Attack Vector Analysis
Attack vector analysis is a cybersecurity process that involves identifying and analyzing how an attacker can breach a system or network. It focuses on understanding the different paths and methods attackers might use to exploit vulnerabilities and gain unauthorized access.
Here's a breakdown of what it entails:
Identifying Potential Attack Vectors: This involves cataloging all the possible entry points and methods an attacker could use. Examples include:
Exploiting software vulnerabilities
Phishing emails
Malicious websites
Compromised hardware
Social engineering
Analyzing Vulnerabilities: Once the attack vectors are identified, the vulnerabilities that make them exploitable are analyzed.
Assessing Risk: Each attack vector is evaluated for its likelihood of being exploited and the potential impact of a successful attack.
Prioritizing Mitigation: Based on the risk assessment, mitigation strategies are prioritized to address the most critical attack vectors first.
Here's how ThreatNG can aid in attack vector analysis:
ThreatNG's external discovery is fundamental to attack vector analysis. By performing unauthenticated discovery, it maps out all the externally accessible points of an organization that an attacker could use to gain entry, including websites, applications, servers, and other assets.
ThreatNG's external assessment capabilities directly contribute to identifying and analyzing various attack vectors:
Web Application Hijack Susceptibility: This assessment identifies vulnerabilities in web applications, a common attack vector that attackers could exploit to gain control.
Subdomain Takeover Susceptibility: This assessment reveals the risk of attackers taking over subdomains, which can then be used as a platform for further attacks.
BEC & Phishing Susceptibility: This assessment helps the organization understand its vulnerability to business email compromise and phishing attacks, which are significant attack vectors.
Cyber Risk Exposure: This assessment considers factors like exposed ports, vulnerabilities, and misconfigurations, all representing potential attack vectors.
Mobile App Exposure: This assessment identifies vulnerabilities and exposed credentials within mobile apps, which can be used as an attack vector.
Search Engine Attack Surface: This feature helps identify information exposed by search engines, which attackers can use to gather intelligence and plan attacks.
3. Reporting
ThreatNG's reporting provides a structured way to view and analyze potential attack vectors. Reports can highlight the most critical vulnerabilities and exposures, allowing security teams to prioritize their efforts. For example, a report on "Cyber Risk Exposure" can detail all the exposed ports and services that represent attack vectors.
Attack vectors can change frequently. ThreatNG's continuous monitoring ensures that new potential attack vectors are identified promptly, allowing for timely mitigation.
ThreatNG's investigation modules provide detailed information for analyzing attack vectors:
Domain Intelligence: This module provides insights into DNS records, subdomains, and other domain-related information, helping to identify potential weaknesses in the organization's online presence.
IP Intelligence: This module provides information about IP addresses and related details, which can be used to trace the origin of attacks or identify potentially malicious infrastructure.
Sensitive Code Exposure: This module is crucial for identifying exposed credentials and other sensitive information in code repositories, which can be a significant attack vector.
Mobile Application Discovery: This module helps discover mobile apps and identify vulnerabilities and exposed credentials.
Search Engine Exploitation: This module provides tools to analyze how search engines can gather information about an organization, aiding in identifying potential attack vectors.
Cloud and SaaS Exposure: This module helps identify vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in cloud services and SaaS applications.
ThreatNG's intelligence repositories provide valuable context for attack vector analysis:
Dark Web Presence: Information on compromised credentials and ransomware events can help assess the risk associated with specific attack vectors.
7. Working with Complementary Solutions
While the document does not explicitly detail integrations, ThreatNG's capabilities would be enhanced by working with other security solutions:
Vulnerability Management Tools: ThreatNG's external attack vector analysis can complement internal vulnerability scans to provide a more complete picture.
SIEM Systems: ThreatNG's findings can be integrated into SIEM systems to correlate external attack vectors with internal security events.
Threat Intelligence Platforms: ThreatNG's data can be enriched with threat intelligence better to understand the likelihood and impact of different attack vectors.
ThreatNG provides a comprehensive platform for attack vector analysis by combining external discovery, assessment, reporting, continuous monitoring, and detailed investigation modules with relevant intelligence repositories.
