Post by account_disabled on Sept 12, 2023 19:39:57 GMT 8
One of the important yet often overlooked aspects of securing a cloud computing environment is attack surface management (ASM). For example, many cloud security training programs, including certifications for specific cloud providers, focus on specific tools and trends that are just a subset of cloud security, and instead pay little attention to ASM.
Moreover, due to the hiring Phone Number List shortage in the cloud security technology sector, it is no longer possible to be selective in selecting cloud security personnel. Attackers' skills are improving day by day, and they have.
Now reached the level of weaponizing artificial intelligence technology. This can create a perfect storm that can cause a company to collapse and its value to fall to the ground.
To conclude, companies must now recognize the importance of minimizing the attack surface, that is, the weak points that attackers can exploit. The starting point for this is implementing solid ASM procedures. With just a little knowledge, you can strengthen your cloud defenses and protect valuable corporate assets from threats.
Why Understanding Your Attack Surface Is Important
Because of the distributed nature and shared responsibility model of cloud computing, clouds present unique security challenges. For example, the attack surface of the cloud is broad, encompassing many different layers and components. This includes not only the cloud infrastructure itself, but also applications and APIs, virtual networks, the Internet of Things, devices, mobile access, user access control, and many more. Since each element represents a potential entry point for an attacker, it is necessary to proactively understand these entry points and how to minimize the risk.
ASM plays a pivotal role in cloud security because it allows companies to effectively find and fix vulnerabilities. The key concept is to respond in a proactive manner rather than a reactive, whack-a-mole approach. In other words, ASM should be built into the architecture rather than implemented after the fact as is often done. If there is a lesson to remember about security, it is that 'security must be systematic across all elements or it is ineffective.' Let’s look at three aspects of ASM that you need to consider now.
Visibility and discovery : Attack surface management provides a comprehensive view of the cloud environment, allowing enterprises to find potential security weaknesses and blind spots. ASM helps find unknown assets, unauthorized services, and unconfirmed configurations and provides a clearer picture of entry points for potential attackers. This is commonly referred to as security observability. It is about fully understanding the current situation. Through this, companies can obtain meaningful insights rather than sporadic meaningless data, i.e. noise.
Risk assessment and prioritization : By understanding the scope and impact of vulnerabilities, companies can assess and prioritize the risks associated with them. Attack surface management allows companies to efficiently allocate resources and focus on high-risk areas that would have significant repercussions if breached. For example, most people in IT departments talk about total security for all IT assets. However, in reality, the impact of a sales data leak is different from a leak of personally identifiable information in health data. Of course, which is more important depends on what industry you're in.
Remediation and incident response : When vulnerabilities are detected, ASM management provides the insight needed to quickly remediate them. It enables more efficient incident response by supporting actions such as patching, configuration updates, or isolating compromised resources. Incident response means that you have failed to prevent an attack, have been attacked, and now you must take steps to minimize damage and prevent further access. We spend so much time protecting ourselves against attacks that we often neglect planning what to do if we become a victim. Just look at the number of companies paying ransoms after receiving ransomware attacks to see why this plan should be given more attention.
How to improve ASM
I've seen a noticeable drop in people's interest when I talk about ASM or other security best practices and concepts. If you think about it, this is a story about a concept that is the foundation of not only cloud computing but all IT security, and something that has been taught in one form or another for decades.
But now its importance is much higher. Cloud computing is systemized in most newly created IT solutions, and therefore the impact of breaches is greater. Attackers also use more advanced attack tools, including cloud-based attack engines powered by advanced AI technology. As their offensive skills continue to improve, we must also improve our defensive capabilities.
Introducing ASM as an essential element of cloud security is no longer an option but a necessity. As cloud environments continue to evolve, companies that prioritize attack surface management and ensure robust defenses against constantly evolving threats will come out ahead. Security in the cloud is a shared responsibility, and effective attack surface management is a key element in maintaining a secure and resilient cloud infrastructure.
Moreover, due to the hiring Phone Number List shortage in the cloud security technology sector, it is no longer possible to be selective in selecting cloud security personnel. Attackers' skills are improving day by day, and they have.
Now reached the level of weaponizing artificial intelligence technology. This can create a perfect storm that can cause a company to collapse and its value to fall to the ground.
To conclude, companies must now recognize the importance of minimizing the attack surface, that is, the weak points that attackers can exploit. The starting point for this is implementing solid ASM procedures. With just a little knowledge, you can strengthen your cloud defenses and protect valuable corporate assets from threats.
Why Understanding Your Attack Surface Is Important
Because of the distributed nature and shared responsibility model of cloud computing, clouds present unique security challenges. For example, the attack surface of the cloud is broad, encompassing many different layers and components. This includes not only the cloud infrastructure itself, but also applications and APIs, virtual networks, the Internet of Things, devices, mobile access, user access control, and many more. Since each element represents a potential entry point for an attacker, it is necessary to proactively understand these entry points and how to minimize the risk.
ASM plays a pivotal role in cloud security because it allows companies to effectively find and fix vulnerabilities. The key concept is to respond in a proactive manner rather than a reactive, whack-a-mole approach. In other words, ASM should be built into the architecture rather than implemented after the fact as is often done. If there is a lesson to remember about security, it is that 'security must be systematic across all elements or it is ineffective.' Let’s look at three aspects of ASM that you need to consider now.
Visibility and discovery : Attack surface management provides a comprehensive view of the cloud environment, allowing enterprises to find potential security weaknesses and blind spots. ASM helps find unknown assets, unauthorized services, and unconfirmed configurations and provides a clearer picture of entry points for potential attackers. This is commonly referred to as security observability. It is about fully understanding the current situation. Through this, companies can obtain meaningful insights rather than sporadic meaningless data, i.e. noise.
Risk assessment and prioritization : By understanding the scope and impact of vulnerabilities, companies can assess and prioritize the risks associated with them. Attack surface management allows companies to efficiently allocate resources and focus on high-risk areas that would have significant repercussions if breached. For example, most people in IT departments talk about total security for all IT assets. However, in reality, the impact of a sales data leak is different from a leak of personally identifiable information in health data. Of course, which is more important depends on what industry you're in.
Remediation and incident response : When vulnerabilities are detected, ASM management provides the insight needed to quickly remediate them. It enables more efficient incident response by supporting actions such as patching, configuration updates, or isolating compromised resources. Incident response means that you have failed to prevent an attack, have been attacked, and now you must take steps to minimize damage and prevent further access. We spend so much time protecting ourselves against attacks that we often neglect planning what to do if we become a victim. Just look at the number of companies paying ransoms after receiving ransomware attacks to see why this plan should be given more attention.
How to improve ASM
I've seen a noticeable drop in people's interest when I talk about ASM or other security best practices and concepts. If you think about it, this is a story about a concept that is the foundation of not only cloud computing but all IT security, and something that has been taught in one form or another for decades.
But now its importance is much higher. Cloud computing is systemized in most newly created IT solutions, and therefore the impact of breaches is greater. Attackers also use more advanced attack tools, including cloud-based attack engines powered by advanced AI technology. As their offensive skills continue to improve, we must also improve our defensive capabilities.
Introducing ASM as an essential element of cloud security is no longer an option but a necessity. As cloud environments continue to evolve, companies that prioritize attack surface management and ensure robust defenses against constantly evolving threats will come out ahead. Security in the cloud is a shared responsibility, and effective attack surface management is a key element in maintaining a secure and resilient cloud infrastructure.