Navigating the Identity Attack Surface: A Critical Review for Cybersecurity Experts

The identity attack surface includes resources such as account takeover, lateral movement, and internal ransomware spread​​. The report sheds light on the significant gaps in identity security practices and solutions designed to prevent malicious access. These gaps are often due to incomplete coverage of critical resources or insufficient application to all users, making existing protections almost ineffective​​.

The identity attack surface, encompassing all organizational resources accessed via user credentials, has emerged as a prime target for cyber threats. The recent report by Osterman Research, commissioned by Silverfort, highlights two critical insights: firstly, identity as a highly targeted attack surface with compromised user credentials as the main vector; secondly, the inadequacy of security controls in most organizations, leaving them highly vulnerable​​.

A key finding of the report is the necessity for a mindset shift among business and security leaders. The focus should not be just on whether Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is budgeted and acquired, but rather if the MFA solution encompasses all resources and access methods exploited by adversaries. Similarly, the effectiveness of Privileged Access Management (PAM) in protecting both privileged users and service accounts is questioned, given the lack of visibility and real-time prevention capabilities in most organizations​​.

The report urges a fundamental rethinking of identity security to counter the growing tide of identity-based attacks and threats. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing key security gaps that expose the identity attack surface, advocating for an informed and holistic approach to bolster cybersecurity defenses​​.

Link to the article: Time to Wake Up: The Defenses of the Identity Attack Surface are Broken