While developers race to meet deadlines and ship new features, security considerations often lurk in the shadows, presenting hidden risks. Recent findings tell that 84% of codebases harbor at least one open-source vulnerability. So whether you're a security professional or a project manager seeking to enhance your team's security, you should clearly understand how to write a security report.
This guide will walk you through the essential elements of creating security status reports, helping you identify vulnerabilities, assess risks, and communicate findings to your team.
What is security reporting?
A security status report serves as your organization's vital health check, documenting and tracking the ongoing security posture of your systems. It reveals strengths, identifies vulnerabilities, and tracks the progress of security improvements over time.
Unlike simple security checklists, these reports deliver actionable insights by synthesizing data from various monitoring activities and security assessments. Companies flexibly determine how detailed these reports should be and how frequently they're generated, allowing teams to align reporting practices with their specific risk management needs and regulatory requirements.
When examining a security report example, you'll typically find several key components:
The current security state of information systems.
Effectiveness of implemented security controls.
Ongoing monitoring activities and their frequencies.
Identified weaknesses and progress on remediation efforts.
Changes to system security plans and assessments.
Much like how a report security guard documents incidents and observations during their shift, security status reporting creates a paper trail of your system's security journey. Whether triggered by specific security events or generated at regular intervals, these reports ensure that security remains a visible, measurable, and manageable aspect of your operations.
Why a security status report is critical
The diversity and vastness of cybersecurity threats have evolved, changing security detail meaning from a mere checkbox item into a critical business imperative. Recent events show us vividly what happens when organizations fail to maintain thorough security monitoring and reporting practices.
Consider AT&T's troubling 2024 experience: two massive data breaches affecting over 110 million individuals, with costs likely exceeding the industry average of $4.88 million per incident. The first breach in 2022 exposed call and messaging metadata through a third-party cloud provider, while the second compromised 73 million customer records. Most concerning was AT&T's delayed response — resetting passwords only after a media backslash.
Recent months witnessed a concerning trend in the energy sector. The December 2024 ransomware attacks on Romania's Electrica Group and Costa Rica's state energy provider RECOPE show how cybercriminals increasingly target critical infrastructure. The healthcare sector hasn't escaped either. The breach at Anna Jaques Hospital exposed the health data of over 310,000 patients, and American Addiction Centers faced a crisis affecting 422,424 people.
The financial toll of such incidents is massive. With cloud-based breaches averaging $5.17 million in damages, organizations don’t only face just immediate costs but also long-term consequences — regulatory penalties, legal action, and damaged customer trust. Every security activity report is an early warning system, preventing such catastrophic outcomes.
The root causes are often traced back to inadequate monitoring and reporting mechanisms. To ensure timely and effective regular security assessments, let’s break down the main types of reporting documents.
The types of security reports your organization should have
Understanding the different types of reports helps maintain oversight. Let's explore the main categories of security reports that form a structured approach to security reporting.
Daily activity reports (DARs)
Think of DARs as your security team's daily diary. These reports capture the regular pulse of your security operations — from routine patrols and access control checks to unusual observations. They record all daily activities:
Basic details and timings.
Employee and client contacts.
Login and registration services records.
Unusual observations.
While seemingly minor, these details reveal patterns that prove invaluable for preventing future incidents. This is a part of the next report that paints a bigger picture.
Risk audit reports
A risk audit report evaluates how well an organization’s risk management processes, policies, and practices are working. It outlines the audit’s purpose, scope, and methods, highlights key findings, and compares current practices to industry standards.
The report also checks compliance with laws or regulations and offers recommendations for improvement. Designed for auditors, regulators, or stakeholders, it identifies gaps, suggests improvements, and ensures accountability.
Security incident reports
When unplanned digital incidents happen, accident reports document what went wrong even if no data was stolen or systems weren't damaged. These reports cover things like accidental data exposures, system outages, mistaken security tool configurations, or unintentional policy violations.
For example, if an employee accidentally emails sensitive data to the wrong person or a system backup fails, an accident report captures all the details, including what happened, when it occurred, who was involved, and what steps were taken to fix it. Which, in turn, should be regulated in the next document.
Risk communication plan
A risk communication plan is a guide for sharing information about security risks and management strategies with stakeholders. The plan ensures consistent and clear communication, helping risk managers or spokespersons effectively convey risks.
It should be strategic, adaptable, and follow SMART principles: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Risk communication reports identify key audiences, define communication goals, summarize key messages, choose suitable channels, assign roles, and evaluate effectiveness.
Risk summary reports
Summary reports give leadership a big-picture view of the organization's security health over time. They gather information from daily monitoring, incidents, and regular security checks to show trends and patterns. These reports might reveal that certain types of attacks are increasing, specific systems need more protection, or security training is working well.
They help leaders make informed decisions about where to invest in security and what needs to change. Summary reports often include charts and graphs showing key metrics like the number of blocked attacks, successful phishing attempts, or system vulnerabilities found and fixed.
To be well aware of the cyber threats and security issues, we need to explore the types you typically face as an organization.
Know your enemy: Major security concerns
It’s common knowledge for companies that information should be stored securely, preferably in the cloud environment, with robust encryption and separate storage for various types of data. However, recent research proves that 40% of breaches involved data stored across multiple environments. So understanding security vulnerabilities has become paramount for cloud developers and other IT professionals.
So let’s have a deep dive into security challenges you should be aware of to prevent your business from data leakages, ransomware attacks, and other cyber threats.
Misconfiguration: Don’t set your security on default
Security misconfiguration is a critical vulnerability that occurs when security controls and settings are implemented incorrectly or left at default values. Recent studies indicate that up to 70% of all security challenges in the cloud arise from misconfigurations. What makes these security misconfigurations particularly dangerous is the fact that they are present in both traditional and cloud infrastructure.
A misconfigured firewall or system occurs when settings in security tools or software are improperly implemented. This security configuration vulnerability leads to significant security risks, exposing sensitive data or enabling unauthorized access.
Source: Trend Micro
This happens to all types of software. OWASP security misconfiguration in mobile apps refers to improperly set security settings, permissions, and controls that can lead to vulnerabilities like unauthorized data access, weak encryption, insecure communication, and unprotected storage.
The most common misconfigured elements include default administrative passwords and overly permissive access controls. For instance, a prominent misconfiguration attack in January 2024, the Midnight Blizzard attack, exploited vulnerabilities in Microsoft's infrastructure, starting with a password spray attack on an account without multi-factor authentication, escalated through legacy systems to access sensitive corporate emails and documents.
Another security misconfiguration example involved cybercriminal groups Nemesis and ShinyHunters, exploiting public websites within AWS IP ranges. By targeting vulnerable endpoints, they accessed over 2 TB of sensitive data: customer credentials, API keys, and source code. It shows well the dangers of security misconfiguration issues — and the importance of proactive measures.
There are 6 types of misconfigurations — and ways to prevent them:
Outdated systems. Regular updates close gaps attackers exploit in unpatched tools.
Unsafe coding. Follow secure practices to avoid vulnerabilities like SQL injection.
Lack of encryption. Encrypt sensitive files to keep them unreadable to unauthorized users.
Default credentials. Always replace default usernames and passwords to block hacks.
Weak access controls. Restrict permissions to only what's necessary for each user.
Disabled antivirus. Keep antivirus software active and updated for malware protection.
Now that you’re aware of configuration vulnerability, let review other types of vulnerabilities.
Vulnerabilities: Find and prevent your weaknesses
Cybersecurity vulnerabilities take many forms, from cleverly disguised malware to weaknesses in widely used systems. These security gaps often result from outdated systems, unpatched software, or poorly implemented security controls. How do security misconfigurations lead to risks?
Common mechanisms of vulnerability are:
Data leaks. Unprotected files or directories leave sensitive information exposed to attackers.
Unauthorized access. Misconfigured directories enable attackers to navigate and exploit systems.
Weak authentication. Faulty login setups let unauthorized users bypass controls and gain administrative rights.
60% of data breaches in 2024 exploited vulnerabilities for which patches were available but not applied. Below, we explore different new types of vulnerabilities common to modern software (some of them only appeared in 2024).
5 types of vulnerabilities
DoubleClickjacking exploits
DoubleClickjacking is an advanced form of clickjacking that targets OAuth systems and websites with one-click account edits. It exploits the timing between mouse-down and click events, deceiving users into triggering unauthorized actions. An attacker hijacks an account by tricking them into granting permissions to a malicious app during a double click.
This leads to account takeovers and unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Windows LDAP vulnerability
The CVE-2024-49113 vulnerability in Windows LDAP exploits an integer overflow in the wldap32.dll library, leading to a denial-of-service (DoS) attack. Unpatched systems, especially domain controllers, are at risk. This vulnerability disrupts critical infrastructure, particularly in unpatched environments, and risks data loss or service downtime.
Dynamics 365 and power apps web API flaws
Three severe vulnerabilities in Dynamics 365 and Power Apps Web API allow unauthorized access to sensitive data. Exploits include bypassing access controls and retrieving password hashes. For example, attackers exploited OData Web API Filters to access contact information and sensitive credentials. As a result — credential theft and reputational damage.
Compromised Chrome extensions in a supply chain attack
This is another real-life example of a phishing attack on developer accounts. Malicious actors compromised Chrome extensions like Cyberhaven during a supply chain attack, targeting Facebook advertising users. Extensions bypassed security measures, stealing access tokens and business details. This led to unauthorized updates, affecting users with auto-updates.
Lack of policy regulation
A recent investigation of the filled security report templates highlighted that 69% of UK SMEs lack formal cybersecurity policies. Many also neglect employee training, cyber insurance, and advanced protections like MFA or data backups. 43% of SMEs admitted to not educating staff on cybersecurity best practices. Without proper measures, SMEs risk financial loss, operational downtime, and reputational damage.
And these are just a few of the more recent cases where vulnerabilities caused catastrophic results. Criminals come up with more and more novel ideas on how to compromise your security. What are the consequences of these events for your customers (and your business)?
Impacts of security issues on you and your customers
How dangerous are the vulnerabilities of your systems for your clients? And what does “misconfigured” mean regarding their trust in your business?
When businesses fall victim to misconfiguration attacks or vulnerability exploits, customers face multiple risks. For example, a server security misconfiguration allows unauthorized access to databases with customer data and passwords, leading to identity fraud or financial loss.
What’s the result for you? 78% of consumers stop engaging with a brand following a security breach. It has a devastating impact on customer trust and business relationships. Financially, it’s a great danger as well! In 2024, the median cost of one stolen record globally is 169$. And in healthcare, it’s $408 for one patient record! A high price for neglecting security measures.
The impact of security misconfiguration often extends beyond immediate technical issues. For example, a misconfigured cloud storage bucket might expose not just internal documents but also trigger regulatory violations and reputation damage. A lost market share is another consequence. Stock prices typically drop 7.27% following a major security incident disclosure — and 60% of small businesses close within six months of a major security breach.
All these facts and figures prove that security reporting is no longer an optional process, it’s a matter of survival. So how to write a detailed, comprehensive security status report?
How to write a security report in 5 steps
An effective security incident report must include several essential elements to provide a complete picture of your security:
Incident overview
The incident overview includes a clear timeline of when the issue was first detected, along with information about the systems and networks affected. It outlines the attack vectors or types of vulnerabilities involved, as well as the initial alerts or indicators that brought the issue to light. Additionally, it describes the scope of the exposure, giving a complete picture of the incident's impact. For instance, if a security incident report reveals unauthorized access attempts, it should specify whether these were targeted attacks or part of broader scanning activities.
Impact assessment
The impact assessment identifies the specific types of data exposed or put at risk, and the number of systems and users affected. The assessment highlights disruptions to business operations and customer services. It also considers the financial implications and addresses concerns related to regulatory compliance.
Root cause analysis
The root cause analysis delves identifies the technical vulnerabilities that were exploited. It also examines any missing security controls or patches that could have prevented the attack. The analysis looks at process failures, configuration mistakes, policy gaps, and training errors. Understanding root causes helps prevent similar incidents. For instance, if an attack succeeded due to an unpatched system, the analysis should see why the patch process failed.
Mitigation actions
The mitigation actions section outlines all the steps taken to address the incident. It includes immediate containment measures to stop the threat from spreading, with any systems that were reconfigured to fix vulnerabilities. The section also covers modifications to access controls, efforts to recover data, and communication with affected users to keep them informed.
Future recommendations
The future recommendations section outlines steps for improving security moving forward. It highlights new security controls that need to be implemented, necessary policy updates, and additional monitoring capabilities to enhance threat detection. The section also suggests improvements to training programs, processes, and the resources required for these changes. Finally, it includes a timeline for implementing these recommended changes.
The final report should tell a clear story about your security status, helping stakeholders understand:
What happened
Why it matters
What needs to be done
When action is required
How to prevent similar issues
With security reporting, it’s always good news when some processes can be automated to save time and cost. However, solutions and automation aren’t always enough to catch the vulnerability before it leads to breaches and hacker attacks.
Automated security reporting + human oversight = Success
Each example of security report should combine raw data with expert analysis to provide meaningful insights. And with no doubt, automated data collection plays is very important modern security practices.
However, the power of modern security reporting comes from combining automated tools withhuman expertise. While automated systems excel collect the vastness of security data, human analysts see into the context and interpretation needed to make this data meaningful. For instance, automated tools might flag a surge in failed login attempts, but security analysts determine whether this represents a genuine attack attempt or a system misconfiguration.
This combination is a continuous cycle: automated systems constantly monitor and flag potential issues, security teams investigate and validate these findings, and analysts transform technical details into actionable business recommendations. This balance ensures that everyone from technical teams to executive leadership understands not just what's happening, but why it matters and what needs to be done about it.
But how to combine automation and your team’s success? There are some solutions and frameworks that help achieve it.
Automated cybersecurity tools to strengthen your team
As we discovered, reporting automation tools only work in great sync with your human, experienced human experts. But the first step to creating this sync is choosing the right tools. What kind of toolsare useful to ensure your team’s security managing and reporting success?
Modern security teams rely heavily on vulnerability monitoring tools that continuously monitor systems for weaknesses. Vulnerability monitoring tools track and evaluate data in real time, identifying anomalies indicating threats. Tools like Qualys and OpenVAS scan networks, applications, and systems, flagging everything from outdated software to misconfigurations. These scanners compare your systems against known vulnerability databases and provide severity ratings for each finding.
Qualys
SIEM (security information and event management)systems like the one from IBM go a step further by correlating security events across networks, uncovering patterns that might be missed. They collect from firewalls, servers, applications, and security tools, then use analytics to identify potential threats. For example, they might detect unusual login patterns or suspicious file access attempts that could indicate a breach.
IBM SIEM
Vulnerability scanners like Nessos or Burp Scanner perform regular checks to identify system weaknesses, allowing teams to address them before they are exploited.
Compliance tools (e.g., Perimeter 81 and PowerDMS) ensure that configurations align with industry standards and regulations, helping you maintain security and meet legal requirements. Additionally, performance monitoring keeps an eye on system health, ensuring that operations run smoothly without compromising security. Efficient examples of such solutions are Fortinet, Splunk, and Rapid7.
Cloud security posture management (CSPM) monitors cloud environments for security risks. Solutions like CloudCheckr and AWS Security Hub check cloud configurations against best practices, alerting teams when they find deviations from secure settings.
AWS Security Hub
These tools are robust and diverse, and the choice of a specific tool depends on your processes, business size, company domain, budget and security team level of proficiency.
Frameworks, programs, and additional resources for security reporting
Apart from the automated tools, there are industry-standard frameworks and programs like Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE). The CVE system provides a standardized way to identify and categorize known security vulnerabilities. Each vulnerability gets a unique identifier (like CVE-2024-12345) and includes details about the affected systems and software, how the vulnerability works, its potential impact, and available fixes or workarounds.
The Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks provide guidelines for securely configuring various technologies. These benchmarks include recommendations for system configurations, security control settings, and steps for system hardening. They also offer implementation guidance to help apply the best security practices. CIS benchmarks are regularly updated.
However, this isn’t the full scope of what you have in your arsenal. Mozilla Developer Network and their Net Docs have extensive documentation that helps build secure web applications from the ground up. Their guides walk developers through implementing secure coding practices, such as preventing SQL injection and cross-site scripting attacks. For authentication, they outline various methods from basic password security to advanced multi-factor systems.
Mozilla Developer Network
MDN also explains how to protect sensitive data during storage and transmission, secure APIs against unauthorized access, and leverage built-in browser security features.
Cloud resources for enhancing security
Cloud providers also offer robust security guidance tailored to their platforms. Amazon Web Services structures its security recommendations around the Well-Architected Framework, which helps build secure and efficient cloud systems. AWS provides detailed guides for each service they offer. Their resources include practical tools for implementing security measures and maintaining compliance with various regulations.
Google Cloud Platform recommendations start with identity management — controlling who can access what resources and under what conditions. They provide detailed documentation on securing networks, protecting data both at rest and in transit, and monitoring for potential security threats.
Another example, Microsoft Azure, combines practical security guidance with built-in tools. Their security baseline recommendations provide a starting point for securing cloud resources. Azure's Security Center offers continuous monitoring and security assessments. Their service-specific guidance explains how to secure different Azure services, from virtual machines to databases.
Microsoft Azure
So the fact is clear: automated tools, frameworks, and cloud sources provide you with detailed information about your security status. However, the next step — generating clear and actionable security status reports is much more complex. Let’s move to some tangible tips on how to do it right.
Tips and best practices for writing a security status report
Putting security reports into action requires a systematic approach to implementing improvements and understanding limitations. An example of security report typically reveals multiple areas needing attention, but successful implementation requires careful prioritization. Let’s break down the best practices of security reporting.
Essential steps for success
Security reporting serves as a starting point for improvements, not an end goal. Success depends on translating findings into actionable steps. Here are the steps to take:
1. Record immediate observations
Digital incidents require meticulous documentation from the moment of detection. Maintain a dedicated system for logging observations — whether through secure note-taking applications, encrypted digital journals, or approved logging software. Document system alerts, suspicious activities, timestamp anomalies, and potential indicators of compromise (IoCs). Record command-line inputs, system responses, and any automated alert outputs. These preliminary notes form the foundation of your formal incident documentation.
2. Craft an executive summary
Begin your report with a concise overview that describes the security event. This section should give stakeholders an immediate understanding of the incident's severity and scope. Example:
"Security Engineer detected unauthorized API calls originating from internal development servers at 03:42 UTC. Investigation revealed compromised developer credentials. Implementation of zero-trust protocols and credential revocation contained the breach within 47 minutes. Impact analysis indicated no data exfiltration occurred."
3. Develop the technical narrative
Transform your initial findings into a comprehensive technical account. Document the who (threat actors, affected users, responding team members), what (type of attack, systems affected, data compromised), when (full attack timeline), where (affected systems, network segments, geographic locations), and why (attack vectors, vulnerabilities exploited). Focus on technical evidence rather than speculation about attacker motivations.
Maintain exact timestamps for all significant events: initial detection, alert generation, response actions, containment measures, and resolution steps. Organize your technical narrative with clear delineation between the detection, analysis, response, and remediation phases. Each section should build logically upon previous information while maintaining technical clarity.
4. Follow incident response frameworks
Most organizations maintain standardized incident response procedures and reporting templates (e.g., NIST, SANS). These frameworks ensure:
Consistent incident classification
Standardized severity ratings
Required technical details
Proper escalation documentation
Clear remediation tracking
5. Technical review
Conduct a tech review to ensure the report is accurate and complete. Ensure sensitive data is properly redacted, confirm clear documentation of evidence preservation steps, check the accuracy of system and network diagrams, review the completeness of the attack chain analysis, and provide specific recommendations for security improvements, as well as some additional cybersecurity-specific elements:
Include relevant log excerpts.
Document affected IP addresses and hostnames.
List compromised credentials (hash values only).
Detail malware indicators and signatures.
Reference relevant CVE numbers.
Include packet capture summaries if applicable.
Document affected ports and protocols.
List all remediation steps with verification methods.
When tackling issues like how to fix misconfiguration or patch a vulnerability, consider both immediate fixes and long-term solutions. Despite their numerous information, documentation, and tools for creating reports, most security teams struggle with multiple challenges – from keeping up with emerging threats and managing countless security tools to dealing with alert fatigue and resource constraints. Why, and what can you do?
How COAX can help
The complexity of modern IT infrastructure makes it increasingly difficult to implement comprehensive security assessments and maintain continuous monitoring without disrupting business operations. Expert-led security testing services and audit future-proof you. Our team guided numerous companies through security transformations, from initial vulnerability assessments to implementing ongoing security monitoring and incident response programs.
We begin with an initial consultation call where we listen to your current security concerns and plans. After the review, we provide a detailed cost estimate and establish secure access to your infrastructure and codebase. We conduct a comprehensive security audit (typically 1-2 days) using our established security checklist as a foundation to examine all critical aspects of your system. Result? You get a detailed analysis, actionable recommendations, and critical hotfixes and choose to implement improvements internally or engage our team to handle the process.
Our security professionals bring clarity to this complexity. We combine deep technical expertise with practical business understanding to deliver security solutions that work in the real world. COAX’s IT audit and consulting services provide clear, actionable insights to enhance your security posture. We combine automated security tools with expert analysis to deliver thorough security incident reports that help you understand and address potential threats.
Make security your priority
From daily activity reports to comprehensive incident documentation, proper security reporting helps companies and organizations identify vulnerabilities, track security posture, and respond to threats before they become breaches. The stakes are high, as recent incidents at AT&T, healthcare providers, and energy sectors demonstrate (as well as other industries).
Security reporting combines automated tools with human expertise to provide a complete picture of an organization's security health. While tools handle data collection and monitoring, security professionals provide crucial context and interpretation. Success depends on following structured frameworks, maintaining detailed documentation, and implementing both immediate fixes and long-term solutions.
Whether dealing with misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, or emerging threats, you must prioritize comprehensive security reporting to protect your assets, maintain customer trust, and ensure business continuity and growth.
FAQ
What metrics should we track across multiple security reports?
Key metrics include response times to incidents, frequency of similar vulnerabilities, effectiveness of implemented fixes, and trends in attack types. These measurements help evaluate your security program's effectiveness over time.
Should we include near-misses in security reports?
Yes, documenting prevented attacks and close calls is crucial. These incidents provide valuable insights into your security controls' effectiveness and help identify potential weaknesses before they're exploited.
How do we report security issues that span multiple systems?
Complex incidents affecting multiple systems require additional context. Document the interconnections between affected systems, how the vulnerability spread, and whether shared components contributed to the issue's propagation.
When should we update a previously submitted security report?
Reports should be updated when new information about an incident emerges, when initial impact assessments change, or when recommended remediation steps prove ineffective. Include version history and clearly mark what information is new or modified.
How do we handle conflicting data from different security tools?
When automated tools provide contradictory results, document both findings and include analyst interpretation of the discrepancy. This helps identify tool limitations and ensures comprehensive coverage of potential security issues.
