Cybersecurity Asset Management
Cybersecurity Asset Management (CSAM) is a comprehensive approach to identifying, classifying, prioritizing, securing, and managing all the assets that make up an organization's IT infrastructure. These assets can include hardware, software, data, and cloud services.
Here's a breakdown of key aspects of CSAM:
Visibility: Gaining a complete and accurate inventory of all assets, including those that may be unknown or unmanaged ("shadow IT").
Classification: Categorizing assets based on their type, criticality, and sensitivity.
Prioritization: Determining which assets are most important to the business and require the most substantial security controls.
Security: Implementing appropriate security measures to protect assets from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.
Management: Maintaining an up-to-date inventory of assets, tracking their lifecycle, and ensuring they are correctly configured and patched.
CSAM is a crucial component of an effective cybersecurity program as it provides the foundation for understanding and managing the organization's attack surface. Organizations can proactively address vulnerabilities and reduce the risk of cyberattacks by having a clear picture of all assets and their security posture.
ThreatNG can be a valuable solution for Cybersecurity Asset Management (CSAM) by providing crucial information about an organization's external assets and their associated risks. While ThreatNG focuses on external assets, its capabilities can complement and enhance a comprehensive CSAM program. Here's how ThreatNG aligns with CSAM needs:
ThreatNG's external discovery capabilities are essential for identifying and cataloging all internet-facing assets, including those that may not be known to the organization. This helps create a complete inventory of assets, which is the foundation of CSAM.
ThreatNG's external assessment provides valuable insights into the security posture of these assets. Here are some examples of how ThreatNG's assessments can help with CSAM:
Identifying Vulnerable Web Applications: ThreatNG's Web Application Hijack Susceptibility rating can identify weaknesses in web applications that attackers could exploit. This information can be used to prioritize patching and remediation efforts to protect critical web assets.
Detecting Subdomain Takeovers: ThreatNG's Subdomain Takeover Susceptibility rating can uncover subdomains vulnerable to takeover due to misconfigurations or lack of proper security measures. This allows organizations to reclaim or secure these subdomains before attackers use them maliciously.
Assessing Data Leak Risks: ThreatNG's Data Leak Susceptibility rating evaluates the likelihood of sensitive data being exposed through various channels, such as cloud misconfigurations or dark web leaks. This information can help organizations implement stronger data protection measures and prevent breaches.
ThreatNG's reporting capabilities clearly outline the organization's external asset inventory and associated risks. This information can inform security strategies, prioritize remediation efforts, and track progress.
ThreatNG's continuous monitoring ensures that the organization's external asset inventory and risk assessments are always up-to-date. This allows security teams to address new vulnerabilities and threats as they emerge proactively.
ThreatNG's investigation modules enable deep dives into specific areas of concern. Here are two examples of how these modules can help with CSAM:
Domain Intelligence: This module provides detailed information about an organization's domain, including DNS records, subdomains, and TLS certificates. This information can be used to identify potential vulnerabilities and misconfigurations that could expose assets to risk.
Cloud and SaaS Exposure: This module identifies cloud services and SaaS applications associated with the organization, helping to ensure that these assets are adequately secured and managed within the CSAM program.
ThreatNG's intelligence repositories provide valuable context and insights for understanding the threat landscape and assessing the risks to external assets. This information can be used to inform security policies and prioritize remediation efforts.
Working with Complementary Solutions
ThreatNG can integrate with other security solutions to provide a more comprehensive CSAM program. For example, ThreatNG can complement:
Vulnerability Scanners: By providing external context and threat intelligence, ThreatNG can help prioritize vulnerabilities identified by scanners and focus remediation efforts on the most critical risks.
Configuration Management Databases (CMDBs): ThreatNG can enrich CMDB data with information about external assets and associated risks, providing a more complete view of the organization's IT infrastructure.
Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) Tools: ThreatNG can complement CSPM tools by providing visibility into cloud assets and their security configurations from an external perspective.
Examples of ThreatNG Helping with CSAM
Discovering Unknown Assets: ThreatNG's external discovery could uncover a forgotten web server that is still accessible online. This allows the organization to assess the server's security posture and either secure it or decommission it to eliminate the risk.
Identifying Misconfigured Cloud Storage: ThreatNG's Cloud and SaaS Exposure module could identify a cloud storage bucket that is misconfigured and publicly accessible. This allows the organization to remediate the misconfiguration and protect sensitive data stored in the bucket.
Tracking Expired Certificates: ThreatNG's Domain Intelligence module could identify an expired TLS certificate, which puts the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks. This allows an organization to renew the certificate and ensure secure communication.
Examples of ThreatNG Working with Complementary Solutions for CSAM
Integrating with a CMDB: ThreatNG could identify a web server not listed in the organization's CMDB. This information can be used to update the CMDB and ensure the server is included in asset management processes.
Correlating with Vulnerability Scanner Findings: ThreatNG could identify a high-risk vulnerability in a web application that was also flagged by a vulnerability scanner. By combining the external context from ThreatNG with the technical details from the scanner, the organization can prioritize patching this vulnerability to mitigate the risk of exploitation.
Enhancing CSPM with External Context: ThreatNG could identify a cloud asset incorrectly configured according to security best practices. This information can be used to enhance CSPM findings and prioritize remediation efforts.
By providing valuable information about external assets and associated risks, ThreatNG can complement and enhance a comprehensive CSAM program, enabling organizations to effectively manage and secure their IT infrastructure.
