Enhance your knowledge in Exposure Management

One of the key value propositions of Reach is that our platform not only increases your security posture by providing critical insights, but it also allows customer to take action and deploy configurations with automation.

This growing issue not only increases an organization’s exposure to potential cyberattacks but also wastes money and time spent by security analysts chasing down alerts that could have been stopped upstream. By understanding the implications of security debt and implementing strategies for security hardening, organizations of all sizes can minimize risk and maximize their return on investment.

In today’s rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, exposure management has become a critical practice for organizations looking to stay ahead of potential threats. Unlike traditional approaches that focus solely on vulnerabilities, exposure management examines the broader context of how and why specific issues could impact an organization and prioritizes actions based on risk. A key aspect of this practice is understanding the exposure of employees, contractors, and even executives as attackers often attempt to exploit human vulnerabilities as well as critical systems.

To address this growing challenge, the concept of Automated Security Control Assessment (ASCA) was defined and named by Gartner, setting a new standard for how organizations evaluate and optimize their security controls. By automating these processes, ASCA empowers organizations to reduce exposure, enhance their defenses, and stay ahead of emerging threats.

The constant evolution of today's threat landscape has organizations counting on security controls to keep the bad actors out and safeguard their people, sensitive data, critical infrastructure, operations, and brand. However, even the most sophisticated security tools can present a risk to organizations when they are improperly configured. And unfortunately, even the best security teams can make mistakes. Whether it’s a firewall rule left too permissive, a mismanaged IAM rule, or an EDR process monitoring bypass, the implications can range from severe financial loss to risks with the customer base that can lead to significant and sometimes irreparable reputational damage.

To achieve effective system hardening, a systematic approach is crucial. This involves identifying, auditing, managing, and mitigating cybersecurity vulnerabilities throughout your IT infrastructure. Additionally, it requires continuous monitoring and optimizing of security controls to address threats targeting and impacting your environment. This article explores the importance of system hardening.