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Microsoft Security

What is attack surface management?

Attack surface management (ASM) gives you an ongoing, organization-wide view to help reduce risk and strengthen security with Microsoft unified security operations.
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Understanding attack surface management

As digital environments grow, so does the complexity of keeping them secure. To stay ahead of evolving threats, organizations need a way to continuously monitor all potential entry points—from cloud services and endpoints to external providers and unmanaged assets. That’s where attack surface management comes in: it simplifies the challenge by improving visibility, reducing exposure, and enabling faster, smarter decisions that strengthen overall security.

Key takeaways

  • Your attack surface includes every point where your organization is exposed to potential threats.
  • Attack surface management helps you discover, monitor, and reduce digital threats across all assets—known and unknown.
  • A successful attack surface management approach requires continuous visibility, clear priorities, and strong alignment with security operations.
  • Microsoft has the tools and intelligence to help you take control of your attack surface and stay ahead of evolving threats.

What is an attack surface?

In cybersecurity, an attack surface refers to all the points where an unauthorized user could attempt to gain access, steal data, or disrupt your systems. It's all the ways your system could be left open to security gaps—intentional or unintentional—that exist across your digital and physical assets. As organizations grow, use cloud services, and work with more contracted providers, their attack surface expands—often in ways that are difficult to track and control.

Key components of an attack surface include:
 
  • On-premises assets. This includes local servers, data centers, workstations, internal applications, and employee devices—all of which may contain sensitive data or be entry points if they aren’t kept up to date or set up securely.
  • Cloud assets. Cloud-based workloads, storage, APIs, containers, and SaaS applications are now core to most businesses—but they also introduce new access points that may be externally exposed or go untracked by monitoring tools or risk assessments.
  • External assets. These are systems directly connected to the internet, such as websites, customer portals, VPN endpoints, and remote access tools. Because they’re open to the internet, these systems are often the first places attackers look for weaknesses.
  • Subsidiary and third-party networks. Partner and supply chain environments can be a hidden part of your attack surface. If these connected systems are compromised, they can create hidden access points into your main environment.
How vulnerabilities are exploited

Each of these areas can have weak spots—like outdated software, easy-to-guess passwords, misconfigured services, or exposed APIs. Attackers often look for these gaps to sneak in, move around quietly, or access sensitive data. They use tactics like phishing, malware, scanning for missed updates, or stumbling across open cloud storage.

As your digital environment grows and changes, it becomes easier for things to slip through the cracks—and that’s exactly where attackers look for opportunity. Without clear visibility into all these layers, security teams can miss important threats that lead to data breaches, downtime, or compliance issues.

What is attack surface management?

Attack surface management (ASM) is the continuous process of identifying, monitoring, and securing all digital assets that could be targeted by attackers. These assets may include:
 
  • Internet-facing systems.
  • Cloud services.
  • Endpoints (like laptops or mobile devices).
  • Vendor or partner-connected tools.
As organizations grow and adopt new technologies, the attack surface expands—often in ways that are difficult to see or control.

Staying secure requires real-time insight into all systems, including:
 
  • Known assets.
  • Unknown or untracked systems.
  • Newly introduced applications, services, or devices—often added without IT oversight.
Unknown assets might include a cloud instance launched by a development team or a vendor tool connected without ITs knowledge.
This visibility helps close critical gaps and supports stronger, more proactive security operations.

Turn insight into action

Once you know what your attack surface includes, the next challenge is making sense of it—and taking action. That’s where attack surface management delivers value: by turning a complex mix of digital assets into a clear, organized view of what matters most for reducing security gaps.

By continuously discovering assets across your organization—on-premises, in the cloud, or outside your network—an attack surface management system helps identify what needs protection. These assets are then categorized based on:
 
  • Level of exposure.
  • Business value.
  • Potential impact if compromised.
With this structured view, real-time monitoring and threat intelligence help security teams focus on the vulnerabilities that matter most. Instead of reacting to incidents after they occur, organizations can stay ahead of risk—addressing issues early, reducing attack paths, and strengthening their overall security posture.

Assess your organization

Good attack surface management starts with a clear, ongoing process that helps organizations stay ahead of changing threats. It makes sure all your assets are regularly found, checked, and kept secure.

The process includes four essential elements:

1. Identification. The first step is discovering all the assets that make up your organization’s attack surface.

Common vulnerabilities are:
 
  • On-premises infrastructure. Legacy servers that are still connected to the internet but no longer maintained or regularly updated.
  • Cloud services. Unmonitored or misconfigured cloud storage buckets that accidentally allow public access to sensitive data.
  • Remote endpoints. Employee laptops missing security updates or running outdated antivirus software while connected from outside the corporate network.
  • Partner platforms. Third-party vendor systems that are connected to your environment but lack strong access controls or regular security reviews.
  • Shadow IT: SaaS apps or collaboration tools set up by individual teams without IT approval or awareness—often lacking encryption or secure login settings.
Both active systems and forgotten or unused assets can create security gaps if they aren’t properly managed.

2. Classification. Once you've found your assets, the next step is to organize them—by what they do, how sensitive they are, who owns them, and how exposed they might be. This makes it easier for security teams to prioritize tasks.

Common vulnerabilities are:
 
  • Public-facing web apps that process customer data.
  • Internal tools without proper authentication.
  • Development or test environments with high-level access.
3. Threat assessment. Every asset gets a close look to find any weak spots or setup issues that could be tempting for cyberattackers. With help from threat insights and risk scores, security teams can pay attention to the most important problems and take action where it counts most.

Common vulnerabilities are:

  • Outdated systems missing critical security updates, even when known vulnerabilities are publicly documented.
  • Open ports or unsecured APIs.
  • Misconfigured identity and access management policies.
4. Continuous monitoring and analysis. Your attack surface is constantly changing as new technologies are adopted, systems are updated, or services move to the cloud. Continuous monitoring helps detect these changes in real time—surfacing emerging exposures before they become entry points for attackers.
This matters because an asset that was secure yesterday might be vulnerable today. Without ongoing visibility and analysis, blind spots quickly develop—giving attackers the foothold they need.

Together, these elements create the foundation for a risk-based approach to ASM that adapts as your environment evolves. As a continuous process, attack surface management helps security teams respond faster and with greater confidence.

Key benefits and common challenges

Core advantages for organizations

Better risk insight helps attack surface management strengthen overall security readiness and makes it easier for organizations to act quickly and make smart, timely decisions.

Some key benefits are:
 

  • A clearer view of your digital environment, helping teams spot unmanaged, hidden, or overlooked assets that could pose a threat.

  • Faster threat response, by bringing the most critical exposures to the surface in real time and supporting quicker, more confident action.

  • Stronger support for regulatory compliance and governance, with up-to-date asset insights that make it easier to meet audit and regulatory requirements—like General Data Protection Regulation.

  • Fewer disruptions and stronger business continuity, due to early detection of issues that could lead to downtime, data loss, or even a cyberattack.

  • Smarter security planning, as ASM insights help guide investment decisions, cloud strategy, and risk management.

Common difficulties organizations face

While ASM delivers strong benefits, implementing it effectively takes coordination, the right tools, and sustained effort.

Common challenges include:
 

  • Too many systems spread across environments, from on-premises to hybrid and multicloud—making it hard to get a complete view.

  • Untracked tools and external connections, which often fall outside traditional IT oversight and create hidden blind spots.

  • Limited staff or automation, making it difficult to keep up with new threats or stay on top of remediation.

  • Outdated methods like occasional scans, which can miss new assets or changes that happen between assessments.

By making attack surface management a core part of your cybersecurity program, you can stay ahead of risk and protect what matters most with confidence.

Create a tactical plan

Putting ASM into action starts with a clear plan—one that fits your configuration, risk tolerance, and day-to-day needs. Pick the right tools to build a setup that supports long-term visibility, security, and easy to manage.

Develop an ASM strategy

A well-designed attack surface management strategy begins by making sure your security goals support your business goals. That means getting clear on what success looks like—such as full knowledge of your assets, focusing on the biggest threats, and responding to threats more quickly.

Here are some key steps to getting started:
 

  • Understand your environment. Identify all the systems and services you rely on—across on-premises infrastructure, cloud workloads, SaaS apps, remote devices, and supplier platforms.

  • Clarify roles and responsibilities. Make sure everyone on your team knows who’s responsible for finding assets, assessing security gaps, and fixing any issues that come up.

  • Create consistent policies. Set clear, easy-to-follow guidelines for keeping track of assets, deciding which threats to tackle first, and making sure issues get resolved effectively.

  • Connect ASM to your broader security efforts. Integrate with existing programs like vulnerability management, threat detection and response, and compliance so you get the most value from the insights you’re gathering.

How to keep pace with change

Attack surfaces change fast, with new systems, tools, and risks popping up all the time. That’s why automation and smart tools are so important for keeping things visible and under control.
Technology supports effective attack surface management by:
 

SIEM gathers and analyzes data in real time from applications, devices, servers, and users across the organization. SIEM tools give a clear, complete view of your overall security.

Defender XDR uses extended detection and response powered by AI and automation to help organizations detect, investigate, and respond to advanced cyberattacks more efficiently and effectively.

Best practices for reducing risk

Reducing risk starts with strong, everyday practices. These steps help limit exposure and create a more resilient security foundation.
 

  • Keep your asset inventory up to date. Use automated discovery tools to ensure nothing important is overlooked.

  • Remove or secure systems you no longer need. Shut down unused tools or restrict access if they still serve a purpose.

  • Limit access to only what’s necessary. Apply the principle of least privilege so users and systems have just the access they need—nothing more.

  • Segment your network to contain threats. Divide your environment into zones so that if one area is compromised, the rest stays protected.

Security tips

Tactical security tips and quick wins can help strengthen your attack surface management efforts right away. Here are some key steps you can be take.
 

  • Keep systems current. Regularly update applications, firmware, and operating systems—especially internet-facing assets and high-value targets.

  • Strengthen access controls. Enforce multifactor authentication, apply role-based access, and review for privilege creep.

  • Prepare for incidents. Create response plans for scenarios involving unknown assets or external exposures and run simulations to test your readiness.

  • Commit to continuous improvement. Use lessons from incidents and regular assessments to refine your approach over time.

By bringing together strategy, automation, and strong operations, organizations can move from reactive security to proactive protection. Attack surface management best practices help build a solid foundation for resilience, faster responses, and stronger alignment between cybersecurity and business goals.

Microsoft security solutions

Take a unified approach to threat protection with a set of AI-powered security solutions from Microsoft designed to help you detect, investigate, and respond with speed and precision. Endpoint detection and response, intelligent threat detection, scalable automation, and security orchestration, automation, and response capabilities help teams manage and act on alerts efficiently across the digital estate. Managed detection and response services provide continuous monitoring, cyber threat hunting, and expert-led incident response as part of a unified security operations experience.
Resources

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Understand your attack surface and reduce risk

Reduce risk and strengthen security with full visibility into your attack surface and cyber threat exposure.
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Frequently asked questions

  • Attack surface monitoring is the real-time observation of changes or exposures in your digital environment—like new assets, misconfigurations, or vulnerabilities. Attack surface management is the broader, ongoing process that includes monitoring, but also involves identifying assets, assessing risk, prioritizing threats, and reducing exposure over time.
  • Dynamic application security testing focuses on scanning and testing web applications for vulnerabilities from the outside in, simulating real-world attacks. Attack surface management takes a broader view—continuously identifying, monitoring, and reducing security gaps across all exposed assets, not just applications.
  • Attack surface management prioritizes discovering and monitoring all exposed assets—known and unknown—to understand where risks exist across your environment. Vulnerability management identifies and remediates weaknesses within those assets, typically based on known software flaws or misconfigurations.
  • Attack surface management helps organizations discover, monitor, and reduce exposure by identifying all accessible assets and potential entry points. Breach and attack simulation tests existing defenses by safely emulating real-world attack techniques to find gaps in detection and response.

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