Resources: Cyber Exposure Management Whitepaper
The world is changing fast, and so is cyber exposure management. Companies are investing more money in cybersecurity than ever before, but they are also reporting more threats. We’ve seen a range of notable hacks and cybercrimes over the last few years, including government-sanctioned attacks on valuable IT infrastructure, such as the attacks on SolarWinds and Colonial Pipeline. Despite the rapid rise in potential risk, many companies struggle to implement a robust cybersecurity risk management system. Learn how to manage cyber exposure in today’s increasingly unpredictable world.
How Cyber Exposure Management Has Evolved
The nature of work has changed over the last few years. Many companies now offer remote work options to their employees, which increases their reliance on digital assets and web applications developed by third parties, many of which contain sensitive personal information. This increases their exposure to potential vulnerabilities. Remote workers may also struggle to identify potential risks when communicating with these programs, making them susceptible to ransomware and malware.
Budgetary cuts and diverging operational interests can further complicate matters, leaving companies without the resources they need to manage the security of these assets. An alarmingly large number of companies struggle to identify the full scope of their exposure. They may fail to include assets connected to the internet in the security audit.
Companies used to rely on penetration testing when identifying potential vulnerabilities, but this has become an outdated approach. Today, most organizations use vulnerability management tools to identify and prioritize potential threats automatically. They rely on data collected from publicly available databases, such as the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), which keeps track of known vulnerabilities across a wide range of platforms and open-source code.
Cyber Exposure Data Management: Best Practices
Developing and executing a successful cyber exposure management program can be difficult, especially if the company is dealing with a lack of funds or resources. Technology can help companies make the most of their existing resources by prioritizing threats based on risk level.
Consider implementing the following into your risk management plan:
Use More Than One Vulnerability Risk Management
Many vulnerability prioritization tools do little to account for false positives. They may also fail to detect vulnerabilities from the dark web. That’s why it’s best to use more than one scanning tool. You can then compare the results for a more comprehensive analysis.
Integrate Data into a Single Interface
Using more than one scanning tool can also create an overwhelming amount of data or duplicate. Regardless of how many scanning tools your company is using, you should be able to integrate this data into a single interface, so your team can quickly account for all potential threats that need to be addressed. These programs should also automatically prioritize vulnerabilities based on their risk to your organization to help you prioritize your remediation efforts. Some scanning tools may miscategorize certain vulnerabilities as high or low risk, so it’s important to have more than one perspective.
Improving Company Workflows
Vulnerability management programs are only effective if your company has the proper personnel in place to respond to the report. The program will include information on how to remediate the vulnerability. The security team or manager should be notified in real time so the issue can be addressed as soon as possible. Using a ticketed system can help you keep track of each vulnerability.
Your security team should also collaborate and communicate with other aspects of your organization. These groups can work together when setting and tracking various business objectives.
Companies are facing more cyber exposure than ever. Download the full Cyber Exposure Management Report from NopSec to learn more about threat and exposure management.
