The combination of all the weak points found in a network environment that an attacker could use to penetrate or even extract information from a target (your company) is called an Attack Surface.
How it works
Periodically attackers and hackers use sophisticated scanning tools to find out the weak points of a connected network environment. When these points are detected and mapped (attack surface) the chosen target is assaulted using the vector that best satisfies the attacker's objective.
Often the goal is to cause irreversible damage by using malware capable of encrypting the target system (ransomware attack) for ransom. Other times the attacker just wants to install themselves on the target system and collect information for blackmail or espionage.
What should be done
In both situations the target (your company) should maintain a proactive security posture, using the same sophisticated tools to prevent an attack, i.e. fortifying its defenses.
In the event that an attacker finds a resilient target, he would have to commit a lot of force and resources (spending a lot of money!) in order to affect that target, causing the cost benefit of such an attack to be very high. This preventive posture causes the attacker to have no interest in engaging with resilient targets.
Conclusion
Connected systems are susceptible to attacks of various types and damage. Attackers use sophisticated tools to scan a target (enterprise) and find weaknesses. The weaknesses are exploited for the purposes of espionage, ransom or even blackmail. By keeping an active posture regarding its risks and vulnerabilities the company makes the cost-benefit of an attack very high, discouraging from taking any destructive action.
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