In Cybersecurity, EASM (External Attack Surface Management) refers to all the potential points of entry that can be targeted by malicious actors outside an organization, e.g. internet-facing assets like servers, applications, APIs, and devices, as well as vulnerabilities like weak passwords or misconfigurations.

Initially, organizations focus on safeguarding known assets, such as servers and applications. Then, they discover Shadow IT, i.e. assets/services that aren’t recognized by IT and security teams but are still owned by the organization.

The EAS expansion is not just due to internal growth, but also to the rapidly changing technological landscape, e.g. cloud computing. The recent pandemic further accelerated this trend by decentralizing workplaces and systems at an unprecedented pace. Organizations now need to also consider the systems of their suppliers, distributors, partners, and vendors, along with their respective supply chains and varying levels of security maturity. The threats faced by these external entities also become threats to the organization.

Interested in an Exposure Scan?