Every digital system has places where attackers can try to get in. These places are called entry points, and they make up what is known as an organization's attack surface.
As businesses grow and adopt more technology—like cloud services, mobile devices, and remote access—the number of these entry points increases. This makes it more difficult to keep track of everything that could be exposed to cyber threats.
Attack surface management is the practice of finding and reducing these risks before they can be used by attackers. It is an important part of how organizations protect their systems, data, and users in a connected world.
Attack surface management (ASM) refers to the ongoing process of identifying, analyzing, prioritizing, and securing all the places where an organization might be vulnerable to cyber attacks. It involves keeping track of all digital assets that could be at risk, including websites, applications, cloud services, and devices.
The attack surface includes everything that could be targeted by hackers—both known systems that IT teams manage and unknown assets like forgotten servers or unauthorized cloud accounts. These unknown assets are often called "shadow IT" because they exist outside official IT oversight.
Unlike traditional security approaches that focus mainly on protecting networks or fixing known vulnerabilities, ASM takes a broader view. It considers all possible entry points, regardless of where they are located or who manages them.
For example, a company might have:
Each of these represents part of the attack surface that needs to be managed and protected.
ASM is not a one-time activity but a continuous cycle. As organizations add new technology, change configurations, or connect with new partners, their attack surface changes too. This means security teams need to constantly discover, assess, and monitor assets to maintain protection.
Modern enterprises use more digital systems than ever before. Each new cloud service, mobile device, or remote access point expands the number of places where attacks might occur.
Without proper attack surface management, organizations can lose track of what they have connected to their networks. This creates blind spots where vulnerabilities can go unnoticed until they're exploited by attackers.
The risks of an unmanaged attack surface include data breaches, service disruptions, and compliance violations. For example, a forgotten test server with outdated software might provide an easy entry point for attackers to access more sensitive systems.
This table shows how ASM changes an organization's security posture:
| Aspect | External Attack Surface | Internal Attack Surface |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | Visible from the internet | Only visible after gaining access |
| Initial Protection | Firewalls, WAFs, gateways | Network segmentation, access controls |
| Discovery Methods | External scanning, DNS analysis | Network scanning, asset inventory |
| Common Risks | Public-facing vulnerabilities | Lateral movement, privilege escalation |
An attack surface includes all the different ways an attacker might try to enter or extract data from a system. Think of it as all the doors, windows, and other openings in your digital environment that someone could potentially use to get in.
The attack surface of an organization typically includes:
As organizations adopt new technologies and ways of working, their attack surface naturally grows. For example:
An organization's attack surface has both external and internal components, each with different characteristics and security challenges.
The external attack surface includes everything that's visible or accessible from the internet. These are the assets that attackers can find and target without first gaining access to internal systems. Examples include:
The internal attack surface consists of systems that are only accessible from within the organization's network. While these aren't directly exposed to the internet, they can be targeted once an attacker has gained initial access. Internal assets include:
| Aspect | External Attack Surface | Internal Attack Surface |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | Visible from the internet | Only visible after gaining access |
| Initial Protection | Firewalls, WAFs, gateways | Network segmentation, access controls |
| Discovery Methods | External scanning, DNS analysis | Network scanning, asset inventory |
| Common Risks | Public-facing vulnerabilities | Lateral movement, privilege escalation |
A complete view of the attack surface includes more than just digital systems. It also encompasses physical security and human factors.
The physical attack surface includes:
The digital attack surface covers all technology systems:
The social engineering attack surface involves people and processes:
All three components interact with each other. For example, a phishing email (social) might lead to malware installation (digital), which could then allow an attacker to access a secure facility (physical).
Attack surface management works as an ongoing cycle rather than a one-time project. This continuous approach is necessary because new assets are constantly being added, configurations change, and new vulnerabilities emerge.
The ASM process typically includes these key steps:
Let's explore the most important parts of this process.
The first step in attack surface management is finding all the assets that make up your digital environment. This includes both known systems that IT teams manage and unknown or "shadow" assets that might have been created without proper oversight.
Asset discovery uses various techniques to identify everything connected to or associated with an organization:
Once assets are discovered, they need to be classified based on:
This classification helps security teams understand what they're protecting and prioritize their efforts accordingly.
After identifying assets, the next step is to assess their security posture and prioritize risks. Not all vulnerabilities are equally important—some pose much greater risks than others.
Risk assessment looks at several factors:
These factors help determine which issues to address first. For example, a vulnerable server that's internet-accessible and contains customer data would be a higher priority than an internal test system with no sensitive information.
This prioritization is crucial because most organizations don't have enough resources to fix everything at once. By focusing on the highest-risk issues first, security teams can make the most effective use of their time and budget.
Once assets are discovered and initial risks are addressed, ongoing monitoring becomes essential. The attack surface changes constantly as new assets are added, configurations are modified, and new vulnerabilities are discovered.
Continuous monitoring includes:
This ongoing visibility helps security teams stay ahead of potential threats instead of reacting after problems occur.
Effective monitoring also includes measuring progress over time with metrics like:
These measurements help organizations track their security improvements and identify areas that need more attention.
Every digital system has places where attackers can try to get in. These places are called entry points, and they make up what is known as an organization's attack surface.
As businesses grow and adopt more technology—like cloud services, mobile devices, and remote access—the number of these entry points increases. This makes it more difficult to keep track of everything that could be exposed to cyber threats.
Attack surface management is the practice of finding and reducing these risks before they can be used by attackers. It is an important part of how organizations protect their systems, data, and users in a connected world.
Organizations face several challenges when implementing attack surface management:
These challenges make it difficult to maintain a complete and current view of the attack surface. However, they can be addressed through a combination of technology, processes, and organizational alignment.
For example, automated discovery tools can help find assets across complex environments, while integration between security systems can provide a more unified view. Clear policies for cloud usage and third-party connections can also help manage the expanding attack surface.
Organizations can use several strategies to better manage their attack surface and reduce security risks.
Clear security policies help establish standards for how assets should be configured and protected. These policies might include:
Automated enforcement of these policies helps ensure they're consistently applied across the environment. For example, cloud security tools can automatically detect and remediate misconfigured resources, while endpoint management systems can ensure devices maintain secure settings.
Dedicated attack surface management platforms provide capabilities specifically designed to discover, assess, and monitor the full range of assets in modern environments. These tools typically offer:
Regular testing helps validate that security controls are working effectively and identify weaknesses that might not be visible through other means.
Common testing approaches include:
These tests provide valuable feedback on the effectiveness of attack surface management efforts and help identify areas for improvement.
By combining clear policies, specialized tools, and regular testing, organizations can develop a more comprehensive approach to managing their attack surface and reducing security risks.
Attack surface management works best when it's integrated with other security functions rather than operating in isolation. This integration helps ensure that discoveries from ASM inform other security activities and vice versa.
Key integration points include:
By connecting these different security functions, organizations can develop a more cohesive approach to protecting their environment.
The most effective approach is to start with basic discovery and gradually expand to more advanced capabilities. For example, an organization might begin by identifying all their internet-facing assets, then move on to cloud resources, and eventually incorporate third-party risk management.
ManageEngine Endpoint Central is an Endpoint security solution which offers capabilities that support attack surface management, including asset discovery, vulnerability assessment, and patch management. These features help organizations identify and secure endpoints that might otherwise create security blind spots.