Continuous security testing and attack path management are essential for protecting your business from cyber threats. Traditional snapshot in time security tests are not enough to ensure the safety of your company’s assets. Continuous testing involves regularly searching for issues in your software assets and determining whether your controls can prevent an attack. Attack path management focuses on identifying the root cause of these issues and closing down potential paths that attackers could exploit. These strategies provide immediate and continuous knowledge of your cybersecurity posture, unlike annual testing that relies on outdated information.
Snapshot in time testing can be misleading as it only reveals your cybersecurity status at one point in time. Factors such as time, scope, and experience can limit the accuracy of these tests. Continuous security testing and attack path management help overcome these constraints and provide a more comprehensive view of your cybersecurity.
To ensure your business is protected, utilize free online resources such as the MITRE ATT&CK® Framework and Atomic Red Team™. These resources describe tactics and techniques used by threat actors and provide tests that can be run on your environment regularly.
Focus on protecting your most critical assets first, such as intellectual property, personally identifiable data, and payment card industry data. Identify attack paths to these assets and remediate them first before working outwards.
Evaluate your cybersecurity vendors to ensure they are using the necessary strategies to protect your business. Even reputable organizations can sometimes fall short, so it’s important to verify their practices.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will play a significant role in the future of continuous security testing. AI and machine learning (ML) can automate the process of setting up environments and deploying tests, allowing businesses to take a more proactive approach to security. In the coming years, AI integration with tools like Atomic Red Team could be a game-changer, particularly for smaller companies without large in-house cybersecurity teams.
In summary, continuous security testing and attack path management are crucial for protecting your business from cyber threats. Utilize free resources, prioritize the protection of critical assets, evaluate your vendors, and consider the potential benefits of AI integration in the future. The more you test, the better equipped you’ll be to identify and mitigate potential threats to your company.