Interested in the cutting-edge SecOps advancements for 2024? Gartner’s freshly issued Hype Cycle for Security Operations document is making strides in structuring and evolving Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM). This year’s report presents three distinctive categories within this sphere: Threat Exposure Management, Exposure Assessment Platforms (EAP), and Adversarial Exposure Validation (AEV).
These category explanations aim to bring some organization to the developing realm of exposure management technologies. Pentera, cited as an example vendor in the newly established AEV category, is actively contributing to the adoption of CTEM, focusing on security validation. Below, we delve into the CTEM-related product groupings and their implications for enterprise security leaders.
The Business Landscape is Maturing
The concept of CTEM, introduced by Gartner in 2022, introduces a systematic method for continual assessment, prioritization, validation, and resolution of exposures in an organization’s attack surface. This framework facilitates the manageability of an ever-expanding attack surface.
The recent reshuffling of categories is designed to assist enterprises in pinpointing the security vendors best equipped to aid in implementing CTEM.
Threat Exposure Management encompasses the wide array of technologies and processes utilized in handling threat exposure under a CTEM program’s oversight. It covers the following two newly introduced CTEM-related categories.
Vulnerability Assessment and Vulnerability Prioritization Technology functionalities have been merged into a singular new category, Exposure Assessment Platforms (EAP). EAPs aim to streamline vulnerability management and enhance operational efficiency, which is why Gartner has bestowed this category with a high benefit rating.
In the meantime, Adversarial Exposure Validation (AEV) merges Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) with Automated Pentesting and Red Teaming into a novel function that is concentrated on providing continual, automated proof of exposure. The AEV category is anticipated to experience substantial market expansion due to its capability to validate cyber resilience from an adversarial vantage point by testing an organization’s IT defenses against real-world attack methodologies.
What Benefits Do EAPs Bring?
They offer several advantages, starting with reducing reliance on CVSS scores for prioritizing vulnerabilities. While CVSS scores are a helpful metric, they only act as an indicator and fail to convey the exploitability of a vulnerability within the context of your specific environment and threat landscape. The information provided by an EAP setup is more contextualized with threat intelligence and asset criticality data, delivering insights that support actionable measures rather than inundating with data points.
This increased contextualization allows vulnerabilities to be flagged based on their potential business impact. Does a poorly configured, unused, and disconnected device necessitate patching? EAPs aid in directing attention towards addressing vulnerabilities that are not just exploitable but also impact assets critical for business, either in terms of data or operational continuity.
Understanding the Value of AEV
While EAPs leverage scans and data sources to provide exposure context, they are limited to analytical data interpretation without tangible proof of exploitable attack paths. Here is where AEV steps in, confirming exposures from a malicious perspective. AEV involves executing adversarial attacks to identify exploitable security gaps in your unique environment and gauge an attacker’s potential progress if these gaps were exploited.
In essence, AEV shifts threats from theory to practice.
Moreover, AEV offers other advantages; it simplifies the initiation of a red team. Red teams demand a distinct skill set and tools that are challenging to develop and acquire. Having an automated AEV solution to perform multiple red-team tasks lowers the barrier to entry, providing a solid foundation from which to build.
AEV also aids in managing a vast attack surface more effectively. By running automated tests routinely, consistently, and across numerous locations, the burden on security teams is lightened, allowing aspiring red teamers to concentrate solely on high-priority areas.
Challenges in Taking the Advanced Step
It’s not all smooth sailing, as there are some obstacles that companies must overcome to fully leverage their Threat Exposure Management endeavors.
Regarding EAP, it’s crucial to shift focus beyond compliance and CVSS scores. A change in mindset is necessary to move away from considering assessments as mere checkboxes. In this restricted context, vulnerabilities are regarded as standalone threats, leading to a potential oversight in distinguishing between identifying vulnerabilities and prioritizing them based on their exploitability and potential consequences.
On the AEV front, a challenge lies in finding the ideal technological solution that covers all aspects. While many vendors provide attack simulations and/or automated penetration testing, these are usually viewed as separate functions. Security teams aiming to validate both the actual effectiveness of their security controls and the real exploitability of their security flaws may opt to implement multiple distinct products.
Proactive Measures for Future-Proofing
The evolution of the CTEM framework over the past two years indicates the increasing recognition of the critical necessity for a proactive mindset in reducing risk exposure. The updated classification in the Hype Cycle reflects the enhanced maturity of products in this sphere, bolstering the operational integration of CTEM.
With respect to the AEV category, our recommendation is to adopt a solution that seamlessly integrates BAS and penetration testing capabilities since this feature is not commonly found in most tools. Look for agentless technologies that accurately replicate attacker methodologies, simplifying operational requirements. This unique amalgamation ensures that security teams can continuously validate their security stance with real-world relevance.
Delve deeper into how Pentera serves as a vital component of any CTEM strategy, empowering enterprises to uphold a robust and dynamic security posture continuously fortified against modern threats.
To gain more insights into Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM), join us at the XPOSURE Summit 2024, organized by Pentera, and acquire the Gartner® 2024 Hype Cycle for Security Operations report.
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