BLOG: The Role of Threat Intelligence in External Attack Surface Discovery

Cyber attackers are becoming more sophisticated, leveraging new techniques to infiltrate organizations and compromise sensitive data. As businesses expand their online presence, understanding and securing the external attack surface has become critical. One powerful tool in this effort is threat intelligence. In this blog, we’ll explore the vital role threat intelligence plays in external attack surface discovery and how it can help safeguard your organization.

What is External Attack Surface Discovery?

The external attack surface refers to all the entry points through which a cyber attacker can gain unauthorized access to your network and data. This includes exposed web services, APIs, cloud services, mobile apps, and unsurprisingly, third-party vendor connections. The external attack surface discovery is the process of identifying and cataloguing these potential entry points to gauge a better understanding of where vulnerabilities may exist.

Why is External Attack Surface Discovery Important?

Understanding your external attack surface is crucial for several reasons:

• Visibility: Knowing where potential vulnerabilities lie helps you prioritize your defence efforts.
• Risk Management: By identifying and assessing risks, you can allocate resources more effectively.
• Compliance: Many regulatory frameworks require organizations to understand and manage their external attack surface.
• Proactive Defense: Identifying vulnerabilities before they can be exploited allows for proactive measures, reducing the risk of a successful attack.

How Threat Intelligence Enhances External Attack Surface Discovery

Identifying Unknown Assets
Threat intelligence provides a comprehensive view of your external attack surface by uncovering unknown assets. These could be forgotten subdomains, outdated web applications, or shadow IT resources deployed without proper oversight. By continuously monitoring and analyzing threat data, you can identify these assets and bring them under your security umbrella.

Monitoring for Emerging Threats
Threat intelligence continuously monitors the cyber threat landscape, providing insights into emerging threats that could target your organization. By staying informed about the latest tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by cybercriminals, you can adapt your security measures to address these evolving risks.

Prioritizing Vulnerabilities
Not all vulnerabilities pose the same level of risk. Threat intelligence helps prioritize vulnerabilities based on real-world exploitability and potential impact. This allows you to focus on addressing the most critical threats first, optimizing your security efforts and reducing the likelihood of a successful attack.

Enhancing Incident Response
In the event of a security incident, threat intelligence provides context and insights that can significantly enhance your incident response efforts. By understanding the tactics and motivations of attackers, you can respond more effectively, minimizing damage and reducing recovery time.

The Path Forward
Incorporating threat intelligence into your external attack surface discovery process is a necessity. As cyber threats continue to evolve, businesses must leverage every tool at their disposal to stay one step ahead. By harnessing the power of threat intelligence, you can gain a clearer understanding of your external attack surface, prioritize your security efforts, and build a robust defence against cyber threats.

Ready to Secure Your Organization?
Discover how our cutting-edge cyber risk ratings and threat intelligence solutions can help you identify, assess, and mitigate risks to your external attack surface. Secure your external attack surface with our advanced threat intelligence solutions.

Contact us today to learn more and schedule a demo with a member of the Orpheus team. By integrating threat intelligence into your external attack surface discovery process, you can proactively defend your organization against the ever-changing landscape of cyber threats. Don’t wait until it’s too late—take action to protect your organisation and its valuable assets.