At Cypher 2024, Kaushik Halder, Head-Education, Training, Information Security and Emerging Technology at WEBEL shared groundbreaking insights into cybersecurity strategy, focusing on Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM). Representing Webel, the state’s Public Sector Undertaking, Kaushik illuminated an innovative approach to managing cyber risks that goes beyond traditional vulnerability assessment methods. The presentation highlighted the critical importance of proactive threat detection and management in an increasingly complex digital ecosystem.
Core Concepts of Threat Exposure Management
Continuous Threat Exposure Management represents a paradigm shift in cybersecurity strategy. Unlike traditional approaches that focus primarily on vulnerability assessment, CTEM takes a more comprehensive and proactive stance. The key principles include:
Comprehensive Risk Assessment: The approach moves beyond simple vulnerability scanning, recognizing that vulnerabilities are constantly evolving. As highlighted in the presentation, the number of Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) and Common Weakness Enumerations (CWEs) is increasing exponentially.
Holistic Security Perspective: CTEM looks at security from a broader lens, considering:
- Asset inventory
- Application and infrastructure mapping
- Attack surface analysis
- Port and service configuration
- Continuous threat intelligence monitoring
Strategic Intelligence Gathering: The methodology focuses on providing actionable intelligence to Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Security Operations Center (SOC) teams, enabling them to preemptively address potential threats.
Challenges and Innovative Solutions
The presentation revealed several critical challenges in modern cybersecurity:
Implementation Obstacles:
- Limited IP coverage
- Prohibitive costs
- Shortage of qualified cybersecurity personnel
- Exponential rise in connected devices
- Inability of traditional tools to prevent, protect, and preempt threats
Innovative Solutions Proposed:
- Implementing continuous threat exposure management systems
- Utilizing open-source threat monitoring tools
- Extending cloud security capabilities
- Developing state-of-the-art Next Generation SOC infrastructure
Practical Implementation Insights
Key implementation strategies shared include:
Threat Intelligence Integration:
- Install threat exposure management systems before peripheral security
- Provide real-time intelligence to SIEM and SOC teams
- Reduce analytical processing time
- Minimize risk landscape
Best Practices:
- Continuous monitoring of APIs, databases, and user input forms
- Regular security assessments of digital infrastructure
- Adopting a proactive rather than reactive security approach
- Implementing comprehensive exposure management across different network segments
Industry Impact and Future Trends
The speaker highlighted significant industry implications:
- Increased adoption of continuous threat exposure management
- Open-source tools becoming mainstream (e.g., AT&T’s 12-year use of an open-source threat monitoring product)
- Growing importance of preemptive threat detection
- Expanding threat intelligence capabilities for small and medium-sized organizations
Conclusion
The Cypher 2024 presentation provided a compelling vision for the future of cybersecurity. As Kaushik Halder eloquently stated, “If you know earlier what your threat is, you can preempt the threat.” This approach of continuous threat exposure management represents a critical evolution in protecting digital infrastructure, offering organizations a more dynamic, intelligent, and proactive approach to cybersecurity.
