In today’s digital world, every business, whatever its size or sector of activity, faces a multitude of security threats. One of the main concerns must be the company’s attackable surface, i.e. all the points where an attacker could potentially enter or extract data from the system.
What is a company’s attack surface?
The attack surface represents all the potential entry points that cybercriminals can exploit to carry out attacks. It includes all aspects of computer systems, networks, software and connected devices that are exposed and susceptible to attack. The wider the attack surface, the more opportunities there are for cyber attackers to find and exploit vulnerabilities.
Components of the Attack Surface
Applications and Software
Web applications, mobile devices and other online services are prime targets for cyber attackers. Common attacks include SQL injections, cross-site scripting (XSS), denial-of-service attacks (DDoS), data theft and the exploitation of excessive permissions.
Enterprise software systems such as ERP, CRM and other critical applications used internally manage sensitive information and essential processes. Vulnerabilities in these systems can also lead to data leaks, operational interruptions and financial losses.
Network infrastructure
Servers host data and applications, making them attractive targets for cyber attackers. These can include the exploitation of software vulnerabilities, unauthorised access and DDoS attacks.
Routers and switches control data traffic within your network. Incorrect configuration or unpatched vulnerabilities can allow attackers to intercept, redirect or manipulate traffic.
IoT (Internet of Things): Connected objects, such as industrial sensors and intelligent devices, present specific risks due to their often insecure nature.
Users
Employees have access to the company’s internal systems and may unwittingly introduce risks, for example by clicking on phishing links or using weak passwords. Partners and suppliers can also be a security risk.
APIs, databases, backups and data transfer can all be entry points to monitor. Generally speaking, there are a multitude of entry points that are unknown to you. That’s why you need to analyse this attack surface and understand the associated risks.
The risks of the attack surface
Attacks on your digital exhibition space can have devastating consequences. Here are some of the risks associated with these intrusions:
Financial losses
Attacks can result in direct financial losses. For example, the average cost of a data breach in 2021 was $4.24 million, an all-time high. This is due to business interruption, theft of financial data, and costs associated with remediation of the attack including ransoms etc.
Damage to reputation
A successful attack can cause significant damage to your reputation. It can lead to a loss of trust from customers, partners and the public, which can have a long-term impact on business. For example, after a data breach, 41% of consumers say they would not do business with a company again.
Data breach
Attacks can result in the breach of sensitive data, including customers’ personal information, financial details, and trade secrets. This can lead to lawsuits, fines, and other legal consequences. In 2021, there was a 17% increase in data breaches compared to 2020.
Non-compliance: If you are subject to specific security regulations, a successful attack can result in non-compliance, which can lead to fines and other penalties. Fines for non-compliance with the GDPR can be up to 4% of global annual turnover.
The solution: attack surface managers
Robust tools are essential to protect your digital assets. Fortunately, there are some innovative solutions available to help secure your attack surface, including attack surface management (ASM) software as a service (SaaS).
ASM solutions offer a variety of capabilities to help organisations discover, analyse and manage their attack surface. They use advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to provide complete visibility into an organisation’s attack surface and help identify and mitigate risks. In addition, they offer intuitive dashboards and detailed reports that enable security teams to quickly understand their security posture and make informed decisions.
How does an ASM work?
An ASM works in several stages to help organisations discover, analyse and manage their attack surface.
Dynamic mapping
Firstly, ASM dynamically maps the organisation’s true attack surface and its digital supply chain. This means that it identifies all of the organisation’s digital assets that are exposed to the Internet, including those that may be hidden or forgotten. This dynamic mapping enables the ASM to maintain an up-to-date picture of the organisation’s attack surface, even as new assets are added or existing assets are modified.
Identifying risks
The ASM then automatically identifies the riskiest connections and applies active protection to prevent attacks before they occur. This may involve using artificial intelligence techniques to analyse data and identify vulnerabilities. ASM can also use machine learning techniques to learn from past attacks and predict future attacks.
Assessment of attack paths
ASM also assesses attack paths that pose an immediate risk of attack to the organisation’s IT infrastructure. This can include assessing assets from the digital supply chain that the organisation does not own or control. By understanding how an attacker could potentially gain access to its systems, an organisation can take steps to block these attack paths.
Understanding the impact radius
Finally, ASM enables the impact radius and operational impact to be understood in terms of the interconnectivity and dependencies of each asset. This means it can help an organisation understand not only which assets are at risk, but also how an attack on a particular asset could affect the rest of the organisation.
Conclusion
To minimise the risk of cyber attacks, a proactive approach involves identifying and effectively securing your potential entry points into systems and networks. By rigorously managing the attack surface, you can detect intrusion attempts early, thereby limiting potential damage and protecting critical assets.
With solutions like ASM, you can now protect against attacks across your entire attackable surface and secure your digital assets.
Effective attack surface management helps you comply with data security regulations such as the RGPD, as well as simplifying NIS2 and DORA governance regulations, by putting in place appropriate security measures to protect sensitive systems and data.
Our teams remain at your disposal for any further information.