Ensure Software Security by Understanding the Attack Surface

For many organizations, it seems like cyberattacks can come from anywhere, at any time. This sense is heightened by the number of endpoints in play that could be vulnerable to threats. Quality assurance teams must ensure that they have the data on hand to keep these risks at bay. By gathering information on current dangers, companies can better understand the attack surface and establish safeguards.

Breaking down elements in play
The attack surface contains all possible vulnerabilities - known and unknown - that may exist across your infrastructure, and sums up your risk of exposure. While the attack surface may seem like one big scary entity, it's actually made up of several parts. Tripwire broke considerations down into software, network and human attack surfaces to make this large picture easier to manage. QA professionals should approach the attack surface this way in order to ensure that all aspects are accommodated for rather than being overwhelmed by the big picture. Everything from coding to devices and human error must be considered when gathering information and preparing for potential threats.

Analyze data and act on it
Testing results can be a critical indicator of what types of vulnerabilities may be present within a program. The Open Web Application Security Project noted that an attack surface analysis will help QA and developers better understand what they're up against and build in security accordingly. During this evaluation, they must determine high risk areas of code, what functions should be reviewed for defects and when the attack surface has changed. This last consideration will be especially critical as further tests and adjustments will be needed to secure the software.

Anything that an organization does could affect the attack surface, which means that it will have to be constantly monitored. QA teams need to ask what's changed, how it's different from before and what potential holes were opened in the process. This will help keep the attack surface visibly mapped out, making it easy to strategize how to protect the business, its employees and customers.

Reduce the noise
While a breach is certainly possible, that doesn't mean it should be easy for attackers to gain entry into business systems. Organizations can reduce their attack surface by decreasing the amount of noise within their infrastructure. Accuvant pointed out that doing this will reduce an attack's operating surface, minimizing the likelihood of malicious access. QA teams can use tactics like configuration management, exploit analysis, patching, sandboxing and secure application development to effectively reduce or eliminate the impact of a vulnerability.

"Integrating these strategies into your security program make it much harder for exploits to attack your organization's systems," Accuvant stated. "By reducing your adversaries' operating surface, you are effectively limiting their attack surface."

The threat of a vulnerability is a very real concern for businesses. By gathering information on what types of attacks are becoming prevalent and understanding how they can affect company software, QA teams can prepare for these risks and protect their users from the growing attack surface.