Answer :
When measuring the effectiveness of vulnerability management practices, the best metric to use is the measure of time to remediate for critical vulnerabilities. This metric is crucial because it assesses how quickly identified vulnerabilities are resolved or patched, reducing the window of opportunity for potential attackers to exploit them.
By tracking the time it takes to remediate critical vulnerabilities, Nicole can gauge the efficiency of her vulnerability management program. A shorter time to remediate indicates a more effective and responsive program, leading to better protection of the system and data against potential cyber threats.
On the other hand, metrics like a list of critical vulnerabilities found in scans or a list of zero-day vulnerabilities found may provide valuable insights, but they do not directly measure the program's effectiveness in addressing and mitigating risks. Similarly, measuring the time for patches to be released for vulnerabilities is important but does not necessarily reflect how promptly vulnerabilities are actually remediated within the system.
Therefore, focusing on the time to remediate critical vulnerabilities provides a tangible and practical way to evaluate the efficacy of the vulnerability management program in maintaining a secure environment.
