A new concept in cybersecurity known as Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) has been gaining attention in the industry. This approach, defined by Gartner in 2022, focuses on actively identifying, prioritizing, and addressing vulnerabilities, threats, and misconfigurations to enhance overall security posture.
Unlike traditional vulnerability management, CTEM takes a proactive approach by continuously monitoring and evaluating an organization’s security landscape to prevent potential issues before they escalate. This shift in mindset is crucial as the attack surface for many organizations continues to expand with the proliferation of applications and networked devices.
While CTEM offers a more realistic and efficient way to manage security exposures, it also involves cybersecurity triage. Not all vulnerabilities are equal, and organizations must prioritize based on risk, impact, and remediation costs. By focusing on addressing high-priority threats first, organizations can optimize their resources and minimize potential risks.
Setting up a CTEM program may require coordination among various tools and processes, but many existing security solutions can be integrated into the framework. This allows organizations to leverage their current investments and build upon established security practices.
CTEM consists of five key stages: scoping, discovery, prioritization, validation, and mobilization. Each stage plays a crucial role in identifying, assessing, and addressing security exposures to enhance overall resilience and protection against cyber threats.
While the widespread adoption of CTEM remains to be seen, organizations that prioritize continuous exposure management are projected to experience fewer breaches and lower cybersecurity costs by 2026. By investing in proactive security measures and aligning with industry best practices, organizations can strengthen their security posture and reduce the likelihood of falling victim to cyber attacks.