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What Is Attack Surface Management? The Ultimate Guide

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Attack surface management – what is it?

Attack surface management is a security practice that aims to reduce the attack surface of a system, meaning the sum of the potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by an attacker. By reducing the attack surface, the system becomes more secure. There are several ways to do it. For example, organizations can remove unnecessary features and put security controls in place to limit access to the system.

Why is it important?

Are you wondering what makes attack surface management important? Here are the key factors that make it vital:

  • An ever-growing attack surface – as organizations rely more and more on technology, their attack surface grows. This is especially true for companies that are moving to the cloud or adopting new technologies such as IoT.
  • Increased complexity – the more complex a system is, the more difficult it’s to secure, as attackers have various opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities.
  • A need for speed – in today’s fast-paced business world, organizations need to be able to rapidly deploy new applications and services. However, this need for speed can often lead to security risks if the attack surface is not properly managed.

What are the benefits?

There are many benefits of attack surface management, including:

  • Reduced risk – by reducing the attack surface, organizations can decrease the likelihood of a successful attack.
  • Improved security posture – a proactive approach to security can help organizations identify and reduce their exposure to cyber threats.
  • Greater efficiency – attack surface management can help organizations reduce the number of security controls they need to manage, which can lead to greater efficiency.

How to do it right? The step-by-step guide

Now that you know what attack surface management is and why it’s important, you may be wondering how to do it right. Here is a step-by-step guide:

  • Understand your system by analyzing the components of the system and how they interact with each other.
  • Identify potential risks and vulnerabilities that could be exploited by an attacker.
  • Reduce the attack surface by removing unnecessary features, putting security controls in place, or both.
  • Monitor and assess the system on an ongoing basis to assess the effectiveness of the deployed security controls.

The takeaway

Attack surface management is a security practice that helps organizations identify and reduce their exposure to cyber threats. By securing sensitive data, organizations make it more difficult for attackers to find and exploit any vulnerabilities. 

Attack surface management is an essential part of any organization’s security posture, so if you haven’t heard about it before, it’s time to think about implementing relevant solutions at your organization.