You ensure that all windows are closed before leaving your house. Double-check the kitchen to make sure the oven and stove are turned off. Perhaps circle back once more to confirm that the front door is securely closed. These automatic safety checks offer peace of mind because they prevent the unlikely but potentially dangerous consequences of forgetfulness – such as break-ins, fires, or other mishaps.
Just like your physical home, your external-facing IT infrastructure requires the same level of meticulous attention. External Attack Surface Management (EASM) and Digital Risk Protection (DRP) tools automate these safety checks, providing assurance for your digital “home” and preventing costly incidents.
Why is it essential to care for your external-facing IT infrastructure?
Similar to securing your home before leaving, your internet-exposed assets need consistent safety measures. Consider the following analogy:
- Locking doors = securing exposed assets to ensure only authorized access points are open.
- Turning off the oven = de-provisioning unused assets and orphaned services that can expand your attack surface and consume resources.
Unlike your physical home, your organization’s attack surface can span multiple providers, regions, and teams, making manual verification nearly impossible. EASM solutions continuously map your internet-facing assets, identifying forgotten resources that may pose security risks.
Identifying hidden assets that pose security risks
Development teams create test servers, DevOps engineers set up temporary endpoints, and shadow IT practices spread across departments. Without automated discovery, these assets remain invisible until exploited by attackers. EASM tools help identify these hidden assets, ensuring comprehensive monitoring of your vulnerabilities and attack surface.
Consider a scenario where a developer creates a staging environment with production data but forgets to deactivate it after project completion. EASM tools use automated reconnaissance to detect such orphaned assets before they become security incidents.
Addressing threats beyond your firewall
While EASM focuses on asset discovery, DRP monitors external threats that may target your organization, whether on social media or the dark web. By scanning external channels like social media sites and underground forums, DRP platforms provide alerts when threats are detected.
External threats can escalate rapidly, such as internal leaks of sensitive data or hackers selling access to your systems. Early detection tools serve as a warning system for your organization’s reputation and cybersecurity posture. DRP platforms help detect cybercriminal activities targeting your company, allowing for immediate responses to mitigate risks.
Establishing a security routine for peace of mind
Develop operational habits around EASM and DRP, similar to checking your home before leaving. Set up regular scan summaries to highlight newly discovered assets and potential risks. This systematic approach allows you to review high-risk items, approve legitimate resources, and mitigate unnecessary risks.
Automated alerts and customizable workflows prioritize critical issues, reducing false positives and enhancing threat sensitivity. By integrating insights into existing cybersecurity tech stacks and change management workflows, you ensure continuous monitoring and risk mitigation.
Monitoring security improvements and metrics
Quantify security improvements through easy-to-manage dashboards and customized reports. Track metrics like asset discovery, time to detect orphaned services, and time to remediate vulnerabilities to demonstrate program effectiveness and identify areas for enhancement.
Automated alerts and filtering mechanisms streamline risk assessment, enabling prompt responses to genuine threats. EASM and DRP tools offer continuous visibility and risk management across your digital footprint, ensuring proactive security measures.
Enhancing security with Attack Surface Management
Automate essential safety checks for your digital environment with EASM and DRP tools to prevent security incidents and safeguard your organization. Consider solutions like Outpost24’s CompassDRP, which combines EASM capabilities with comprehensive Digital Risk Protection and Threat Intelligence for proactive risk management.
Initiate continuous external attack surface and digital risk management today by exploring CompassDRP’s capabilities through a demo.
