Interconnected Risk

In cybersecurity, Interconnected Risk refers to the phenomenon where vulnerabilities or incidents in one system, organization, or entity can cascade and impact others due to the complex interdependencies within the digital ecosystem. It's the recognition that security risks are not isolated incidents but can spread like wildfire due to the interconnected nature of modern technology and business relationships.

Think of it like a domino effect: one domino falling can trigger a chain reaction, bringing down others in its path. Similarly, a security breach at a third-party vendor can compromise your organization's data, or a widely used software component vulnerability can expose numerous organizations to attacks.

Key Factors Contributing to Interconnected Risk:

• Increased reliance on third-party vendors: Businesses rely heavily on external entities for various services, from cloud computing and software development to data storage and payment processing. A security lapse at any of these vendors can impact the organization.

• Supply chain complexities: Modern supply chains are intricate networks involving multiple tiers of suppliers and partners. A compromise at any point in the chain can have ripple effects throughout the entire ecosystem.

• Cloud computing and shared infrastructure: Cloud services and shared infrastructure create interdependencies between organizations. A security incident in one part of the cloud can affect others sharing the same resources.

• Software dependencies: Software often relies on numerous libraries, frameworks, and APIs. A vulnerability in these dependencies can create widespread vulnerabilities across different applications and systems.

• Internet of Things (IoT): The proliferation of interconnected IoT devices expands the attack surface and creates new avenues for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities and cause disruptions.

Examples of Interconnected Risk:

• NotPetya ransomware attack: This attack initially targeted Ukrainian businesses but quickly spread globally through interconnected networks, causing billions of dollars in damage worldwide.

• SolarWinds supply chain attack: Attackers compromised a software update from SolarWinds, a widely used IT management platform, to gain access to numerous organizations, including government agencies.

• Cloud provider outages: An outage at a primary cloud provider can disrupt services for numerous businesses that rely on their infrastructure.

Managing Interconnected Risk:

• Ecosystem Risk Visibility: Gaining a comprehensive view of your digital ecosystem, including all interconnections and dependencies.

• Supply Chain Security Assessments: Regularly assess the security posture of your vendors and partners.

• Strong Security Controls: Implementing robust security measures across your organization, including access controls, network segmentation, and data encryption.

• Incident Response Planning: Developing and testing incident response plans considering the potential for interconnected impacts.

• Collaboration and Information Sharing: Working with partners and industry peers to share threat intelligence and best practices.

By understanding and managing interconnected risks, organizations can strengthen their cybersecurity posture and build resilience against cascading threats in today's interconnected digital world.

ThreatNG's comprehensive suite of features is well-suited to address the challenges of interconnected risk in cybersecurity. Here's how it helps, along with examples of how its modules and intelligence repositories can be used:

How ThreatNG helps manage Interconnected Risk:

• Extensive Ecosystem Mapping: ThreatNG's discovery capabilities go beyond your immediate perimeter to map your entire digital ecosystem. This includes identifying your third-party vendors, subcontractors, and interconnected cloud services. This comprehensive view helps you understand the complex web of interdependencies and potential points of risk propagation.

• Deep Risk Assessments: ThreatNG doesn't just identify connections; it assesses the security posture of each entity within your ecosystem. Analyzing web applications, code repositories, cloud configurations, and even social media presence provides a granular view of vulnerabilities that could contribute to interconnected risk.

• Continuous Monitoring: ThreatNG continuously monitors your ecosystem for changes in security posture, new vulnerabilities, and emerging threats. This proactive approach helps you avoid potential risks and react quickly to incidents that could trigger a chain reaction.

• Intelligence Repositories: ThreatNG leverages a vast network of intelligence sources, including dark web data, compromised credentials, and ransomware events. This helps you identify potential threats targeting your ecosystem and proactively mitigate them before they spread.

• Collaboration and Reporting: ThreatNG facilitates collaboration among your security team, IT department, and vendors through role-based access controls and detailed reporting. This ensures that everyone is informed and involved in managing interconnected risks.

Examples of how ThreatNG's modules and intelligence repositories can be used:

• Domain Intelligence & Technology Stack: By analyzing the domain intelligence and technology stack of your vendors and their subcontractors, ThreatNG can identify potential risks associated with outdated software, insecure configurations, or shared infrastructure. This helps you understand how a vulnerability in one entity could impact others.

• Sensitive Code Exposure & Dark Web Presence: If ThreatNG discovers sensitive code exposure from a vendor's code repository, it can cross-reference this with its dark web intelligence to determine if the exposed code has been exploited or sold on underground forums. This highlights a critical risk that could potentially spread to other interconnected entities.

• Cloud and SaaS Exposure & SEC Form 8-Ks: By analyzing a vendor's cloud and SaaS exposure alongside their SEC Form 8-Ks, ThreatNG can identify potential risks related to financial instability, data breaches, or legal issues that could impact their ability to maintain a secure environment. This helps you assess the potential for cascading failures if a critical vendor experiences a security incident.

Complementary Solutions and Integrations:

• Threat Intelligence Platforms (TIPs): Integrate ThreatNG with TIPs to enrich your threat intelligence data and gain deeper insights into the threat landscape, including emerging threats that could exploit interconnected vulnerabilities.

• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): Integrate ThreatNG with your SIEM to correlate external threat intelligence with internal security events, enabling faster detection and response to incidents that could spread across your ecosystem.

• Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) Platforms: Integrate ThreatNG with your TPRM platform to centralize vendor risk management activities, automate assessments, and track remediation efforts across your entire ecosystem.

Key takeaway:

ThreatNG offers a powerful solution for managing interconnected risks in cybersecurity. Providing comprehensive visibility, deep risk assessments, continuous monitoring, and actionable intelligence enables organizations to understand and mitigate the potential for cascading failures in their digital ecosystem.