Qualys adds external attack management capability to cloud security platform

Cloud security and compliance software company Qualys on Wednesday announced it is adding external attack surface management (EASM) capabilities to the Qualys Cloud Platform.

The new capability will be integrated into Qualys CSAM (cybersecurity asset management) 2.0, an inventory monitoring and resolution tool to help security teams gain visibility into previously unknown internet-facing assets.

“Achieving full asset visibility remains one of cybersecurity’s most elusive goals,” said Sumedh Thakar, Qualys CEO, in a press release. ”CyberSecurity Asset Management 2.0 solves this by providing both the holistic, external attacker-level and internal view of the attack surface to address the increased threat landscape comprehensively.”

EASM offers continuous classification of digital assets

Qualys’ EASM capabilities are designed to allow continuous discovery and classification of both internal and internet-facing (external) digital assets. This includes previously unidentified cloud assets such as unauthorized software, open ports, remotely exploitable vulnerabilities, digital certificate issues, unsanctioned apps, and domains.

“In a distributed world, adding external attack surface management (EASM) capabilities to Qualys’ solution is a strong move and essential when augmenting cyber defense capabilities and mitigating risk,” says Christopher Wilder, research director at TAG Cyber. “Incorporating EASM into its portfolio will provide its customers with a single view of all threats internally and externally, thereby reducing the attack surface, improving its ability to detect and respond to security incidents faster, and extending asset inventory inside and outside the enterprise.” 

Qualys CASM 2.0, along with Qualys VMDR (vulnerability management, detection, and response) 2.0 is also expected to streamline incident remediation by automating remediation workflows to convert unmanaged, internet-facing assets into fully managed and patched assets, the company said.

The integration will also automatically synchronize with enterprise configuration management databases (CMDBs) to allow security teams to capture unmanaged assets and gain visibility through a single source for internet-facing assets, along with location and context.