CMDB Enrichment
CMDB Enrichment in cybersecurity refers to enhancing a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) with additional contextual information to improve its value for security operations. A CMDB typically stores information about IT assets, configurations, and relationships, but it might not be sufficient for effective cybersecurity in its raw form. Enrichment involves adding security-relevant data, such as vulnerability scan results, threat intelligence, and real-time asset status, to create a more comprehensive and actionable security view.
Importance of External/Internet-Facing Environment in CMDB Enrichment
The external/internet-facing environment of an organization is particularly critical in CMDB enrichment for several reasons:
Increased Attack Surface: This environment is constantly exposed to potential threats and attacks from the internet, making it a prime target for exploitation. The CMDB must accurately reflect the assets and vulnerabilities in this environment to prioritize security efforts.
Dynamic Changes: The external environment is subject to frequent changes due to updates, configuration modifications, or adding new services. The CMDB must be continuously updated to keep up with these changes and remain relevant for security assessments.
Visibility Challenges: Assets exposed to the internet might be harder to discover and track than internal assets. Enrichment with data from external vulnerability scans and threat intelligence sources can help uncover hidden risks and blind spots.
Compliance Requirements: Many regulatory frameworks require organizations to understand their external-facing assets and security posture clearly. A well-enriched CMDB can help demonstrate compliance by providing evidence of asset inventory, vulnerability management, and risk mitigation efforts.
CMDB enrichment transforms a basic asset inventory into a powerful security tool by incorporating contextual information. The external/internet-facing environment is crucial in this process because it represents the most exposed and dynamic part of an organization's IT infrastructure. By focusing on enriching the CMDB with data relevant to this environment, security teams can gain better visibility, prioritize vulnerabilities, and respond more effectively to potential threats.
How ThreatNG Helps CMDB Enrichment
Enhanced Asset Discovery: ThreatNG's advanced discovery capabilities scan the entire external attack surface, uncovering not just known assets but also shadow IT, forgotten subdomains, and third-party connections. It enriches your CMDB with a more complete picture of your digital footprint.
Risk Assessment: ThreatNG's continuous monitoring and risk scoring provide updates on the security posture of each discovered asset. It enables your CMDB to reflect current vulnerabilities and dynamically prioritize remediation efforts.
Contextual Enrichment: ThreatNG's intelligence repositories, such as dark web monitoring and breach data, provide valuable context to assets in your CMDB. It helps you understand the potential consequences of vulnerabilities and the likelihood of exploitation.
Collaboration with Complementary Solutions
Vulnerability Management: ThreatNG's findings can be directly integrated into your vulnerability management solution, triggering automated scans and patching workflows for newly discovered assets and vulnerabilities.
SIEM & SOAR: ThreatNG's intelligence feeds can be fed into your SIEM to correlate external threats with internal events and into your SOAR platform to automate incident response actions.
Threat Intelligence Platforms: ThreatNG's dark web and breach data can augment your threat intelligence platforms, providing an external perspective on emerging threats and their potential impact on your organization.
Investigation Module Examples
Domain Intelligence: Uncover shadow IT, track certificate expirations, and detect exposed APIs or development environments. This data can be used to update your CMDB with accurate asset information and flag high-risk vulnerabilities.
Cloud and SaaS Exposure: Discover unsanctioned cloud services, exposed data buckets, and misconfigured SaaS applications. Use this data to update your CMDB and ensure proper security controls for cloud and SaaS assets.
Dark Web Presence: Monitor for leaked credentials, mentions of your organization in ransomware discussions, and potential data breaches. It can help identify compromised assets, trigger incident response procedures, and update your CMDB with relevant threat intelligence.
Example: Newly Acquired Subsidiary
Let's say your company acquires a subsidiary. ThreatNG can:
Discover: Uncover all external assets associated with the subsidiary, including domains, subdomains, cloud services, and social media accounts.
Assess: Analyze the discovered assets for vulnerabilities, such as misconfigurations, outdated software, and exposed sensitive data.
Enrich: Update your CMDB with the discovered assets, associated vulnerabilities, and relevant threat intelligence from the dark web and breach repositories.
Collaborate: Integrate findings with your vulnerability management system to prioritize remediation and your SIEM to correlate external threats with potential internal activity.
ThreatNG's powerful discovery, assessment, and intelligence capabilities, combined with its extensive investigation modules, make it a valuable asset for CMDB enrichment and a vital component of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. By continuously monitoring your external attack surface and enriching your CMDB with real-time data and context, you can proactively manage risk, prioritize remediation efforts, and strengthen your defenses against cyber threats.
