Frequently
Asked
Questions

  • A company's attack surface is the sum total of all the potential points of entry that a malicious actor could exploit to gain unauthorized access to systems, networks, or sensitive data. It encompasses both digital and physical components.

  • Understanding and managing your organization's attack surface is crucial for effective cybersecurity. By identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities, you can significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks.

  • Zifino combines two essential components to provide comprehensive protection:

    • Vulnerability Assessments (VA): These AI-powered scans are conducted regularly to identify and monitor potential vulnerabilities across your external digital assets.

    • Penetration Testing (PT): Human-led, deep-dive tests that simulate real-world attacks to uncover security risks and prioritize remediation steps.

    This layered approach ensures that your organization is continuously protected and informed of any risks.


  • Digital Attack Surfaces

    Network Assets: Servers | Routers | Switches | Firewalls | Load balancers

    Applications: Web applications | Mobile apps | Internal applications

    Cloud Services: Cloud storage | Cloud computing platforms | SaaS applications

    User Access Points: User accounts | Passwords | VPNs | Remote access tools

    Third-Party Services: Vendors | Partners | Supply chain

    Physical Attack Surfaces

    Physical Infrastructure: Data centers | Offices | Remote sites

    Devices: Laptops | Smartphones | IoT devices

    Physical Access Controls: Doors | Locks | Security cameras

    Human Element

    Employees: Phishing susceptibility | Social engineering risks | Insider threats

  • Zifino’s AI-driven automated vulnerability assessments provide continuous monitoring for:

    • DNS information and subdomains

    • Security certificates and open ports

    • Publicly visible emails

    • Directory structures

    • Technologies and frameworks in use

  • Our expert-led penetration testing includes:

    • EASM reconnaissance: A deep dive into your external attack surface to map potential vulnerabilities.

    • External network scanning: Identifying risks within your external infrastructure.

    • Web application scanning: Assessing applications for common vulnerabilities.

    • Credential breaking: Testing the strength of your organization’s login credentials.

    • Trophy capture: Simulating data theft to show what sensitive information could be exposed.

    • Prioritized remediation: A clear action plan for addressing discovered vulnerabilities based on their severity.

  • While it's ideal to test as many attack vectors as possible, practical constraints often limit the scope of a penetration test. A more strategic approach involves prioritizing attack vectors based on their potential impact and likelihood of exploitation.

    Key Factors to Consider:

    1. Risk Assessment:

      • Identify critical assets and systems.

      • Assess the potential impact of a successful attack on these assets.

      • Prioritize attack vectors that could lead to significant data breaches, system outages, or financial loss.

    2. Threat Intelligence:

      • Stay informed about the latest threat landscape and emerging attack techniques.

      • Focus on attack vectors that are commonly exploited by threat actors.

    3. Compliance Requirements:

      • Adhere to industry standards and regulations, such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, or GDPR.

      • Ensure that your penetration testing program aligns with these requirements.

    4. Resource Constraints:

      • Consider the available budget, time, and personnel resources.

      • Prioritize tests that will provide the greatest return on investment.

    By combining these approaches, you can achieve a robust security posture without overwhelming your resources.

  • Many compliance frameworks, such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, and others mandate specific security controls that directly impact an organization's attack surface.

    ASM tools and techniques can help organizations meet compliance obligations more effectively by:

    • Identifying Shadow IT: Discovering unauthorized systems and applications that may not be covered by compliance policies.

    • Prioritizing Vulnerabilities: Focusing on the most critical vulnerabilities that could lead to compliance violations.

    • Automating Compliance Checks: Using automated tools to continuously monitor compliance status.

    • Providing Evidence of Compliance: Generating reports and documentation to demonstrate adherence to regulations.

  • Zifino utilizes AI-powered technologies to accelerate the vulnerability scanning process which removes labor intensive operating costs and we pass those savings onto our clients. An added benefit is that outcomes are available virtually immediately.

  • No matter where your organization is in its Attack Surface Management (ASM) journey Zifino offers a model to fit your needs and budget. 

    Using classic crawl, walk, run philosophy Zifino gives businesses new to Attack Surface Management the flexibility to start small and advance at your own pace through the adoption of one of two curated packages we’ve assembled.

    For those organizations further along in their process maturity we are happy to sit with you and develop a custom program that fits the unique breath and depth of your enterprise’s attack surface, user base, and compliance requirements.

    Variables we consider when pricing your program include but is not limited to the number of domains and users, number and frequency of scans and pen tests, access to reports, and level of support.

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FAQ