From CAASM to Risk Managament

Managing the attack surface starts with knowing the attack surface. But what happens next? Once you have your inventory of every piece of technology that makes up your attack surface, it is time to go work with the data you have gathered to strengthen your security posture by assessing the risks and vulnerabilities threatening your network.

CAASM: From Inventory to Attack Surface Management

Cyber asset attack surface management or CAASM gives your IT and security teams the visibility they need to limit your network’s exposure to outside threats. In order to manage your attack surface you first need to know all digital assets that make up that attack surface. This includes every single piece of hardware, software, applications, network devices, servers, databases, and other network resources that can be found in your technology estate.

Once you have that inventory, you can go to work managing them properly. Vulnerability assessment tools can help you locate security vulnerabilities and weak spots like outdated software, misconfigurations, default credentials, and other common security issues. Based on these insights you can make an informed assessment of the risk and exposure level of each asset. That way you can more efficiently prioritize your security efforts, develop mitigation strategies, and allocate resources accordingly.

One particular problem to keep an eye on in your attack surface is the older technology assets that have reached their end-of-life date. As manufacturers will no longer release any security updates or patches for these assets, they become an ever more dangerous security risk. Any vulnerabilities that pop up will no longer be patched, leaving your network open to attacks. In order to keep your attack surface secure, these assets need to be retired and replaced immediately.

Lansweeper for Risk Assessment

Thanks to an unrivaled combination of agentless, agent-based, and credential-free discovery, Lansweeper offers the most comprehensive IT data inventory out there. This makes it uniquely positioned for CAASM. The Risk Insights feature combines this asset data with vulnerability data drawn from the  VulnCheck, VulDB, CISA, and MS databases to provide you with a list of all vulnerable assets in your network.

Each entry shows the affected asset and the vulnerabilities threatening it, as well as additional information, like a full description of the vulnerability, the CVSS score, patch availability, and additional resources. This allows you to quickly assess which issues are the greatest threat to your network and prioritize your remediation efforts.

Where it is available, Lansweeper also shows you your hardware End-of-Life and End-of-Support dates, as well as the status of your operating system or firmware. Keeping track of this lifecycle information allows you to retire or replace obsolete assets before they become a security risk, plan future purchases, and make sure that your systems are fully supported.

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Managing an Ever-Changing Attack Surface

CAASM doesn’t end with a one-time assessment. It is an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring and improvement. Your attack surface is constantly changing with assets being added or removed and new vulnerabilities popping up. It is vital that you remain proactive in analyzing your attack surface for changes, adapting to emerging threats, and keeping your security up to date.

Most CAASM solutions like Lansweeper include reporting capabilities and dashboards to help you stay on top of the goings-on in your network. These will not only the insights you need into your security posture, but they also allow you to demonstrate your compliance status and due diligence in case of an audit or to meet regulatory compliance standards.

Secure Your Attack Surface

From inventory, to risk assessment to compliance, CAASM provides the visibility that IT and security teams need to safeguard your network from vulnerabilities and cyberattacks. It is not a one-time task of making an inventory of your technology assets, but an ongoing responsibility to stay on top of changes in your technology estate and the threat landscape around it.

With the right tools, like Lansweeper, you can streamline your vulnerability assessments, prioritize security efforts, and ensure your digital assets remain secure and compliant. By proactively and continuously adapting to the ever-changing IT landscape, you can effectively reduce your attack surface and protect your organization from any cybersecurity threats.