Three Pillars for MSSP Success in EASM

The External Attack Surface Management (EASM) domain is rapidly growing in importance for businesses across the globe. Organizations must strive to understand the true scope of their attack surface as seen through the eyes of a potential hacker. This is a foundational step in any risk program that CISOs are implementing. This growing attention provides Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) with the opportunity to evolve by developing practices and value-added services on top of the technological tools that address EASM.

In this blog, we’ll explore the three key pillars that MSSPs can leverage to enhance their current security offerings and build a solid EASM practice using IONIX.

Pillar 1: Risk Assessment

The first phase of any risk assessment program involves defining the perimeter (scoping) of a digital environment and identifying the assets within it to create an inventory. Historically these programs were designed in the era of physical data centers, when both perimeter and inventory were clearly defined. With the shift to the cloud and the rise of SaaS applications, the concept of an asset perimeter has become less straightforward. Companies no longer have a clear physical boundary for their assets, which means that protecting your perimeter now requires the answer to one question: what do you not know?

As the borders of the perimeter become increasingly blurred, CISOs face a significant challenge in defining a new perimeter that helps them identify the unknowns. Without the proper technological tools, it’s difficult to bridge the knowledge gap between what the CISO believes is the company’s asset scope and the actual attack surface that a hacker would see. 

Once the knowledge gap is defined, the next step is assessing and calculating the associated risks. Traditional methods might use resources like the NVD (National Vulnerability Database) to map vulnerabilities to assets, but in today’s environment, it’s not just about identifying vulnerabilities; it’s also crucial to understand how assets are interconnected. IONIX bridges this gap by delivering comprehensive visibility into an organization’s true attack surface. By mapping assets and conducting a security audit on those initially overlooked, including analyzing their interconnections, IONIX delivers a comprehensive risk assessment that extends beyond vulnerabilities to evaluate the full range of security risks.to evaluate the full spectrum of security risks.

It’s important to note that managing risk within an attack surface is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. The attack surface is dynamic, constantly evolving as a company’s assets and operations change. As such, risk assessment should be a continuous process, regularly revisited to ensure that risks are continuously evaluated.

Pillar 2: Hidden Risk

Today, most companies rely on external vendors for services that were once performed in-house. Many of these vendors use SaaS platforms or applications originally designed to run in data centers. From a security perspective, these vendors typically fill out questionnaires as part of the onboarding process to assess their security posture. While helpful, these questionnaires cannot uncover all vulnerabilities, and CISOs can still be caught unaware by hidden vulnerabilities lurking in the company’s supply chain. 

For instance, a vendor may use outdated or insecure technologies that indirectly expose the organization to risk. These vulnerabilities, linked through interconnected assets, can create pathways for devastating supply chain attacks. Recent high-profile supply chain breaches, such as the attack targeting GitHub accounts that took place in early 2024, highlight the critical nature of this issue.

IONIX stands out by not only detecting and identifying these vulnerabilities but also understanding how they are connected to the company’s assets. This enables MSSPs to offer a much more accurate risk assessment, illustrating the potential “blast radius” of these risks and the exploitability of such vulnerabilities.

With IONIX, MSSPs can build a comprehensive external vendor practice around the attack surface. By continuously monitoring dynamic dependencies across all technologies used by supply chain vendors, MSSPs can offer a unique value proposition and differentiate themselves in the market.

Pillar 3: Pen Testing and/or Red Teaming Enhancement Program

A typical Penetration Testing (Pen Testing) or Red Teaming engagement begins with the client identifying their assets. Vendors then install agents on those assets before attempting to launch an attack. While this process works for the assets the client is aware of, what about the assets they don’t know about? What about the external dependencies that could serve as new attack vectors?

IONIX enhances the traditional pen testing and red teaming model by eliminating the need for agents or configuration setups. It provides clients with the ability to uncover the real attack surface – the assets and attack vectors that might not even be on the client’s radar. This allows MSSPs to offer a broader range of services, focusing on areas the client may not have previously considered.

For MSSPs offering advanced services, IONIX also supports shadow IT discovery, which is often difficult to manage. Shadow IT refers to unsanctioned assets that lack security controls, which may be installed without anyone knowing who is responsible or what infrastructure they rely on. With IONIX, service providers can set up automated operational flows with alerts to identify and manage Shadow IT more effectively.

For the most advanced MSSPs, IONIX opens the door to establishing an Attack Surface Reduction practice. This service involves periodically scanning clients’ assets, identifying changes (or deltas) from previous scans, and providing reports on newly introduced risks and vulnerabilities. These ongoing assessments allow MSSPs to proactively address evolving threats before they escalate.

Building Your EASM Practice With IONIX

The EASM domain is growing rapidly and is rapidly becoming a top priority for CISOs across industries. This landscape offers MSSPs a lucrative opportunity to differentiate themselves by adding significant value to their service offerings. IONIX is the ideal foundation for MSSPs to build powerful EASM practices on, offering unmatched capabilities in identifying, managing, and reducing attack surface risks.

If you’re ready to build or enhance your MSSP practice with EASM, IONIX can provide the technology you need to take your offerings to the next level.

Want to learn more about how IONIX can transform your MSSP practice? Contact us for a demo or to discuss next steps.