In an era where cybersecurity is paramount, organizations often find themselves overwhelmed by the increasing number of vulnerabilities and threats that their IT infrastructures are exposed to. The traditional approach of focusing on patching and risk reduction is no longer sufficient to safeguard against the evolving threat landscape. Gartner’s latest research paper, “Continuous Threat Exposure Management,” highlights the need for a modern and holistic approach to threat exposure management, emphasizing the importance of aligning cybersecurity efforts with business goals.
The Challenge
Patching every vulnerability is an impossible task for most organizations. Despite their best efforts, many still struggle to determine which vulnerabilities deserve the highest priority. This is where “Continuous Threat Exposure Management” (CTEM) comes into play, offering a proactive and sustainable approach to exposure reduction. CTEM helps organizations bridge the gap between cybersecurity and business needs, putting a stronger focus on key assets and processes that are most critical to defending against cyber threats and business disruptions.
Key Takeaways from Gartner’s Research
Gartner’s research paper provides valuable recommendations for IT leaders and security professionals to enhance their cybersecurity strategies1:
- Diversify Threat Exposure Management: Move beyond software-centric assessment tools to evaluate attack surfaces and likelihood of attack success. This approach provides a more comprehensive view of vulnerabilities.
- Experiment with Exposure Management Cycles: Start by aligning assessment scopes with emerging threat vectors and high-impact business projects. This ensures that the most critical vulnerabilities are addressed first.
- Embrace Comprehensive Security Optimization: Transition from fully automated technical remediations to broader security optimization initiatives that involve cross-functional teams. This approach promotes collaboration and efficiency in the remediation process.
The Modernization Imperative
Enterprise attack surfaces are expanding rapidly, encompassing both patchable and unpatchable exposures. Modernizing assessment tools is crucial to staying ahead of cyber threats. These tools should not only identify vulnerabilities but also prioritize them based on their real-world impact. The key is to assess vulnerabilities from an attacker’s perspective and evaluate the effectiveness of existing security defenses.
CTEM’s Impact on the Cybersecurity Landscape
CTEM is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape by converging cybersecurity validation and exposure assessment platforms. It promotes innovation by transforming remediation workflows and fostering cross-team and cross-time-horizon planning. Our interactions with our Clients have highlighted the need for better collaboration and skill-sharing among teams, beyond immediate time horizons. This marks a shift towards a business-led approach to risk reduction.
The Profile of Continuous Threat Exposure Management
CTEM is a comprehensive approach that continuously refines cybersecurity optimization priorities. It focuses on designing actionable security exposure remediation plans that are understandable to business executives and actionable by architecture teams. A CTEM cycle comprises five stages: scoping, discovery, prioritization, validation, and mobilization. This approach expands traditional cybersecurity assessments by aligning exposure assessment with business projects and threat vectors. It also validates exposure and remediation priorities from an attacker’s viewpoint.
Why CTEM is Important?
Security vulnerabilities are a leading cause of cybersecurity incidents. Despite efforts to patch vulnerabilities, organizations continue to face exposure to unpatchable issues. CTEM is driving technology disruptions in the assessment market, with startups offering tools that support various stages of the CTEM framework. These tools address attack surface management, security posture management, and cybersecurity validation, enabling a more comprehensive and efficient approach to exposure management.
Implications and Actions
As organizations embark on their journey towards better exposure management, they are reevaluating their assessment methods and tool investments. The concept of cybersecurity validation is gaining traction, promoting automation and pragmatic outcomes for more effective decision-making. With the rise of cloud technologies, organizations face the challenge of managing cloud assets consistently. To address this, they can:
- Add a validation step to existing assessments. Expand their exposure management efforts to cover a broader range of security weaknesses.
- Establish repeatable cycles for exposure scopes, starting with a single attack surface or a new application initiative.
In conclusion, Gartner’s research on Continuous Threat Exposure Management underscores the need for a proactive and comprehensive approach to cybersecurity. By aligning exposure management with business priorities and adopting a holistic view of vulnerabilities, organizations can enhance their security posture and better protect against emerging threats.
For organizations looking to implement CTEM, InterVision offers a range of solutions, including continuous Penetration Testing as a Service powered by RedSPy365, to help strengthen their cybersecurity strategies and protect against evolving threats.
