resources. However, it's better to investigate potential vulnerabilities than miss real issues. Tune vulnerability scanners to reduce false positives while maintaining detection coverage. Track false positive rate and adjust scanner configuration accordingly.

How can I improve vulnerability management effectiveness?

Improve vulnerability management by scanning regularly, monitoring scan execution, tracking vulnerability findings, prioritizing remediation by severity, meeting remediation SLAs, analyzing vulnerability trends, implementing improvements, and responding to issues promptly. Regular vulnerability management reviews help maintain security posture.

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Vulnerability Scanning Security Monitoring - Complete Guide