Attack Surface — Lydia some generative content as a starting point
An attack surface is the total number of possible entry points for unauthorized access into any system. It includes all vulnerabilities and endpoints that can be exploited to carry out a security attack. An attack surface is the entire area of an organization or system that is susceptible to hacking. Once inside the network, an unauthorized user could cause damage by manipulating or downloading data.
An attack surface is the entire area of an organization or system that is susceptible to hacking. It’s made up of all the points of access that an unauthorized person could use to enter the system.
The smaller the attack surface, the easier it is to protect.
Attack surface examples:
- Software: Such as web applications, operating systems, and software
- Devices: Such as mobile and IoT devices, laptops, tablets, smart phones, and printers
- Networks: Such as networks, cloud storage, and web APIs
- Physical controls: Such as locks
- Digital elements: Such as servers, ports, applications, websites, system access points, and code
- Attack vectors: Such as ransomware, malware, phishing, exploiting misconfigured or unpatched systems, and denial of service attacks
How do vulnerability management and attack surface management differ?
Vulnerability management involves identifying and addressing vulnerabilities that could be exploited by an attacker. Attack surface management involves identifying and reducing the number of potential entry points that an attacker could use to gain access to a system.