7 Reasons Why Managing Your Attack Surface is Important

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, even well-established organizations with robust cybersecurity programs can fall victim to new and complex breach attempts. Understanding where cyber risks lie hidden within an expanding digital infrastructure is challenging. Security teams often find themselves overwhelmed by a sea of data and alerts, making it difficult to maintain a clear picture of the organization’s security posture. This article explores the importance of attack surface management (ASM) and how leveraging Foresiet’s capabilities can enhance an organization’s cybersecurity defenses.?

Reasons to Focus on Attack Surface Management?

1. Securing Hidden Risks?

To protect a network, it's essential to know where risks are hidden. Without visibility into the digital footprint, prioritizing cyber risk remediation efforts becomes difficult, often leading to wasted resources on unnecessary manual work and reactive strategies. Attack surface scanning enables automatic and continuous inventory of digital assets beyond the traditional network perimeter, providing visibility into the cloud, geographies, business units, and remote offices. Foresiet’s Attack Surface Analytics offers unprecedented dashboard views into digital assets, allowing for quick remediation of identified risks.?

2. Facilitating Continuous Insights?

ASM provides real-time updates on the state of security posture, allowing organizations to take a proactive approach to risk management by continuously monitoring for vulnerabilities and gaps in security controls. With Foresiet, organizations can gather comprehensive information on various security aspects, from botnet infections to patching cadence, offering a holistic view of the security landscape. Continuous monitoring technology also protects against third-party cyber risk, providing a complete assessment of vendor security posture.?

3. Adopting a Hacker’s Perspective?

Seeing the network as a hacker does is crucial for identifying and mitigating common vulnerabilities. Attack surface scanning exposes the weaknesses that cybercriminals exploit to execute ransomware, DDoS, and other attacks. Foresiet helps discover misconfigured software, open ports, and unpatched systems, providing the visibility needed to proactively close security gaps before they are exploited.?

4. Meeting Regulatory Requirements?

Compliance with industry-specific regulations like PCI DSS, DORA, and NIS is essential for many organizations. ASM helps meet these requirements by ensuring systems are secure and compliant. Tools like vulnerability scanners and penetration testing assess compliance status continuously, helping organizations stay ahead of regulatory demands.?

5. Protecting Sensitive Data?

ASM identifies potential risks associated with storing or transmitting sensitive data. Implementing proper authentication measures, such as two-factor authentication, reduces the risk of unauthorized access. By safeguarding sensitive and personal data, organizations not only comply with regulations like GDPR but also protect valuable intellectual property.?

6. Maintaining Customer Trust?

Customers trust organizations with their personal information, making it crucial to protect this data from unauthorized access or misuse. ASM ensures that sensitive data is protected, reducing the risk of data breaches and maintaining customer trust. A secure environment encourages customer loyalty and confidence in the organization's security practices.?

7. Protecting Organizational Reputation?

Cyber attacks can severely damage an organization's reputation. Media coverage of successful attacks can tarnish the brand image and erode customer confidence. ASM prevents such incidents by eliminating potential vulnerabilities, thereby protecting the organization’s reputation and ensuring continued trust from customers, partners, and investors.?

Attack surface management is an essential tool for securing organizational systems, meeting regulatory requirements, and maintaining customer trust through adequate protection of sensitive data. Leveraging ASM, potentially complemented with penetration tests, helps businesses protect themselves from malicious actors. By providing a proactive approach to risk management, Foresiet's ASM capabilities empower organizations to stay ahead of cyber threats and ensure a robust cybersecurity posture.?Get started today!

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Author: Mohit Kohli | Founder & CEO, Foresiet