Vulnerability scanning frequency should match how often your own environment and the broader vulnerability landscape change — both are constantly moving, which is why a one-time or occasional scan gives a false sense of security.
Recommended cadence
- Dependency/software vulnerability scans: on every deploy, or at minimum daily, since new CVEs are published continuously against unchanged code
- Broader infrastructure/network vulnerability scans: at least monthly, and after any significant infrastructure change
- Following any newly disclosed, high-severity vulnerability in software you use: immediately, out of the normal cadence
Why "we scanned last quarter" isn’t sufficient
A clean scan result is only accurate at the moment it ran — new vulnerabilities are disclosed against existing, unchanged software constantly, so yesterday’s clean scan says nothing about today.
FAQ
Is automated continuous scanning better than periodic manual scans?
Yes for coverage and speed of detection — automation catches new disclosures immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduled manual review.