Top 10 Best Practices for Attack Surface Reduction

Vulnerabilities are everywhere and often exploited. For example, in 2023, over 29,000 critical and high vulnerabilities were discovered across approximately 1,400 applications.

The dynamic and evolving attack surfaces make it harder to protect against these threats. When the attack surface gets bigger, so does the risk of cyber attacks.

This blog delves into what an attack surface is and recommends best practices in attack surface reduction.

What is an Attack Surface?

The attack surface refers to all the potential points of vulnerability within a system, network, or application that attackers could exploit to gain unauthorized access, extract data, or disrupt operations.

It encompasses various components, including software, hardware, network protocols, configurations, and human factors, that could serve as entry points for cyber attacks.

Examples of elements that contribute to the attack surface include open ports, unpatched software, weak passwords, misconfigured services, and user errors.

Essentially, the attack surface represents the total of all possible avenues through which an attacker could breach the security defenses of a target system or organization.

What is an Attack Vector?

An attack vector is a specific method or pathway used by attackers to exploit vulnerabilities within the attack surface of a system, network, or application.

Attack vectors enable attackers to carry out their malicious activities and gain unauthorized access, extract sensitive information, or disrupt operations.

Attack vectors can vary widely in complexity and sophistication, ranging from simple tactics like phishing emails to more advanced techniques like zero-day exploits.

Here are some examples of attack vectors related to the attack surface:

• Phishing Emails: Attackers send deceptive emails that appear to be from legitimate sources, enticing recipients to click on malicious links or download infected attachments.
• Exploiting Software Vulnerabilities: Attackers exploit known vulnerabilities in software applications or operating systems to gain unauthorized access to a system. This could involve leveraging exploits or malware specifically designed to target weaknesses in the software’s code or configurations.
• Brute Force Attacks: Attackers attempt to gain access to a system by systematically trying different combinations of usernames and passwords until they find the correct credentials. Weak or default passwords are particularly vulnerable to brute-force attacks.
• Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks: Attackers intercept and manipulate communications between two parties, allowing them to eavesdrop on sensitive information or alter the data being transmitted. MitM attacks can occur over insecure networks or through compromised devices.
• SQL Injection: Attackers inject malicious SQL code into input fields of web applications, exploiting vulnerabilities in the underlying database to retrieve or manipulate sensitive data. Check out the effective strategies to prevent SQLi attacks, here.
• Social Engineering: Attackers manipulate human behavior through psychological tactics to deceive individuals into revealing confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.
• Supply Chain Attacks: Attackers target third-party vendors or suppliers associated with the target organization, compromising the software or hardware provided by these entities to infiltrate the target’s network.
• DDoS Attacks: Attackers leverage a network of compromised devices, which could include computers, IoT devices, or servers, to orchestrate the attack. These devices, often infected with malware, form a botnet under the control of the attacker. Explore more about the best practices to prevent DDoS attacks.

Benefits of Attack Surface Reduction

By reducing the attack surface, organizations can effectively lower their risk exposure and mitigate the potential impact of cyberattacks. This proactive approach offers several benefits:

• Minimized Risk Exposure: Reducing potential entry points lowers vulnerability to cyber threats.
• Enhanced Defense: Strengthening security measures and controls fortifies the organization’s cybersecurity posture.
• Optimized Resource Allocation: Focusing resources on critical assets maximizes their protection and efficiency.

Attack Surface Management in 3 Simple Steps

1. Automated Discovery of Assets

Gartner predicts that by 2026, 20% of companies will have achieved over 95% visibility of all their assets, underlining its significance.

Start by figuring out what parts of your organization are accessible to potential attackers. Conduct external asset discovery across diverse environments, both on-premises and in the cloud.

Continuously monitor and attribute public-facing assets such as IPs, domains, certificates, and services in real-time to maintain a dynamic inventory crucial for effective security posture.

Get more insights on how to find hidden external assets with Asset Discovery.

2. Vulnerability Management

After identifying assets, shift focus to assessing vulnerabilities. Utilize automated vulnerability scanning tools to conduct a comprehensive analysis. These tools employ various techniques, including security checks for common vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and insecure direct object references (IDOR).

Additionally, analyze source code and configuration files for potential security flaws such as hardcoded credentials or improper access control settings.

Conduct controlled penetration tests to simulate real-world attack scenarios and identify potential security weaknesses that may not be detected by automated scanning tools.

3. Risk Assessment and Prioritization

Move beyond identifying assets and vulnerabilities; prioritize risks for stronger protection.

Not all vulnerabilities are equal. Some could cause serious damage if exploited, while others might be less of a threat.

However, relying solely on CVSS scores for risk prioritization without considering the business context can contribute to vulnerability fatigue.

Statistics reveal that 85% of CISOs recognize their teams suffering from alert fatigue, underscoring the challenges of managing security alerts effectively.

So, is CVSS still the best approach for vulnerability prioritization? The answer lies in adopting a risk-based metrics approach that considers both the likelihood of exploitation and the potential impact on the organization.

Assess each one based on how likely it is to be exploited and how much damage it could do. Focus on fixing the most dangerous problems first to make the most of your resources.

Learn more about how AcuRisQ can help to find vulnerabilities that pose the highest risk to your organization, here.

Top 10 Attack Surface Reduction Best Practices

1. Asset Inventory and Management

Maintain a comprehensive inventory of all digital assets, including hardware devices, software applications, databases, and cloud services.

Regularly update the inventory to account for new assets, decommissioned assets, and changes in configurations.

2. Patch Management

Implement a robust patch management process to ensure that all software, operating systems, and firmware are up to date with the latest security patches.

Prioritize critical vulnerabilities based on severity and potential impact on the organization’s operations.

3. Access Control and Authentication

Enforce strong access controls and implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

Implement least privilege principles to limit user access rights and permissions to only those necessary for their roles.

4. Network Segmentation

Segment the network into separate zones or compartments to limit the impact of a potential breach and prevent lateral movement by attackers.

Implement firewalls, Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), and other network segmentation techniques to enforce access controls and isolate critical systems.

5. Security Awareness Training

Educate employees and users about common security threats, best practices for safe computing, and procedures for reporting suspicious activities or incidents.

Foster a culture of security awareness throughout the organization and encourage employees to take an active role in safeguarding against cyber threats.

6. Vulnerability Management

Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration tests to identify potential weaknesses within the organization’s systems and networks.

Prioritize your remediation efforts based on the severity and potential consequences of the identified vulnerabilities.

7. Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation

Ensure continuous monitoring of the attack surface by enabling regular scanning and analysis of web applications and websites.

Schedule automated scans at predefined intervals to promptly identify and address any changes or new vulnerabilities.

Proactively monitor and adapt to evolving threats by integrating attack surface mapping into your security operations.

8. Third-party Risk Management

Assess the security posture of third-party vendors, partners, and service providers to identify potential risks introduced through external dependencies.

Establish contractual agreements that define security requirements and responsibilities for third-party vendors and partners.

9. Incident Response Planning

While monitoring and responding to identified issues is important, it’s equally vital for organizations to be prepared to take action. This includes validating the existence of exposures and ensuring that controls are functioning as intended.

10. Regulatory Compliance

Ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements, industry standards, and data protection laws applicable to the organization’s operations.

Stay informed about changes in the regulatory landscape and implement necessary controls to address compliance obligations.

By following these ASR best practices, you can effectively reduce the attack surface, strengthen your security posture, and mitigate the risk of cyber threats.

Attack surface reduction is an ongoing process that requires proactive measures, continuous monitoring, and adaptation to evolving threats in today’s dynamic cybersecurity landscape.

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