What is the cyber attack surface?

The cyber attack surface refers to the total digital vulnerabilities and weaknesses that an organization has across its environment. This includes its systems, networks, devices, and applications that could potentially be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access, steal data, or cause damage. 

The cyber attack surface can include various types of entry points, like servers, endpoints, mobile devices, and cloud applications, or human factors, such as employee behavior, social engineering, and insider threats.

Why is it important to reduce the cyber attack surface?

A larger attack surface equates to more potential vulnerabilities and entry points for attackers to exploit, making the organization more susceptible to cyber attacks. Organizations can reduce their cyber attack surface by implementing security controls and best practices, such as implementing firewalls, using strong passwords, conducting regular security audits, and providing cybersecurity training for employees.

In order to effectively reduce their attack surface, it is important for organizations to have full visibility into their entire environment, understanding where cyber assets reside, who has access, and how vulnerable they are to exploit.