Asset surface management aims to identify, monitor, evaluate, prioritize, and remediate your exposure to attacks. It does so continuously by considering your entire IT infrastructure. It uses the attacker’s perspective to detect and eradicate possible entry points that put your security stance in jeopardy. 

Surface attack management is useful for companies of all industries and sizes because it helps identify rogue components that may be present in known and unknown assets. With the rise of cloud technologies, the prominence of remote working policies, and the growing use of personal devices at work, discovering and managing risks ahead of time is the essence. 

An attack surface management portal will highlight all potential security risks and vulnerable entry points that your organization is exposed to. This encompasses known and potentially unknown assets within your system and network.

Cybercriminals use a wide range of attack vectors to steal information and cause damage to your organization. Phishing, malware, social engineering, they’ll try anything they can to crack into your system. They can even use more than one vector at the same time. 

To protect against attack vectors, you should aim to: 

• Encrypt data on portable devices 
• Install software updates regularly 
• Implement a closed network 
• Conduct regular audits and vulnerability tests 
• Perform frequent penetration tests 
• Install multi-factor authentication 
• Enhance employee awareness and provide training workshops 
• Invest in cyber asset attack surface management

Identifying potential threats is only the first step toward mitigating risk and resisting cyber-attacks. Once your cyber-attack surface management portal discovers the potential vulnerabilities, you’ll need to rank these threats in order of urgency. Analyze your security position and start to shut down the attempts in an efficient manner. 

With a centralized attack surface management portal, you’ll have improved visibility to identify potential cybersecurity gaps. With a clear picture of your level of risk, comes a heightened understanding of how to manage and mitigate these potential threats. 

Above all, these attack surface management tools help organizations reduce the likelihood of a security breach. Other benefits include streamlined security procedures, greater levels of compliance, enhanced threat intelligence, and significant cost savings. 

Continuous attack surface management is the best way to remain proactive rather than reactive. In a digital landscape, threats are constantly evolving so frequent monitoring is key. 

Depending on the size and complexity of your organization’s IT infrastructure, you may have to conduct assessments more or less frequently. As a rule of thumb, it’s wise to roll out a new assessment every time your organization encounters major changes, like implementing new technology or updating software. 

Several key components make up an enterprise attack surface management portal. 

Firstly, the discovery phase takes place and a map of all your known and unknown assets is compiled. This asset inventory encompasses all assets within your network that must remain secure. 

Then, a vulnerability scan is employed to identify possible weaknesses within your external and internal assets. If any areas of your company are exposed, threat intelligence will determine what they are, and risk assessments will determine the level of risk associated with your exposure. 

Finally, remediation management helps you prioritize the order of vulnerabilities and provide insights on how to mediate the threats. You also receive a series of reports and metrics to help your organizations track their security progress. 

To maximize your security posture and deter possible threats, you must integrate attack surface management tools into your overarching strategy. To ensure a seamless implementation process, you can create a customized integration plan that won’t disrupt current procedures. By incorporating a centralized portal into your external and internal attack surface management, you’ll gain a holistic perspective of your organization’s level of security.