For a business to grow, especially in the modern day, it has to conform to the norm, which means having tech elements of the sort as well. Said tech and cyber elements, be they an organization’s devices, personal networks, or another internet presence, are always vulnerable to bad actors, which necessitates the use of measures like attack surface management. So, what is attack surface management according to ImmuniWeb?
Well, it is a protective system that organizations use to manage weak points in their systems and it comes in various forms to handle various risks. Let’s look in detail at the ASM types, look at what they are and analyze their specializations.
Basics of the system
Now, the above definition of ASM refers to the protection of cyber assets of an organization, but what it fails to talk about is what the issues are. The attack surface is the space in which all the potential weak points lie, and these, which come from an organization’s digital assets, are vulnerable to all sorts of things.
These weak points, which are typically referred to as vectors, come in a myriad of forms which include:
- Vendors along the supply chain through which unauthorized access can be gained
- Internal weaknesses as a result of bad actors
- Emails received from malicious entities that could be subject to phishing and be a source of malware
- Social engineering which uses various avenues to influence the minds of many
- Website or application weaknesses which include faulty authentication processes
- Cloud configuration issues through which further infiltration can occur
Why it matters: solutions and strategies
The more tech advances and is adopted by organizations, the more prominent the issues will become, and these will require specialized attention. For this reason, if someone were to ask what attack surface management is, they expect more than a definition.
Rather, they would like to see accompanying solutions. These come in a few different forms, which we’ll discuss, but for the most part. They follow a similar pattern of operation which is as follows:
- They first monitor all the organization’s systems in search of potential weaknesses through the use of scans and similar technology
- Then, they assess these weaknesses to see whether or not they are a priority, depending on the organization’s resources and those that proceed to the next stage
- Finally, remediation occurs in a process that sees the issues appropriately dealt with through measures such as firewalls and software patching and the like
The variants
The next step when answering the “What is management of attack surface?” question is laying out the ASM types in existence. These fall under a few categories, four to be precise and they are:
For both structure types
Internal or inner asset management is a type that simply centers around the threats that lie within an organization’s framework. The internal threats referenced in the first list very much fall under the umbrella of threats dealt with here and others include all organization’s devices and infrastructure.
External or outer asset management, on the other hand, centers around the organization’s outward-facing assets. Here, the internet, which has well over 5 billion users, is the most obvious of these, as through it, the organization can expand and put out content through websites and applications.
Unfortunately, the billions of users also include bad actors who could gain access through it. The external management can, therefore, detect a host of things, which include vulnerable servers, dark web leaks and cloud issues.
For material open to input
The open-source management variant seeks to remedy everything related to the aptly named approach. The basics are that here, all open-source elements, which include fireworks and libraries, are sifted through in search of any weaknesses and potential shifts that may occur and widen the opportunity for attackers to act.
For all digital possessions
Then, there is cyber management which purely seeks to remedy the digital aspects of an operation. Funny enough, they blend the digital assets of both the inner and outer structures to form something all-encompassing. As such, every internal IT element or external endpoint is ideally covered, with any gap detected and moved towards mitigation.
Managing vulnerabilities
The above types and just ASM in the broader sense, are such a great tool to have, especially for larger operations currently undergoing expansion in the digital realm. With their aid companies have an easier time dealing with the various points of vulnerability within their reach.
This, for expanding companies, can be especially challenging considering how the bad actors interested in their assets also seek to expand and evolve. With good ASM, regardless of type, organizations of all sizes can achieve this and, in doing so, efficiently keep their assets safe.
Roles of ASM
When we start discussing the role, it is crucial to outline that companies have to identify and categorize all assets within an organization’s attack surface. This comprises external and internal assets, cloud resources and Internet of Things devices.
Accurate identification is essential for determining the breadth of potential vulnerabilities and safeguarding all avenues of entry for attackers Within the assessment role, companies can evaluate the security posture of specified assets. This includes vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and risk analysis.
Regular evaluations aid in detecting vulnerabilities and opportunities for improvement, ensuring that security measures are both effective and up to date. Monitoring involves regularly tracking the security status of assets. This involves keeping track of changes, suspicious activity, and possible breaches.
Final thoughts
When the question “What is attack surface management?”is asked, the hope for the uninitiated is that they not only get a definition but answers that could help them in their security endeavors. The above piece provides exactly that, going deeper as it also reveals the ASM types. These are quite important because, through them, specific problems are addressed and eventually sorted.
The key in this situation is that regardless of ASM type, the goal always remains the same among them. Said goals will always be to monitor, prioritize and mitigate every risk and thus create an overall safer digital environment.
