CTEM: A Must-Have Strategy for Combating Digital Threats

With the ever-expanding digital attack surface, continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) has emerged as an essential new security approach. CTEM programs are transforming cybersecurity by facilitating the shift from siloed security operations to an integrated, continuously adaptive defense system - a pivotal development in safeguarding against evolving threats.

What is continuous threat exposure management (CTEM)?

CTEM is a security strategy that empowers enterprises to effectively combat the growing landscape of network threats. By continuously monitoring an organization’s digital assets and network infrastructure for potential vulnerabilities, CTEM ensures that cybersecurity measures remain up-to-date and fortified against current threats. This holistic approach focuses not only on detecting threats but also on mitigating and preventing them.

CTEM comprises five dynamic stages: scoping, discovery, prioritization, validation, and mobilization. These stages are meticulously designed to ensure that vulnerabilities and potential threats are identified and addressed in a strategic and impactful manner. According to Gartner strategic planning assumption, By 2026, organizations prioritizing their security investments based on a continuous threat exposure management program will realize a two-thirds reduction in breaches.

Gartner® predicts that “By 2026, organizations prioritizing their security investments based on a CTEM program will realize a two-thirds reduction in breaches” ¹

Why CTEM is critical for a proactive security posture?

Pinpointing and prioritizing vulnerable digital assets poses a significant challenge for IT and security teams. They must juggle limited resources, inefficient processes, and an overwhelming influx of telemetry data. Vulnerabilities are typically categorized based on the available tools for different types of exposure and environments. However, organizations struggle to prioritize these vulnerabilities based on actual risk, often wasting time on insignificant issues. For instance, if a vulnerability has a critical CVSS score above 9.0, but the organization knows it already has compensating controls in place, then there's no cause for concern. Traditional vulnerability management and breach simulation tools have failed to adequately protect against attacks, leading to a growing focus on CTEM as a top priority.

A cornerstone of CTEM focuses on the exploitable attack surface—those parts of an organization’s systems that are both vulnerable and susceptible to a successful attack. The unique value of CTEM lies in its ability to pinpoint security gaps and provide a clear plan for addressing them. By promoting a proactive approach to cyber threat management, CTEM ensures an organization's cybersecurity keeps pace with the rapidly evolving threat landscape.

The Five Stages of CTEM

The five stages of CTEM are a powerful sequence of actions that allow organizations to proactively safeguard their digital assets. From assessing the attack surface's risk profile to validating potential threat vectors, each stage plays a critical role in fortifying an organization's cybersecurity posture. By effectively communicating and gaining buy-in for a plan of remediation actions, CTEM ensures that all stakeholders are aligned in their commitment to cybersecurity excellence.

1. Scoping: The security team assesses the risk posture of the attack surface based on threat intelligence, key performance indicators (KPIs), and business goals, allowing them to develop a clear plan of action.
2. Discovery: After scoping is complete, discovery tools within the CTEM program such as an External Attack Surface Management (EASM) tool identify actual vulnerabilities and gaps in the attack surface, before prioritization begins.
3. Prioritization: The CTEM program then automatically assigns a priority rating to the discovered issues, based on the initial scope and the organization's security and business strategy.
4. Validation: Automated validation, using technologies like breach and attack simulation (BAS) or penetration testing tools, serves to:
   • Confirm that attackers could exploit the previously discovered and prioritized exposures.
   • Estimate the highest potential impact by analyzing all potential attack paths to critical business assets.
   • Identify if the remediation processes are fast and adequate for the business.
5. Mobilization: The final step is to close the loop by communicating the validated threat vectors and the remediation plan to all affected stakeholders, thereby gaining their buy-in and completing the CTEM process.

The benefits of CTEM 

The CTEM program offers several advantages for businesses that implement it effectively. These benefits include deeper visibility, reduced risk, improved efficiencies, and enhanced incident response.

• Deeper visibility: CTEM programs give organizations a detailed understanding of their vulnerabilities and risks, allowing them to identify and mitigate threats before they can be exploited.
• Reduced risk: By proactively addressing vulnerabilities and mitigating threats, CTEM helps organizations lower the risk of successful cyberattacks and reduce the potential damage from breaches.
• Improved efficiencies: CTEM allows organizations to prioritize security efforts on their most critical vulnerabilities and threats, ensuring security resources are allocated effectively and efficiently.
• Enhanced incident response: CTEM can also improve incident response by giving organizations a clearer understanding of a breach's potential impact and the steps needed to contain and mitigate it.

CTEM and external attack surface management (EASM)

The significance of external attack surface management (EASM) cannot be overstated, yet it remains a significant challenge for many organizations. A 2024 Gartner report reveals that only 17%² of organizations can effectively identify and inventory their exposed digital assets. While 83%³ of cyberattacks were from outside traditional security perimeters in 2023, this figure dropped to 65%⁴ in 2024. Does this mean that external actors are no longer the most prevalent threat? Not at all. External actors continue to be the main cause of breaches; the reduction in these percentages is attributed to improved breach collection processes and the addition of new data contributors documenting mandatory breach disclosures.

EASM focuses on an organization’s external-facing assets. This provides a focused scope, making it more manageable for organizations to start their CTEM journey. In addition, managing the external attack surface is crucial, since it is the primary entry point for many cyber threats. Even organizations with advanced cybersecurity programs may struggle to keep up with all potential vulnerabilities and constant changes to their attack surface.  

Attackers stealthily probe an organization's digital infrastructure, seeking unmonitored assets that could provide an initial foothold. They comprehensively analyze their targets during the reconnaissance phase, emulating the attacker's approach. EASM tools scan for internet-facing vulnerabilities across domains, subdomains, IP addresses, and ports. These tools also gather Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) that could be exploited through social engineering or phishing attacks. By understanding how hackers might gain access, organizations can better defend against these threats.

EASM tools continuously and non-intrusively discover and expose risks across an organization's internet-facing assets and digital supply chain. By proactively reducing their external attack surface, security teams can quickly demonstrate the value of the CTEM program to stakeholders. This can help secure buy-in for further expansion and investment of the program.

Evolve your attack surface management strategy with ZeroFox

The ZeroFox external cybersecurity platform combines the power of AI, full-spectrum intelligence services, and takedown and incident response capabilities.  Our External Attack Surface Management (EASM) solution adds powerful continuous discovery, identification, and inventory capabilities to protect your expanding external attack surface, including:

• Discover and inventory digital assets
• Analyze and prioritize exposures and vulnerabilities
• Combat asset sprawl and shadow IT
• Detect data leakage
• Reduce phishing and social engineering attacks
• Adhere to regulatory compliance requirements
• Visualize your external digital risk from one view

Are you proactively managing external threats? What steps are you taking to address them? Get Gartner’s guide on how to Implement a Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) program now.

1. Gartner Identifies the Top Cybersecurity Trends for 2024, February 22, 2024 ↩︎
2. Gartner, Innovation Insight: Attack Surface Management, 2024 ↩︎
3. Verizon, DBIR, 2023 ↩︎
4. Verizon, DBIR, 2024 ↩︎

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Tags: External Attack Surface Management