Types of Attack Surface

An attack surface refers to all the potential entry points into an organization’s IT infrastructure or other systems that could be used to launch a cyberattack. It includes all software, hardware, and vulnerabilities that can be exploited to gain access to sensitive data or cause damage to an organization’s network.

There are three main types of attack surface: digital, physical, and social engineering. Understanding each of these is critical to implementing smart cybersecurity practices and controlling your risk. The digital attack surface is the most common threat area, affecting everything from computers to software applications and web services. This includes vulnerabilities in software applications and operating systems, as well as unpatched or patched hardware. It also includes rogue assets, such as stolen or ill-fated devices and other unauthorized hardware.

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It’s important to assess an organization’s digital attack surface on a regular basis to ensure that it remains secure from attacks. By evaluating the types of assets, tools, systems and interfaces that can be accessed by hackers, organizations can better prioritize their security efforts.

What Are the Types of Attack Surface?

This type of assessment isn’t a one-time exercise; it’s an ongoing process that requires periodic evaluation and a regular cycle of minimizing the potential of an attack surface by sunsetting unused software and endpoints. This can be done by limiting the amount of access to these items or disabling them altogether.

The attack surface is constantly evolving as new systems, interfaces and user types are added and older ones sunset. This is especially true for cloud and mobile apps, as they increase the number of vulnerabilities. Changes to the application itself – whether changes to authentication and password management, access control logic or even fundamental architectural changes – all directly impact the attack surface. This is why it’s so important to review the attack surface of an application regularly to determine what controls need updating.

A company’s internal attack surface is also often overlooked, although this should be a significant concern, as many insiders have access to systems and networks that aren’t necessarily part of the IT security team. These are often insecure, poorly maintained or compromised through malware or other attack vectors.

Employees are another weak link that attackers can exploit through social engineering ploys such as spear phishing and pretexting. By analyzing the attack surface of employees, organizations can prevent these attacks and keep their sensitive information safe.

Finally, organizations must consider their physical sites. Besides protecting the network and other IT assets, businesses must also ensure that their physical locations are protected from environmental threats and accidents. This includes installing fences, locks and other obstacles that make it more difficult for unauthorized people to gain access.

A wide variety of security threats exist and the attack surface can be large and complex, making it difficult for IT leaders to protect their business from cybercrime. By reducing the attack surface, organizations can minimize the costs and consequences of a cyberattack, as well as maintain their reputation and trust with their customers.