{"id":3493,"date":"2024-09-30T09:50:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T09:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/?p=3493"},"modified":"2024-09-27T20:16:05","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T20:16:05","slug":"how-to-implement-continuous-threat-exposure-management-ctem-within-your-small-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/how-to-implement-continuous-threat-exposure-management-ctem-within-your-small-business\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Implement Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) Within Your Small Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Go beyond traditional threat detection to learn how to implement continuous threat exposure management within your small business in 5 steps and achieve robust cybersecurity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The world\u2019s economy has slowed down<\/a> in 2024, leaving businesses and individuals with less money in their pockets. But business is booming for bad guys. In the first half of the year, Perception Point recorded a 24% <\/a>increase in cyber attacks per employee<\/a>, while Chainalysis tracked over $459 million<\/a> in ransomware payments to cybercriminals\u2019 crypto wallets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organizations are scrambling to patch vulnerabilities and mitigate damages. However, staying on top of new threats and an ever-expanding attack surface can be challenging, especially for small businesses (SMBs) with limited budgets, personnel, and other resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, can the holistic approach offered by continuous threat exposure management (CTEM), a process enterprises choose to enhance security and minimize risks, help SMBs balance effective resilience and efficient operations, too? Spoiler alert: Yes, it can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How? This is what we’re going to find out. Keep on reading to learn what CTEM is, examine its value, and explore how small companies like yours can implement it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that 94% of your business’s critical assets<\/a> can be compromised in four steps or less? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) is typically a set of automated processes that helps organizations proactively assess, identify, and address cybersecurity risks before attackers can exploit them. This is done through continuous systems and network monitoring with the goal of hardening your attack surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This strategic approach was introduced by Gartner<\/a> in 2022. The thought behind it is to help businesses assess threats from the perspective of mitigating exposures<\/a> rather than focusing on stopping events. While CTEM is generally viewed from an enterprise perspective, its structured approach enables organizations of all sizes to prioritize potential threats and remediation efforts effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a quick overview of the process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
Image caption: Continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) is a five-step iterative process. We’ll learn more about each step momentarily.\u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This can be a blessing for small businesses (SMBs), which are often unable to fix every issue due to limited budgets and insufficient personnel to correctly identify and prioritize remediation actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How SMBs Can Implement Continuous Threat Exposure Management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

CTEM is an iterative five-step program that\u2019s generally divided into two phases:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. The diagnosis phase<\/strong>. This process includes scoping, discovery and threats prioritization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. The action phase<\/strong>. This period encompasses the validation and mobilization processes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    As an SMB owner, let’s see how you can implement each step without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    CTEM Implementation Step #1: Scope Your Organization\u2019s Attack Surface<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \"A
    Image caption: The first step of CTEM is to define the scope and the program’s objectives.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Identify the most important assets to include in your first cycle of continuous threat exposure management. Segmentation is key, so don’t go wild. As a small business, you won’t be able to address everything \u2014 not even large corporations can \u2014 so focus on the one area you consider most at risk. You don\u2019t know where to begin? Maybe follow Gartner\u2019s suggestions and start with the external and SaaS threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Ask yourself, \u201cWhich area of my business is the most at risk?\u201d Your internal network could be the answer. If compromised, attackers could gain a free ride throughout your whole system. A favorite example that comes to mind is the Casino heist stemming from an insecure smart fish tank<\/a> that was connected to its network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you go for it, don\u2019t limit your list to only the devices accessing the network. Incorporate less obvious elements, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n