Extended Attack Surface
The External Attack Surface of an organization is the collection of all its digital assets and resources that are exposed to the internet and, therefore, accessible to potential attackers. It represents the sum of all the points where an unauthorized user could attempt to gain access to or extract data from the organization's systems.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Digital Assets: This includes websites, web applications, email servers, domain name servers (DNS), cloud storage, APIs, and other systems that communicate with the outside world.
Accessibility: The key aspect is that these assets are reachable from the internet. This means an attacker doesn't need to be inside the organization's network to interact with them.
Entry Points: The external attack surface provides various entry points that attackers might exploit to compromise the organization's systems. These entry points include web application vulnerabilities, server misconfigurations, or exposed services.
Risk: A larger external attack surface generally increases the organization's risk, as attackers have more potential entry points. Therefore, organizations must carefully manage and reduce their external attack surface.
Here's how ThreatNG helps manage an organization’s external attack surface:
External Discovery: Mapping the Attack Surface
ThreatNG's strength lies in its ability to perform external, unauthenticated discovery. This process is crucial for identifying all assets exposed to the internet, which form the external attack surface. Operating without connectors accurately reflects an attacker's view, ensuring that no shadow IT or forgotten assets remain hidden.
External Assessment: Pinpointing Vulnerabilities
ThreatNG doesn't just list assets; it assesses them for vulnerabilities, providing in-depth insights into weaknesses within the external attack surface:
Web Application Hijack Susceptibility: ThreatNG analyzes web applications to identify potential entry points for attackers. For example, it can detect outdated software, missing security headers, or exposed admin panels, expanding the attack surface.
Subdomain Takeover Susceptibility: ThreatNG assesses the risk of attackers taking control of subdomains. Exposed subdomains with expired certificates are a prime example of an attack surface vulnerability that ThreatNG can detect.
BEC & Phishing Susceptibility: By assessing factors like domain permutations and email security presence, ThreatNG helps identify attack surface weaknesses related to email-based attacks.
Brand Damage Susceptibility: ThreatNG considers how the external attack surface can be exploited to damage an organization's brand. For instance, the availability of lookalike domains increases the attack surface for brand impersonation.
Data Leak Susceptibility: ThreatNG identifies potential sources of data leaks within the external attack surface, such as exposed cloud storage.
Cyber Risk Exposure: ThreatNG evaluates the overall cyber risk associated with the external attack surface, considering factors like vulnerable ports and code secret exposure.
Supply Chain & Third-Party Exposure: ThreatNG assesses how third-party vendors and technologies contribute to the external attack surface.
Breach & Ransomware Susceptibility: ThreatNG analyzes the external attack surface to determine the likelihood of breaches and ransomware attacks. Exposed remote access services, for example, increase the attack surface.
Mobile App Exposure: ThreatNG evaluates the security of an organization's mobile apps, identifying potential vulnerabilities that expand the attack surface.
Positive Security Indicators: ThreatNG also identifies security strengths, which helps refine understanding the effective external attack surface. For example, a web application firewall (WAF) reduces the surface of exploitable attacks.
Reporting: Prioritizing Remediation
ThreatNG's reporting capabilities translate complex technical findings into actionable insights, enabling security teams to prioritize the most critical attack surface vulnerabilities for remediation.
Continuous Monitoring: Staying Ahead of Change
The external attack surface is dynamic. ThreatNG's continuous monitoring ensures that organizations remain aware of any changes that could introduce new vulnerabilities.
Investigation Modules: Deep Dive into Vulnerabilities
ThreatNG's investigation modules provide detailed information about specific aspects of the external attack surface:
Domain Intelligence: This module offers a comprehensive view of an organization's domain infrastructure, helping to identify and analyze attack surface components like subdomains and DNS records.
Sensitive Code Exposure: This module discovers exposed code repositories, a critical attack surface vector.
Mobile Application Discovery: This module allows security teams to investigate mobile apps, another essential part of the external attack surface.
Search Engine Exploitation: This module helps identify attack surface vulnerabilities that can be exploited through search engines.
Cloud and SaaS Exposure: This module provides visibility into the external attack surface's cloud and SaaS components.
Dark Web Presence: This module monitors mentions of the organization on the dark web, providing insights into potential threats targeting the external attack surface.
Intelligence Repositories: Contextual Awareness
ThreatNG's intelligence repositories provide valuable context for understanding attack surface risks. For example, information on known vulnerabilities helps prioritize remediation efforts.
Working with Complementary Solutions: A Layered Approach
ThreatNG's external attack surface focus complements other security tools:
Vulnerability Management: ThreatNG's external vulnerability assessments enhance internal scanning, providing a complete view of the attack surface.
SIEM: Integrating ThreatNG's findings into a SIEM platform can improve threat detection and response by providing external attack surface context.
ThreatNG empowers organizations to comprehensively understand their external attack surface, identify vulnerabilities, and proactively reduce risk.
