Cyber threat exposure management (CTEM) underpins a series of automated routines distributed over the enterprise’s infrastructure that assist in discovering and scrutinising any cyber security gaps. In contrast to traditional vulnerability evaluation that is scheduled annually, CTEM provides real-time threat intelligence.
Cyber threat exposure management solutions provide proactive cyber security when incorporated across a company’s technology landscape from on-premise IT assets, applications, databases to cloud networks. Proactive approach in the form of CTEM solutions improves an organisation’s security posture.
CTEM Components
A cyber threat exposure management (CTEM) framework applies certain components across an organisation’s infrastructure:
- Risk assessment – CTEM solutions offer risk assessment on potential vulnerabilities to determine impact levels. This includes identifying the types of assets at risk, asset financial sensitivity and the impact on remediation efforts. Moreover, calculating the impact of a successful breach and determining the long-term sustainability for the enterprise.
- Vulnerability management – CTEM uses vulnerability assessment and scanning tools to find common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs). These tools prove useful for spotting misconfigurations in networks and systems preventing exploitations. Making use of automated processes CTEM solutions run scans searching for vulnerabilities. Subsequently prioritising vulnerabilities by critical most.
- Security testing – CTEM frameworks may include penetration testing services and establishing red teams to simulate real-world attack circumstances. Due to this, organisations can stress test systems and response capabilities. Ultimately, the enterprise can validate the strength of their current cyber security solutions.
- Threat Intelligence – Real-time intelligence combined with knowledge of an organisation’s digital infrastructure, industry type and location help with comparing against similar companies to prioritise threats. The underlying principle makes possible for businesses to excel in their mitigation efforts.
CTEM Deployment Stages:
As an iterative process CTEM deployments involve continuous refinement. The stages to consider are:
- Scoping – At this stage establishing measured objectives to ensure the solution retains assiduous calibration. Thus, a requirement for the company to identify systems, applications and databases the solution will monitor. In addition, setting the appropriate boundaries from within the solution will work.
- Discovery – Using the defined scope, catalogue the digital assets. Despite, asset definition in the initial scope stage, this discovery stage plays a prominent part with identifying unknown or missed assets such as Shadow IT and Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions. Accordingly, a series of automation tools will scan and catalogue assets upon their detection.
- Prioritisation – Upon completion of asset cataloguing, CTEM solutions evaluate and prioritise the risks linked to each asset. For this process, CTEM solutions use risk assessment protocols and threat intelligence to outline the most critical risks.
- Validation – Validation process helps to remove false positives. As this process involves checking the validity of identified vulnerabilities to check their legitimacy and run a remediation process.
- Mobilisation – The final stage involves undertaking remedial actions identified against vulnerabilities. Depending on the work required, a coordinated effort across multi-disciplinary teams such IT Operations, security teams and stakeholders may be necessary.
While implementing CTEM assists teams and saves their time, it is equally as important for teams to establish strong communication channels. In doing so, these channels allow dissemination of information gathered on vulnerabilities, allowing the relevant teams to undertake their duties rapidly.
Implementation of cyber threat exposure management helps to reduce the cyber attack surface by adopting a proactive and continuous approach to risk management. Consequently, developing resilience and enhancing the company cyber posture.
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