A major part of cybersecurity is protecting sensitive information.
Some worst-case scenarios for organizations after hacking are receiving a ransom note or having leaked data that can allow deeper access to threat actors within an organization.
And it all starts with having a vulnerability that can be exploited by hackers.
Attack surfaces can change in minutes with novel hacking techniques, updates, and the use of the network. Any of these shifts can leave a major gap in the security of a company.
To guard their data, IT teams have to continually strengthen and improve security in order to prevent unauthorized access or already leaked passwords from compromising the organization.
To secure their systems and data, companies have been using Extended Security Posture Management.
How Does Extended Security Posture Management Function?
Extended Security Posture Management (XSPM) operates in four phases:
- Scanning/discovery
- Testing of the system and security
- Analysis of possible threats
- Mitigation of high-risk threats and vulnerabilities
For complete management, these steps are repeated all the time.
1. Scanning of the Attack Surface
In the scanning phase, Extended Security Posture Management scans the attack surface for any data that has already been exposed to the public.
To discover data that is available online, it utilizes a function similar to the tool Attack Surface Management (ASM).
The scanning can reveal already leaked corporate intelligence or sensitive information such as customers’ Social Security Numbers or employee passwords.
That kind of information is valuable to threat actors, and it might already be leaked on hacking forums, the dark web, or data dumps.
2. Testing With Simulated Attacks
For testing the people, system, security, and protocols set for the company, XSPM uses the tools known as Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS).
It attacks the surface like a hacker would – by searching for any vulnerabilities that could be exploited.
This function indicates whether a system could handle an attack without the company actually being breached.
The result is that it indicates which vulnerabilities are in the system and need patching up before they escalate into an incident.
3. Analysis of the Documentation
Considering that the attack surface is continually tested and scanned, it can be compared with its previous state as well as cross-examined for any signs of breach due to new methods.
Documentation following the testing is not analyzed manually. IT teams get a generated report that highlights high-risk flaws.
As a result, IT teams aren’t overwhelmed with multiple alerts but know where to focus their attention first.
4. Mitigating and Patching Up Flaws
Any high-risk vulnerabilities that have been found have to be removed from the system.
For some of these threats, you might already have the tools that are specialized for removing them – such as malware. Others might need novel patches that have been released by companies.
IT teams use the top to bottom approach when strengthening security. They start with the high-risk threats and progress towards less severe weaknesses.
Discovering Possible Vulnerabilities and Threats Early
A successful cyberattack can cost the company millions. For instance, if we compare the average costs of cyberattacks:
- Malware-caused attack is $1.4 million
- Distributed Denial of Service Attack (DDoS) is $1.1 million
- An unauthorized breach is estimated at $1.2 million
The cost of a cyberattack increases the longer hackers are in the system without being discovered.
In data protection, this means that threat actors have more time to monitor the users within the network, collect data, or even alter information they find.
Considering that XSPM is automated and runs 24/7 to alert the teams of any high-risk issue sit detect in the system, companies have a chance of discovering the threat on time.
Comprehensive Testing of the Security, Systems, and People
The system is tested against both new and known hacking techniques. Vulnerabilities it covers include OWASP’s Top 10 and the techniques depicted in the MITRE ATT&CK Framework.
For every company, the list of the assets that have to be protected is going to be different. Therefore, their system will have unique flaws and weak spots that could be exploited by hackers.
For example, companies that utilize the cloud are likely to deal with cloud misconfigurations while businesses that rely on different technology might have other potential weaknesses.
Some cyberattack strategies specifically target businesses, such as email phishing and malware. To combat them, businesses already have the tools that can detect and remove them from the network – such as firewalls and anti-malware.
Companies also must be protected from zero-day exploits – new hacking methods for which IT teams don’t have patches or tools to fix them. They’re dubbed zero-day because it indicates how much time you have to fix the issue.
MITRE Framework is useful here because this library is constantly updated with the descriptions of the latest attacks and vulnerabilities. What’s more, it offers solutions on how to remedy the issue if the IT team recognizes it within the system.
Not Letting Cyber Criminals Near Data
Extended Security Posture Management keeps information safe by helping IT teams to discover any disruptions within the systems or gaps in the security early.
Since it’s a combination of security tools that have been designed to scan surfaces for leaked data and test the security organization already has, XSPM currently offers one of the most comprehensive overviews of security posture.
Also, it’s automated and runs in the background at all times to warn the teams early of any possible high-risk flaws that need patching up or signs of breached systems.
This software is cybersecurity in a nutshell. It’s all about discovering weaknesses that could threaten the organization and mitigating them early with the concept of accepting that attack surface changes all the time.
And the final result is that hackers don’t get the time to exploit the critical weaknesses and get to the data because your IT team has discovered and removed them first.
