Actionable Inventory

In cybersecurity, an actionable inventory is more than just a list of assets; it's a dynamic and context-rich catalog that empowers security teams to protect those assets effectively. It provides the necessary information to prioritize security efforts, respond to incidents, and manage vulnerabilities.

Here's a breakdown of the key characteristics that make an inventory "actionable":

• Completeness: An actionable inventory strives to include all relevant known and shadow IT assets to minimize blind spots.

• Accuracy: Information about each asset is accurate and up-to-date, reflecting the current state of the environment.

• Contextualization: Assets are enriched with business context, such as criticality, data sensitivity, and ownership, to prioritize security efforts based on potential impact.

• Vulnerability Status: The inventory integrates vulnerability data, showing which assets have known weaknesses and their severity.

• Security Control Status: It indicates which security controls are applied to each asset and their effectiveness.

• Automation: The inventory is often automatically updated to reflect changes in the environment, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy.

• Integration: It integrates with other security tools to enable automated workflows, such as vulnerability patching and incident response.

ThreatNG provides valuable capabilities for discovering, assessing, and managing external-facing assets, contributing to a more actionable security posture. Here's how:

Completeness:

• ThreatNG's external discovery aims to identify all externally facing assets, reducing blind spots.

• It discovers various asset types, including web applications, domains, cloud services, and mobile apps.

Accuracy:

• ThreatNG's assessment modules provide detailed and accurate information about discovered assets.

• For example, the Domain Intelligence module accurately analyzes DNS records and subdomains.

Contextualization:

• ThreatNG provides information that helps in understanding the business context of assets:

  • The Technology Stack information reveals the software and technologies used, indicating the asset's function.

  • Cloud and SaaS Exposure identifies the cloud services and SaaS applications in use, providing insights into business processes.

Vulnerability Status:

• ThreatNG's external assessment modules identify vulnerabilities in externally facing assets:

  • The "Web Application Hijack Susceptibility" assessment finds vulnerabilities in web applications.

  • The "Cyber Risk Exposure" assessment considers vulnerabilities in various components.

Security Control Status:

• ThreatNG's "Positive Security Indicators" feature identifies the presence of security controls like Web Application Firewalls (WAFs).

• This helps understand the security posture of each asset.

Automation:

• ThreatNG's continuous monitoring automatically updates information about external assets, ensuring the inventory remains current.

Integration:

• While the document doesn't explicitly detail integrations for inventory management, ThreatNG's data can be integrated with other security tools to enhance their actionability.

• For example, integrating ThreatNG's findings with a SIEM or vulnerability management system can automate workflows.

ThreatNG provides a strong foundation for building an Actionable Inventory by delivering comprehensive, accurate, and contextualized information about externally facing assets.