Below are the main elements that enable Netpicker Automation Platform to perform efficient and comprehensive security scanning across diverse network environments:

• Automated CVE Assessment: Checks device operating system versions against public vulnerability databases. Performs in-depth analysis using configuration validation scripts to accurately flag devices that may be impacted by known issues, assigning each finding a severity ranking.
• CIS & Best Practice Auditing: Applies industry-standard benchmarks such as CIS to validate device configurations. Highlights misconfigurations and enforces recommended security practices regardless of vendor platform.
• Security Compliance Testing: Runs automated compliance tests using scripts, aligning device configurations with regulatory standards and enterprise policies. Supports both scheduled runs and on-demand scans for flexibility.
• Multi-Vendor, Multi-Node Validation: Delivers consistent scan coverage across various network hardware and software vendors. Leverages up-to-date templates and tests to adapt to new threats and a wide range of devices.

This section outlines the workflow steps Netpicker Automation Platform follows to deliver reliable and actionable security scanning across your network infrastructure:

1. Device Discovery & Backup: Identify all network devices, gather configuration details, and create secure backups to prepare for audits or recovery needs.
2. Baseline Assessment: Scan each device configuration using industry security benchmarks and vulnerability libraries to detect misconfigurations and exposed services.
3. Deep Configuration Analysis: Run detailed policy checks and custom test scripts to validate that configuration parameters and updates truly address known risks.
4. Remediation Suggestions: Provide actionable recommendations or patch instructions tailored to each identified vulnerability or compliance gap.
5. Reporting & Notification: Generate compliance and vulnerability reports, trigger alerts on new findings, and maintain an auditable history of changes and remediations.

This section highlights recommended steps to help maximize the effectiveness and accuracy of security scanning within the Netpicker Automation Platform:

1. Keep Detection Libraries Updated: Regularly update CVE databases and related test libraries to ensure your scans identify the latest vulnerabilities and exposures as they emerge.
2. Reduce False Positives: Combine operating system version scans with detailed configuration checks to confirm whether an identified issue can truly be exploited, instead of relying only on version numbers.
3. Automate Frequent Scans: Schedule security scans at routine intervals and after any significant device or network changes. This helps ensure that new risks are detected in a timely manner.
4. Apply Consistent Checks Across Vendors: Use prebuilt and custom templates to accommodate all supported vendors, ensuring no platform is left out of security assessments.
5. Integrate with Change Management: Tie security scans to network automation workflows, performing scans before and after changes to validate that updates do not introduce unintended vulnerabilities.
6. Maintain Comprehensive Audit Trails: Archive scan results and reports to document your security posture and demonstrate ongoing compliance for both internal reviews and external regulatory audits.
7. Customize for Enterprise Needs: Extend default scanning rules using Python or CLI scripts to enforce company-specific security policies and adapt to evolving threats.

Explore some typical situations where Netpicker Automation Platform enhances network security through automated scanning and actionable insights:

• Responding to Critical Vulnerabilities: A high-severity CVE is announced. Netpicker instantly scans all managed devices for exposure, identifies affected versions or configurations, and prioritizes devices for remediation, providing step-by-step recommendations to close vulnerabilities.
• Preparing for Regulatory Audits: Ahead of a compliance audit (such as NIS2 or ISO27001), Netpicker runs comprehensive compliance scans. It maps device configurations against benchmark standards, highlights deviations, and generates exportable audit reports that demonstrate continuous adherence to regulatory policies.
• Enforcing Custom Security Policies: The organization introduces unique configuration requirements or access controls. Netpicker allows teams to create and implement custom scanning rules in Python or CLI. Automated scans verify rollout fidelity, ensuring policy enforcement across all devices.
• Continuous Security Posture Monitoring: Scheduled scans are run regularly or triggered after significant network changes. Netpicker detects new risks, configuration drift, and non-compliance, guaranteeing the network remains secure and compliant over time.
• Automated Incident Response: On detection of suspicious configuration changes, Netpicker automatically flags issues, triggers alerts, and generates actionable incident reports, streamlining the response process for security teams.

This section explains how Netpicker Automation Platform connects with your existing network automation ecosystem to streamline configuration management, compliance, and operations:

1. Source of Truth Integration: Connects directly to platforms like NetBox, Nautobot, and Infrahub. Device inventories and intended state data are synchronized automatically to ensure accurate automation inputs and alignment with business requirements.
2. Automated Job Orchestration: Schedules, triggers, and orchestrates automation jobs for configuration backup, state validation, and security scans across multi-vendor environments. Jobs can be run in real time or as part of regular maintenance windows.
3. Closed-Loop Validation: Combines intent-based checks with real-time device state validation. Any deviation from expected configurations or policies is detected and reported automatically, enabling rapid remediation.
4. External Toolchain Compatibility: Integrates with orchestration tools like Ansible and Nornir, as well as Python-based scripts, allowing teams to leverage their automation tool of choice within Netpicker workflows.
5. APIs and Webhooks: Supports RESTful APIs for programmatic control, data exchange, and event-driven automation. Webhooks enable automated notifications and integration with ITSM, ticketing, and monitoring platforms.
6. Compliance and Change Automation: Snapshots device states before and after configuration changes, ties compliance checks to automation jobs, and archives all results for audit readiness.