Qualys announced its new and improved FreeScan service to help SMBs audit and protect their web sites from security vulnerabilities and malware infections.

The new FreeScan service allows SMBs to scan their web sites for of malware, network and web application vulnerabilities, as well as SSL certificate validation, helping web site owners identify risk before hackers do in order to prevent data beaches and protect online visitors from infections.

As web sites grow ever more complex and users spend ever more time online, cybercriminals are stepping up their game to focus on exploiting legitimate sites – and the trust placed in those sites by users.

Techniques such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection attacks enable hackers to take control of web sites “behind the scenes,” redirecting users without their knowledge in order to steal data or spread malware.

"Web sites are often vulnerable to attack, and oftentimes sites are compromised without the knowledge of the web site owners or its users," said Scott Crawford, research director for EMA. "While organizations want to ensure security, many lack the resources to identify possible security issues, or they do not know where to start. Using a free service like Qualys FreeScan can help organizations proactively gain visibility into possible issues so they can take the steps needed to protect their web sites and online visitors."

Powered by Qualys’ cloud-based platform that hosts the QualysGuard security and compliance suite of applications, FreeScan is an easy-to-use service that allows customers to perform scans on web sites or publicly facing IP addresses. The free service scans for:

• Network perimeter vulnerabilities
• Web application vulnerabilities
• Web site malware infections
• SSL certificate validity.

The scan results also provide guidance on remediation to fix identified vulnerabilities and remove malware infections.

“In our continuous effort to make security and compliance easy and affordable, we’re pleased to expand our popular FreeScan service so smaller businesses can protect their internet presence as larger enterprises do,” said Philippe Courtot, chairman and CEO for Qualys.