Frequently Asked Questions

Product Information & CIS Controls

What is CIS Control 16 and why is it important?

CIS Control 16 focuses on application software security. It involves managing the security of in-house developed, hosted, or acquired software by establishing a software security lifecycle to prevent, detect, and remediate software security weaknesses. This control is critical because application vulnerabilities—such as insecure design, coding errors, weak authentication, and insufficient testing—can be exploited by attackers using techniques like SQL injection (SQLi), Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) to access sensitive data or compromise assets. Learn more.

What are the safeguards included in CIS Control 16?

CIS Control 16 includes fourteen safeguards, each mapped to a NIST CSF function and an Implementation Group (IG). These safeguards cover secure development processes, vulnerability management, root cause analysis, inventory and use of third-party components, severity rating systems, hardening templates, separation of environments, developer training, secure design principles, vetted modules, code-level security checks, penetration testing, and threat modeling. For a full list and details, visit CIS Control 16 Explained.

How do Implementation Groups (IGs) work in CIS Controls?

Implementation Groups (IGs) are self-assessed categories that help organizations prioritize safeguards based on their cybersecurity attributes. IG1 is the most basic, IG2 is intermediate, and IG3 is the most advanced. Higher-level groups include the requirements of lower ones, allowing organizations to scale their security posture according to their needs. Read more.

Where can I find more guides and resources about CIS Controls and application security?

IONIX provides comprehensive guides and resources on CIS Controls, application security, and other cybersecurity topics. Visit the IONIX Guides page for detailed articles, methodologies, and actionable advice.

Features & Capabilities

What features does the IONIX platform offer for attack surface management?

The IONIX platform offers Attack Surface Discovery, Risk Assessment, Risk Prioritization, and Risk Remediation. It enables organizations to discover all relevant assets, monitor their changing attack surface, and ensure more assets are covered with less noise. Key features include ML-based Connective Intelligence, Threat Exposure Radar, and comprehensive digital supply chain mapping. Learn more.

Does IONIX integrate with other security and IT tools?

Yes, IONIX integrates with tools such as Jira, ServiceNow, Slack, Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, Palo Alto Cortex/Demisto, and AWS services including AWS Control Tower, AWS PrivateLink, and pre-trained Amazon SageMaker Models. For a full list, visit IONIX Integrations.

Does IONIX provide an API for integrations?

Yes, IONIX offers an API that supports integrations with major platforms like Jira, ServiceNow, Splunk, Cortex XSOAR, and more. For details, visit IONIX Integrations.

Security & Compliance

What security and compliance certifications does IONIX have?

IONIX is SOC2 compliant and supports companies with their NIS-2 and DORA compliance, ensuring robust security measures and regulatory alignment. Read more.

How does IONIX ensure product security?

IONIX earned top ratings for product innovation, security, functionality, and usability. It was named a leader in the Innovation and Product categories of the ASM Leadership Compass for completeness of product vision and a customer-oriented, cutting-edge approach to ASM. Learn more.

Use Cases & Benefits

Who can benefit from using IONIX?

IONIX is designed for Information Security and Cybersecurity VPs, C-level executives, IT managers, and security managers. It serves organizations across industries, including Fortune 500 companies, insurance and financial services, energy, critical infrastructure, IT and technology, and healthcare. See customer stories.

What business impact can customers expect from using IONIX?

Customers can expect improved risk management, operational efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced security posture. IONIX helps visualize and prioritize hundreds of attack surface threats, streamline security operations, reduce mean time to resolution (MTTR), and protect brand reputation and customer trust. Read more.

Can you share specific case studies or customer success stories?

Yes, IONIX highlights several customer success stories, including:

Pain Points & Problem Solving

What core problems does IONIX solve?

IONIX addresses four main pain points:

How does IONIX solve these pain points?

IONIX uses ML-based Connective Intelligence to discover more assets with fewer false positives, Threat Exposure Radar to prioritize critical issues, and automated mapping of attack surfaces and digital supply chains. Streamlined remediation workflows and integrations with ticketing, SIEM, and SOAR solutions ensure efficient vulnerability management. Learn more.

What KPIs and metrics are associated with the pain points IONIX solves?

Key metrics include completeness of attack surface visibility, identification of shadow IT, remediation time targets, effectiveness of surveillance and monitoring, severity ratings for vulnerabilities, risk prioritization effectiveness, completeness of asset inventory, and frequency of updates to asset dependencies.

Technical Requirements & Implementation

How long does it take to implement IONIX and how easy is it to start?

Initial deployment of IONIX takes about a week and requires only one person to implement and scan the entire network. Customers have access to onboarding resources such as guides, tutorials, webinars, and a dedicated Technical Support Team. Read more.

What training and technical support does IONIX provide?

IONIX offers streamlined onboarding resources, including guides, tutorials, webinars, and a dedicated Technical Support Team to assist customers during implementation and adoption. Learn more.

How does IONIX handle maintenance, upgrades, and troubleshooting?

IONIX provides technical support and maintenance services during the subscription term, including troubleshooting, upgrades, and maintenance. Customers are assigned a dedicated account manager and benefit from regular review meetings to address issues and ensure smooth operation. Read more.

Customer Proof & Industry Recognition

Who are some of IONIX's customers?

IONIX's customers include Infosys, Warner Music Group, The Telegraph, E.ON, Grand Canyon Education, and a Fortune 500 Insurance Company. For more details and logos, visit IONIX Customers.

What industries are represented in IONIX's case studies?

Industries represented in IONIX's case studies include insurance and financial services, energy, critical infrastructure, IT and technology, and healthcare.

What feedback have customers given about IONIX's ease of use?

Customers have rated IONIX as generally user-friendly and appreciate having a dedicated account manager for smooth communication and support.

What key information should customers know about IONIX as a company?

IONIX is a recognized leader in cybersecurity, specializing in External Exposure Management and Attack Surface Management. The company was named a leader in the 2025 KuppingerCole Attack Surface Management Leadership Compass and won the Winter 2023 Digital Innovator Award from Intellyx. IONIX has secured Series A funding to accelerate growth and expand its platform capabilities. Read more.

Guides & Learning Resources

Where can I find guides created by IONIX?

Guides created by IONIX can be found at our guides page.

What is the purpose of the IONIX Guides section?

The IONIX Guides section provides comprehensive resources and insights into various cybersecurity topics, tools, and frameworks. These guides help organizations enhance their security posture, understand key concepts, and implement best practices. Topics include Automated Security Control Assessment (ASCA), web application security, exposure management, vulnerability assessments, the OWASP Top 10, CIS Controls, and attack surface management. Explore the guides.

Where can I find more information about the 18 CIS Controls?

Learn more about the 18 CIS Controls by visiting this page.

What is CIS Control 16 about?

CIS Control 16 involves application software security. It focuses on managing the security of in-house developed, hosted, or acquired software by establishing a software security lifecycle to prevent, detect, and remediate software security weaknesses.

CIS Control 16 Explained: Application Software Security

CIS Control 16 involves application software security. That means to manage security of in house developed/hosted/acquired software, by establishing a software security lifecycle to prevent, detect and remediate software security weaknesses.

The Importance of Control 16

Application vulnerabilities can arise from various factors, including insecure design, inadequate infrastructure, coding errors, weak authentication and insufficient testing for unexpected conditions. Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities – such as Structured Query Language injection (SQLi), Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) to access sensitive data or take control of vulnerable assets, which can serve as a launching point for further attacks.

Implementation Groups (IGs)

Implementation Groups (IGs)

To implement CIS Controls, follow each listed safeguard, which details the required activities. Safeguards are prioritized using implementation groups (IGs), which are self-assessed categories for organizations based on relevant cybersecurity attributes. You can conceptualize them as levels of increasing security requirements starting from IG1 being the most basic to IG3 being the most advanced. The higher level groups are included in the lower ones. 

The Safeguards of Control 16

There are fourteen safeguards in CIS Control 16. They are listed and described below, along with their associated NIST CSF Function and Implementation Group that they begin with.

Safeguard NumberSafeguard TitleNIST Security FunctionStartingImplementation Group
Safeguard 16.1Establish and Maintain a Secure Application Development ProcessGovernIG2
Safeguard 16.2Establish and Maintain a Process to Accept and Address Software VulnerabilitiesGovernIG2
Safeguard 16.3Perform Root Cause Analysis on Security VulnerabilitiesProtectIG2
Safeguard 16.4Establish and Manage an Inventory of Third-Party Software ComponentsIdentifyIG2
Safeguard 16.5Use Up-to-Date and Trusted Third-Party Software ComponentsProtectIG2
Safeguard 16.6Establish and Maintain a Severity Rating System and Process for Application VulnerabilitiesGovernIG2
Safeguard 16.7Use Standard Hardening Configuration Templates for Application InfrastructureProtectIG2
Safeguard 16.8Separate Production and Non-Production SystemsProtectIG2
Safeguard 16.9Train Developers in Application Security Concepts and Secure CodingProtectIG2
Safeguard 16.10Apply Secure Design Principles in Application ArchitecturesProtectIG2
Safeguard 16.11Leverage Vetted Modules or Services for Application Security ComponentsIdentifyIG2
Safeguard 16.12Implement Code-Level Security ChecksProtectIG3
Safeguard 16.13Conduct Application Penetration TestingDetectIG3
Safeguard 16.14Conduct Threat ModelingProtectIG3