Relying solely on conventional password security methods is no longer adequate. When safeguarding your organization against credential-based attacks, prioritizing the basics is crucial. Ensuring the security of your Active Directory should be the first step – similar to ensuring a house has a locked front door before investing in an advanced alarm system. Once the foundational measures are in place, consider how incorporating external attack surface management (EASM) can significantly enhance your password security, providing a robust shield against potential cyber threats and breaches.
Prioritize Securing Your Active Directory
IT administrators should not merely meet the minimum password policy requirements that include complexity standards. To boost Active Directory security, they ought to enforce a policy that prevents users from creating weak passwords and integrate a tool to identify and block the usage of compromised passwords. Utilizing a solution like Specops Password Policy enforces stringent password protocols and detects vulnerabilities related to passwords, a vital aspect in defending against credential-based attacks and other risks such as password recycling. Once these essentials are addressed, EASM tools can further fortify security.
Understanding EASM and its Operational Dynamics
An EASM solution starts by identifying and categorizing all publicly available digital assets owned by an organization, encompassing both recognized and unrecognized assets. Subsequently, the EASM tool scrutinizes these assets for vulnerabilities, examines configurations, and pinpoints prospective security threats. It then prioritizes these vulnerabilities based on severity and the organization’s specific context, aiding IT teams in addressing critical issues promptly.
Ultimately, EASM provides actionable suggestions to mitigate or rectify these vulnerabilities. This continuous scrutiny and real-time feedback mechanism assist IT professionals in upholding a secure and resilient public-facing digital infrastructure.
Enhancing Password Security with EASM
An IT administrator may contemplate incorporating an EASM solution into their password security strategy for several reasons. EASM can actively monitor for leaked credentials, identify compromised accounts, and offer real-time alerts and notifications. This functionality aids in scrutinizing breach sources, comprehending the context of leaked credentials, and recognizing at-risk users who may require additional coaching.
Moreover, EASM assigns risk scores to leaked credentials, empowering organizations to prioritize response efforts and concentrate on addressing the most critical leaks initially. This comprehensive methodology assists in mitigating the risks associated with credential exposures and fortifying overall cybersecurity defenses in diverse aspects.
- Vulnerability Identification and Suggestions: EASM solutions incessantly evaluate a company’s publicly accessible digital assets to identify weak passwords, unencrypted passwords, and other password-related security deficiencies. Once vulnerabilities are identified, EASM offers recommendations on mitigating or resolving these issues.
- Dark Web Surveillance: EASM collaborates with Threat Intelligence sources to monitor the dark web for leaked credentials. This aids in identifying potential compromises of organizational credentials available for purchase on clandestine forums.
- Incorporating Contextual Insights: It furnishes contextual insights on the origin and implications of leaked credentials, establishing a basis for understanding breach causes and associated risks. This information empowers IT teams to contemplate future breach origins besides managing existing vulnerabilities.
- Identifying High-Risk Users: EASM recognizes users with compromised or endangered credentials, allowing tailored interventions such as mandatory password resets or enhanced surveillance on those accounts. Furthermore, it facilitates identifying users who may necessitate additional training on password security.
- Risk Scoring: EASM assigns risk scores to leaked or compromised credentials, streamlining response efforts based on the severity and potential consequences of each leak. This functionality is particularly valuable in large organizations with extensive remediation requirements.
- Real-Time Alerts and Remedial Actions: Being a dynamic process, EASM delivers real-time alerts and remedial interventions. This proactive approach enables organizations to promptly address identified issues.
Strengthen Password Security with EASM Integration
An organization can effectively merge a solution such as Specops Password Policy with an EASM tool to fortify its security protocols. Specops Password Policy guarantees adherence to stringent password criteria and rigorously examines an organization’s Active Directory for compromised passwords, thereby mitigating the risks of credential-based assaults.
Simultaneously, actively monitoring an organization’s publicly accessible digital assets for vulnerabilities, identifying sources of credential leaks, and receiving real-time alerts with a tool like Outpost24’s EASM solution can further augment security. By integrating password security management and EASM, an organization can achieve robust safeguarding against credential-based threats and efficiently oversee its external attack surface. This integration furnishes continuous monitoring and proactive measures against credential exposures, ensuring a comprehensive approach to securing both internal and external facets of the organization’s IT ecosystem.
By incorporating EASM capabilities into existing password security solutions, organizations can proactively monitor leaked credentials associated with their domain, discern breach origins, and target suitable employees for education about the risks tied to credential exposures. This strategy aids in diminishing the potential repercussion of credential-centric attacks and solidifies overall cybersecurity defenses.
Mapping Your Attack Surface
By comprehending and implementing EASM strategies, organizations can fortify their defenses and safeguard their confidential information in an increasingly perilous digital environment. Discover how you can enhance your organization’s password security posture and reinforce your defenses with Outpost24’s EASM solution. Obtain a complimentary attack surface analysis with actionable insights.
This synergy with your existing password policies equips you with the necessary utilities for a more secure and resilient IT environment.
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