The modern threat landscape presents serious challenges to businesses struggling to build their security programs.
While these businesses modernize IT and security programs, the attack surface is proliferating. Security leaders must realize that perimeter defenses no longer cope with the expanded attack surface, leaving gaps in security programs. Only by implementing a new systemic approach can security scale up at a similar pace to ever-growing threats.
For cybersecurity, visibility is critical: security teams must be aware of all risks before they can find a way to reduce them. However, visibility requires a defined strategy and a programmatic approach. That approach should include continuous threat exposure management (CTEM).
What is Continuous Threat Exposure Management?
Gartner defines CTEM as a set of processes and capabilities that enable enterprises to continually evaluate the accessibility, exposure and exploitability of their digital and physical assets.
In short, CTEM is the center that informs governance, risk and compliance (GRC) mandates. Using CTEM, you can build mature, strategic security controls with detection and response capabilities that are always aligned with the business’s risk appetite.
Figure 1: Continuous Threat Exposure Management (Source: IBM)
The Five Stages of a CTEM Program
A CTEM program is governed by five cyclic stages, where every outcome then repeats the iteration.
Figure 2: Continuous Exposure Management Process Stages (Source: IBM)
1. Scoping
As with any other security program, scoping is the first step. Security teams need to align with different stakeholders on business requirements as well as ultimate impact.
Scoping must address the enterprise’s entire attack surface, both internal and external. Security teams should look beyond vulnerability management programs and consider factors such as external attack surface, digital r ..
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