Understanding the Importance of Attack Surface intelligence and Monitoring

In three out of four organizations (or 76%), cyberattacks initiated through the exploitation of unmanaged external assets.

The 2024 OSSRA report states that at leat 84% of codebases contained at leat one vulnerability, and 94% of all codebases were open-source. It also found that there was a 54% rise in codebases with high-risk vulnerabilities.

These stats paint a picture where the digital assets and identities of organizations and individuals are always at a high-risk and any vulnerability will expose them to attackers.

A Statista report states that the cyber threat intelligence (CTI) market was valued at 11.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 and projected to surpass 21 billion U.S. dollars by 2027. The same report also suggests that by 2033, projections indicate that the United States will dominate the CTI market, reaching almost $10 billion, constituting around 20% of the global CTI market.

In late 2023, Gartner predicted that the global Security and Risk Management spending in 2024 will outpace the spending in 2023 by at least 14%. The major areas of this spending were identified as Application Security, Cloud Security, Data Privacy, Data Security, Identity Access Management, Infrastructure Protection, Integrated Risk Management, Network Security Equipment, Security Services, and Consumer Security Software among others.

The above stats indicate that the global spending on risk management is one of the biggest concerns of the organizations. They are ready to spend on tools, technologies, and talent that will make their systems secure, protect their IP, and shield their assets from any cyberattacks.

The crucial question arises: Without awareness of vulnerabilities or looming threats, how can you defend against them? Attack Surface Intelligence enables organizations to confidently mitigate risk by enhancing asset visibility, prioritizing vulnerabilities for remediation, and enforcing security measures.

Understanding the Attack Surface

An attack surface encompasses all potential entry points, or attack vectors, through which a threat actor may breach a system, application, device, or network. A larger attack surface presents greater challenges in protection, as it exposes the system or organization to an increased number of threats.

The attack surface is typically divided into two categories: digital and physical. The digital attack surface comprises vulnerable software and hardware, while the physical attack surface includes physical facilities, data centers, and computer equipment.

Let’s decode the jargon, one-by-one.

Threat Actors

Threat actors refer to individuals or entities that pose a risk to the security of an organization’s assets, such as data, systems, or networks. These actors can have various motivations, including financial gain, political agendas, espionage, or simply causing disruption.

A hacker is a threat actor who infiltrates a company’s network to steal sensitive customer information, such as credit card details, for financial gain.An example of an insider threat, ould be a disgruntled employee leaking confidential company data to its competitors.

Overall, threat actors can range from individual hackers to organized cybercriminal groups, state-sponsored adversaries, or even insiders with malicious intent, all posing varying levels of risk to an organization’s cybersecurity posture.

Attack Vectors

Attack vectors are the methods or pathways through which cyber attackers gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, a system, an application, a device, or sometimes the entire network. These vectors exploit vulnerabilities in the target’s (such as a network, a system, or a database) security measures to compromise its integrity, confidentiality, or availability. A larger attack surface indicates the potential for more attack vectors to be exploited.

These vectors are utilized by threat actors for diverse objectives, including malware or ransomware dissemination. Organizations face numerous attack vectors, presenting potential security vulnerabilities. Yet, many remain undetected, leaving organizations susceptible to attacks. One common attack vector is phishing, where the attacker exploits human vulnerabilities, such as curiosity or urgency, to trick individuals into unwittingly compromising their security.

Digital Attack Surfaces

Digital attack surfaces refer to the virtual or digital components of an organization’s infrastructure that are susceptible to cyber threats. These surfaces encompass all the software, hardware, networks, and digital assets that could be targeted by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access, disrupt operations, or steal sensitive information.

A digital attack surface encompasses all software, hardware, and network components that are susceptible to cyberattacks. Key elements of a digital attack surface include:

1. APIs: Application Programming Interfaces or APIs facilitate communication between various software systems, potentially exposing sensitive information if not adequately secured.
2. Web applications: Websites and web-based services that process user inputs and interact with databases and other servers.
3. Endpoints: Devices connected to a network, such as laptops, smartphones, servers, and IoT devices, which attackers may exploit for unauthorized access or data theft.
4. Network infrastructure: Components such as routers, switches, and firewalls that manage communication between devices on a network. Maintaining secure configurations is imperative to prevent attacks from propagating across the entire network.

For example, consider a company that operates an e-commerce website. The digital attack surface for this organization would include the web servers hosting the site, the databases storing customer information, the payment processing systems, the network infrastructure connecting these components, and any third-party services or APIs integrated into the website. Each of these elements presents potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers, such as software vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or weak authentication mechanisms.

Physical Attack Surfaces

Physical attack surfaces refer to the tangible elements of an organization’s tangible infrastructure that could be targeted by threat actors to compromise security. These surfaces encompass physical assets such as buildings, data centers, server rooms, and hardware devices.

For example, consider a large corporate office building. Within this building, there are numerous physical attack surfaces that could be exploited by malicious actors. These include:

1. Access Points: Entry points such as doors, windows, and gates are potential vulnerabilities if not adequately secured. If the security measures such as keycards, biometric scanners, and surveillance cameras are not meticulously maintained, an intruder could exploit a vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to the building.
2. Server Rooms: Rooms housing critical IT infrastructure, servers, and networking equipment are prime targets for physical attacks. An attacker gaining access to the server room could tamper with or steal sensitive data, disrupt services, or install malicious hardware.
3. Data Centers: Facilities that store and manage an organization’s servers and networking equipment are critical assets requiring robust physical security measures. An example of a physical attack on a data center could involve unauthorized individuals gaining access to the facility and tampering with servers or stealing hardware.
4. Workstations and Devices: Employee workstations, laptops, mobile devices, and other hardware are potential targets for physical attacks. For instance, an attacker could gain physical access to an unattended workstation and extract sensitive information or install malware.
5. Infrastructure Components: Physical infrastructure components such as routers, switches, and networking cables are susceptible to tampering or sabotage. An attacker could compromise these components to intercept or manipulate network traffic, leading to data breaches or service disruptions.

To effectively safeguard an organization’s assets from cyber threats, it is essential to address both digital and physical attack surfaces through a comprehensive security strategy.

What Results in Exposed Attack Surface

Organizations may remain unaware of internet-facing assets or serious security issues due to various factors:

• Unused domains and subdomains that are a result of abandoned application development projects or marketing demonstration environments.
• Overlooked domains and assets acquired through business mergers or acquisitions.
• “Shadow IT” systems and cloud application subscriptions operational outside the organization’s security scope.
• Open ports and other such server misconfigurations can facilitate unauthorized access to internal networks.
• Internal IP addresses pointed to by externally exposed hostnames and self-signed certificates.
• Cloud hosting services without adequate, standardized, and compliant security controls.

It helps organizations identify the blind spots — that are otherwise open to exploitation by adversaries — and move the advantage back to their teams. Having access to a unified view of their external and internal infrastructure enables security teams to quickly map and resolve exposures while keeping pace with their ever-changing attack surface.

Attack Surface Analysis and Monitoring

Attack surface analysis entails the comprehensive mapping of all potential attack vectors within an organization. This process empowers organizations to pinpoint areas of risk and vulnerability, facilitating the minimization of as many attack vectors as possible.

Moreover, attack surface analysis aids organizations in identifying areas necessitating enhanced security testing for vulnerabilities and pinpointing high-risk zones for defense-in-depth strategies. Additionally, it allows for the assessment of how infrastructure changes may impact the attack surface.

There are two primary methods for conducting attack surface analysis — manual assessment with the assistance of penetration testers and security architects, and automated approaches utilizing specialized tools. Attack surface management software provides continuous monitoring of the infrastructure, detecting new and emerging vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.

Do I Need an Attack Surface Management Software?

Any organization handling sensitive data must diligently oversee and regulate its attack surface. Compliance with data security standards mandated by laws like GDPR, CCPA, and the SHIELD Act is essential.

The ability to swiftly remediate proves crucial in sectors handling significant volumes of confidential data, such as personally identifiable information (PII), trade secrets, intellectual property, and other sensitive information.

For example:

• Financial institutions must protect sensitive information, such as credit card numbers and bank account details. Due to a direct financial incentive involved, cybercriminals are always scanning financial entities for potential vulnerabilities to exploit.
• Government bodies hold in-depth PII on citizens, protected records, and other highly classified information. Threat actors with political motivations, such as ransomware ideologues, are likely to target government organizations in cyber attacks.
• The healthcare sector manages protected health information (PHI). This data is highly valued on the dark web, with cybercriminals purchasing it to commit identity theft and insurance fraud.

• Retail businesses collect and store customer data, including payment card information and personal details. With the rise in online shopping, these businesses are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals for financial gain.
• Manufacturing companies store proprietary information, such as product designs, manufacturing processes, and supply chain data. Competitors and threat actors may target these organizations to steal intellectual property or disrupt operations.
• Legal firms handle sensitive client information, including case files, contracts, and confidential communications. Protecting this information is crucial to maintaining client trust and confidentiality.
• Educational institutions store vast amounts of student data, including personally identifiable information (PII) and academic records. This data is valuable for identity theft and fraud.

Addressing Concerns of Attack Surface

Attack Surface Intelligence empowers organizations to fortify their cybersecurity defenses comprehensively. Through continuous monitoring, it offers real-time visibility into digital assets, including shadow IT, enabling proactive threat detection and response. Here are some major benefits it offers:

• As organizations grow, scalability in security strategies becomes crucial. Continuous security monitoring ensures adaptability to changes in the digital landscape, facilitating effective incident responses.
• Continuous asset discovery offers an automated approach to detecting various asset types, including known, unknown, third-party, and rogue assets, providing a holistic view of the attack surface.
• Real-time asset discovery enhances understanding of the evolving attack surface, enabling accurate securing of external perimeters.
• Continuous vulnerability discovery identifies weaknesses in applications and systems preemptively, allowing proactive remediation to strengthen the digital infrastructure.
• Attack surface management provides continuous surveillance of vulnerabilities, aiding in mapping, understanding, and analyzing the threat landscape for effective risk reduction.
• Visibility into the attack surface is essential for effective risk mitigation, as security strategies are meaningless without awareness of vulnerabilities.
• Shadow IT discovery helps in identifying previously unknown shadow IT and out-of-policy assets to mitigate potential risks.
• With proactive vulnerability scanning your team can accelerated their response time for incidents resulting in swift threat mitigation.
• In order to focus resources toward the most susceptible and vulnerable assets, you need to prioritize vulnerable assets.

With an Attack Surface Management (ASM) tool in place, you can know:

• what are the components of attack surface
• where the vulnerabilities and exposed endpoints are located
• how to safeguard your infrastructure, assets, and data from potential threats

Shielding Digital Attack Surface

A digital or network attack surface is composed of all software and hardware components connected to it and their vulnerabilities and security weaknesses. Here are key approaches to mitigate and the limit digital attack surface:

• Code Optimization: Minimize executed code to lower the likelihood of exploitable vulnerabilities, thus shrinking the attack surface.
• Microsegmentation: Divide the network into isolated units with distinct security policies, preventing lateral movement of threats and containing breaches effectively.

Securing Physical Attack Surface

The physical attack surface encompasses endpoint devices like desktops, laptops, USB ports, mobile devices, and hard drives. Threat actors with physical access can exploit these devices to breach digital attack surfaces via default security settings, unpatched software, or misconfigurations.

Internal threats, including rogue employees or those tricked by social engineering, and external threats such as break-ins, pose significant risks. Measures to mitigate the physical attack surface include:

• Access Control and Testing: Implement obstacles to prevent break-ins and fortify physical sites against accidents or attacks. Utilize fencing, access control cards, locks, fire suppression systems, and biometric access control.
• Surveillance and Notification: Deploy surveillance cameras and notification systems for real-time monitoring and alerts. Incorporate intrusion detection sensors, smoke detectors, and heat sensors.
• Disaster Recovery Planning: Establish and regularly test disaster recovery policies to ensure swift response and minimal disruption. These protocols enhance safety and reduce recovery times in the face of disruptive events.

Attack Surface Reduction and Management

Attack surface reduction (ASR) and management entail systematically minimizing the potential attack vectors within an organization’s digital ecosystem. This involves ongoing assessment and adaptation, recognizing that the attack surface is dynamic and demands continuous surveillance. With improved visibility, proactive measures can be implemented to mitigate risks and safeguard against persistent threats.

Attack Surface Reduction

Contemporary networks lack clear boundaries, with threats emanating from within and beyond. The attack surface now extends to wherever corporate data resides or traverses.

This modern attack surface, representative of corporate tech architecture, offers agility and facilitates remote operations. Yet, it concurrently amplifies complexity and expands the attack surface exponentially.

Attack Surface Management

Organizations can employ diverse tools to achieve continuous visibility into their attack surfaces, identify evolving attack vectors, and mitigate associated risks. Here’s a selection of tools facilitating this crucial visibility:

• Inventory Management: Facilitates the creation of a comprehensive repository of known systems, employing asset discovery to scan for all systems and inventory shadow IT assets.
• Vulnerability Management: Scans both external and internal systems for known vulnerabilities, aiding in prioritizing critical vulnerabilities for prompt remediation.
• External Risk Ratings: Empowers external parties to conduct ongoing assessments of an organization’s public-facing security posture, providing valuable insights for risk mitigation.
• Red Teaming and Penetration Testing: Expert teams offer insights into potential attack vectors, aiding in prioritizing measures to reduce the attack surface and enhance overall security posture.

A Professional Approach to Security

In today’s dynamic threat landscape, attack surface mapping forms the foundation of resilience. It’s imperative to possess precise insights into your digital assets, internet-exposed elements, and potential cyber attack vectors. Moreover, this solution offers additional advantages beyond mere identification.

1. Proactive security is fundamental for cybersecurity professionals to navigate the evolving threat landscape effectively.
2. Understanding your digital assets through attack surface mapping is crucial for resilience against cyber threats.
3. Continuous monitoring enables real-time protection, minimizing the risk of successful breaches.
4. Total visibility of the threat landscape empowers informed risk management decisions.
5. Adhering to compliance standards is vital to mitigate reputational and financial risks.
6. Prioritizing data protection can provide a competitive advantage and foster customer trust.
7. Timely alerts and prioritized remediation streamline security efforts for efficient resolution.
8. Informed security decisions are facilitated by insights into critical areas of vulnerability.
9. Scalable security strategies are essential to address emerging risks effectively.
10. Continuous threat intelligence ensures efficient vulnerability patching and proactive security

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is complete attack surface visibility vital for organizations?

Comprehensive attack surface visibility is vital as it empowers organizations to proactively detect vulnerabilities and weaknesses in their infrastructure. By understanding their digital footprint, organizations can prioritize security measures, allocate resources effectively, and mitigate risks associated with cyber attacks.

How does attack surface visibility improve threat detection and response?

Attack surface visibility equips CISOs with a holistic view of their organization’s digital assets and potential attack vectors. This enables them to detect and respond to threats more effectively by implementing necessary controls and safeguards before breaches occur.

What are the benefits of enhanced attack surface visibility?

Increased attack surface visibility offers several benefits, including enhanced threat detection and response, strengthened risk management, and compliance with regulatory requirements. It enables organizations to proactively safeguard their sensitive data, minimize the impact of breaches, and maintain a robust security posture.

What challenges might organizations encounter when implementing comprehensive attack surface visibility?

Implementing a new approach to enhance attack surface visibility may pose challenges such as complex infrastructure, resource constraints, and the requirement for specialized tools and expertise. However, these challenges can be addressed by adopting a strategic approach, leveraging appropriate technologies, and partnering with experienced cybersecurity professionals.

How frequently should organizations evaluate their attack surface visibility?

Regular assessments are vital to keep pace with the evolving threat landscape. It is advisable to conduct vulnerability assessments and continuous monitoring continuously. Additionally, organizations should periodically review and update their attack surface visibility strategies to adapt to new threats and changes in their infrastructure.