Fortifying Cyber Defenses: The Role of EASM and Digital Risk Protection

In the first quarter of 2025, the cybersecurity landscape has been hit by a relentless surge of cyber threats, with organizations worldwide scrambling to protect their digital infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated attacks. From ransomware to data breaches, the impact of recent cyber incidents highlights the urgent need for organizations to bolster their defenses.

This is where External Attack Surface Management (EASM) and Digital Risk Protection (DRP) come into play—two complementary approaches that together provide a comprehensive shield against the evolving cyber threat landscape. By addressing both external vulnerabilities and digital risks, organizations can significantly reduce their exposure to breaches and attacks.

Understanding EASM and Digital Risk Protection: A Combined Defense Strategy

EASM is a proactive cybersecurity approach designed to identify and secure an organization’s external digital footprint—encompassing domains, cloud services, shadow IT, and other internet-facing assets. By continuously scanning for exposed components and pinpointing vulnerabilities, such as misconfiguration, EASM prioritizes remediation efforts. Unlike traditional security frameworks that often focus inward, EASM adopts the perspective of potential attackers, mapping the external perimeter to close gaps before they can be exploited. By embracing this proactive stance, organizations can better position themselves against the increasing complexity of cyber threats.

EASM is a proactive cybersecurity approach that focuses on identifying and securing an organization's external attack surface—domains, cloud services, shadow IT, and other internet-facing assets. By continuously scanning these assets for vulnerabilities like misconfigurations, outdated software, or exposed APIs, EASM helps organizations uncover and fix security gaps before they can be exploited.

On the other hand, Digital Risk Protection (DRP) is a broader strategy that focuses on identifying and mitigating various digital risks, such as brand impersonations, phishing attacks, data leakage, and compromised credentials, across the internet and dark web. DRP tools help organizations monitor their digital presence, detect threats like phishing campaigns or account takeovers, and protect their reputation and sensitive information.

Together, EASM and DRP offer a powerful combination for managing both external vulnerabilities and emerging digital threats, making them an essential defense mechanism against recent high-profile cyberattacks.

How Cyberattackers Exploit Exposed Digital Assets

The nature of modern cyberattacks often hinges on exploiting overlooked vulnerabilities in an organization’s external attack surface. Attackers often scan the public internet for exposed points—whether misconfigured cloud servers, outdated software, or unsecured APIs. Once identified, these weaknesses can become entry points for attackers to gain unauthorized access, escalate privileges, steal sensitive data, or deploy malicious payloads.

Recent Cyberattacks and How EASM & DRP Could Have Helped

Recent cyber incidents have highlighted the dangers of unmonitored digital assets and external risks. Let’s explore how combining EASM and DRP could have helped prevent or mitigate these breaches.

1. City of Mission, Texas Cybersecurity Incident: In late February 2025, the City of Mission faced a severe cybersecurity breach that compromised its entire network infrastructure. This incident not only exposed sensitive data, including personal information, health records, and criminal records, but it also rendered city records inaccessible, forcing the city to declare a state of emergency to address the crisis. 

How EASM and DRP Could Have Helped:

• Continuous Monitoring (EASM): Real-time surveillance of all digital assets could have identified vulnerabilities like unpatched software or misconfigured systems before they were exploited.
• Asset Inventory Management (EASM): A comprehensive inventory of external-facing assets would have allowed the city to prioritize critical vulnerabilities and address them promptly.
• Brand Protection & Phishing Detection (DRP):  DRP tools could have identified phishing campaigns targeting city employees, enabling timely intervention to prevent credential theft.

2. Medusa Ransomware Attacks Targeting Gmail and Outlook Users: In March 2025, the FBI issued a warning about "Medusa" ransomware attacks targeting users of Gmail and Outlook. Attackers employed phishing techniques to steal user credentials, followed by encrypting systems and threatening to release stolen information unless a ransom was paid. Over 300 victims across various sectors have been affected since 2021.

How EASM and DRP Could Have Helped:

• Phishing Domain Detection (DRP): DRP tools would have flagged and submitted takedown requests of malicious domains impersonating legitimate platforms like Gmail and Outlook, helping organizations prevent these phishing attacks from reaching end users.
• Credential Exposure Monitoring (EASM & DRP): Both EASM and DRP tools could have monitored for exposed credentials or vulnerable accounts on public platforms, alerting organizations to compromised accounts and mitigating the impact of the attack.
• Vulnerability Scanning & Remediation (EASM): Continuous scanning for vulnerabilities in external applications would have allowed organizations to remediate exposures, limiting attackers' lateral movement.

3.  Qilin Ransomware Attack on Lee Enterprises: In February 2025, Lee Enterprises, a major media company, fell victim to a Qilin ransomware attack that disrupted its operations and severely impacted media distribution. The attack highlighted the vulnerabilities of external-facing media distribution platforms.

How EASM and DRP Could Have Helped:

•  Asset Inventory & Vulnerability Assessment (EASM):  EASM tools would have uncovered all external-facing assets associated with the media distribution platforms, ensuring no system was left unsecured.
•  Threat Intelligence & Brand Protection (DRP): DRP tools would have helped Lee Enterprises take proactive steps to safeguard its operations from ransomware attacks.
• Credential Monitoring (DRP): DRP tools would have provided continuous monitoring for stolen or compromised credential leaks on dark web forums and other illicit channels. By detecting these compromised credentials early, Lee Enterprises could have prompted immediate password resets once a leak has been detected.

The Combined Power of EASM and DRP in Preventing Cyberattacks

When deployed together, EASM and DRP create a robust, multi-layered defense that addresses both internal vulnerabilities and external digital risks. Here's how they work hand-in-hand to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks:

1. Early Detection of Exposed Assets (EASM): Regular scanning of external assets across the public internet helps detect exposed systems or services, such as outdated servers or weak APIs, that could become entry points for cybercriminals. By identifying these vulnerabilities early, organizations can take action before attackers can exploit them.
2. Comprehensive Asset Inventory (EASM):  EASM provides a detailed, up-to-date view of all external-facing assets, ensuring organizations know exactly what needs to be secured. This is essential for discovering forgotten systems or rogue IT infrastructure that might otherwise remain unsecured.
3. Real-Time Digital Risk Monitoring (DRP): DRP tools continuously monitor the surface web, dark web, and social media for emerging threats, such as phishing campaigns, data leakage, or brand impersonation. By identifying and mitigating these risks in real-time, organizations can prevent significant damage to their reputation or data integrity.
4. Continuous Risk Assessment (EASM):  EASM tools constantly assess the risk associated with each external-facing asset, allowing organizations to prioritize remediation efforts based on the severity of the vulnerabilities and their potential impact.

Strengthening Your Cyber Defenses with Zerofox EASM and DRP 

As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, it’s crucial for organizations to adopt comprehensive, proactive strategies to protect their digital infrastructure. EASM and Digital Risk Protection provide the perfect complementary tools for defending against both internal vulnerabilities and external risks.

By combining these two approaches, organizations can better detect and secure exposed assets, identify emerging threats, and minimize their risk of falling victim to high-profile cyberattacks. In today’s interconnected world, safeguarding your external attack surface and digital reputation is not just a best practice—it's an essential component of any robust cybersecurity strategy.

Zerofox offers integrated EASM and Digital Risk Protection solutions to help you stay one step ahead of cyber threats. By continuously monitoring your digital assets and external risk factors, we empower organizations to defend against the evolving cyber threat landscape.

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

Ready to secure your digital assets and reduce your risk? Contact us today to learn how Zerofox EASM and DRP solutions can help you protect your organization from cyber threats.