CTEM, introduced by Gartner, was designed to address a critical gap in traditional vulnerability management: the broken flow between detection and remediation. While reports and alerts pile up, exposures often remain unresolved, leaving organizations at risk. CTEM organizes this process into five stages—Scoping, Discovery, Prioritization, Validation, and Mobilization—bringing structure to chaos. Technically, it’s a framework because Gartner never mandated a single solution to deliver all stages. Most vendors only cover one or two.