Which of the following is a common outcome of effective vulnerability management?

Effective vulnerability management plays a critical role in strengthening an organization's security posture. One of the primary benefits is the reduction of system downtime. By actively identifying, assessing, and mitigating vulnerabilities, an organization can proactively address issues before they lead to security incidents. This proactive approach minimizes the likelihood of successful attacks, which can result in significant disruptions to services and operations.

When vulnerabilities are managed properly, systems can remain operational without the interruptions that often come from responding to and recovering from security breaches or incidents. Additionally, regular updates and patches can improve system performance, further contributing to maintenance of uptime.

The other outcomes are either negative or do not directly result from effective vulnerability management. For instance, increased risks or number of vulnerabilities would indicate ineffective management, while improved compliance, while beneficial, is usually a secondary effect rather than a direct outcome of managing vulnerabilities effectively.