See Your Digital Footprint From a Criminal’s Point of View with EASM and Dark Web Monitoring

The vulnerabilities you can’t see

The greatest threat to an organization isn’t the vulnerabilities they are aware of, it’s the ones they don’t even know exist. Every organization has an expanding digital footprint that includes not only its core systems but also a library of assets spread across cloud platforms, third-party vendors, remote devices, and shadow IT. These unknown and unmanaged assets often operate outside the control of traditional security measures, creating hidden risks that cybercriminals actively exploit.

From misconfigured servers to abandoned subdomains, unpatched applications, and exposed credentials, these blind spots offer attackers an open door into an organization’s systems. Worse still, these vulnerabilities don’t advertise themselves, meaning organizations are often unaware of their existence until a breach occurs. Cybercriminals thrive on this lack of visibility, using automated tools and reconnaissance techniques to pinpoint weak points, plan attacks, and bypass defenses.

This is where External Attack Surface Management (EASM) becomes essential. EASM shifts the focus of security from an internal lens to an external one, helping you see your organization the way attackers do. Instead of waiting for an attack to reveal blind spots, EASM maps an organization’s digital footprint, identifying all internet-facing assets and assessing their risk.

By stepping into the shoes of a cybercriminal, EASM gives organizations the ability to proactively identify and remediate weak points before they can be exploited. This approach not only strengthens defenses but also ensures that businesses are prepared to respond to new risks as an attack surface evolves.

What is EASM?

EASM is a cybersecurity practice focused on discovering, monitoring, and securing an organization’s entire digital footprint. It’s designed to address the growing challenge of managing digital assets as organizations increasingly rely on cloud services, third-party integrations, and remote operations. Unlike traditional security tools that focus on internal systems or known assets, EASM works by identifying and evaluating all external-facing assets that attackers could target.

A digital attack surface includes much more than websites and applications. It can also include forgotten subdomains, misconfigured cloud services, exposed APIs, abandoned applications, “shadow IT”, and even third-party vendor vulnerabilities. Many of these assets may exist outside your IT department’s awareness, creating a dangerous blind spot that attacks actively search for.

By viewing your organization from the perspective of a threat actor, EASM enables organizations to uncover hidden vulnerabilities before they are exploited. It provides an inventory of your external assets, allowing security teams to proactively address security gaps, prioritize remediation efforts, and reduce overall cyber risk.

But while using EASM alone allows organizations to see the vulnerabilities, when it is paired with dark web monitoring security teams can spot threats from the dark web in real time.

How does EASM and dark web monitoring give you the bigger picture?

While EASM helps organizations understand and secure their digital footprint from an attacker’s perspective, it’s only part of the picture. Threats to your organization don’t always emerge directly from your exposed assets – they can also originate from the dark web. This is where EASM and dark web monitoring complement each other to provide a more comprehensive view of vulnerabilities and threats.

EASM focuses on mapping your organization’s external attack surface while dark web monitoring on the other hand, provides visibility into cybercriminals on the dark web where stolen data, credentials, and exploits are shared or sold. By combining these two practices, organizations can connect the dots between what attackers see on a network and how they are leveraging that information in underground forums and marketplaces.

Here’s how EASM and dark web monitoring work together to create a stronger defense:

Identifying exposed data

EASM reveals weaknesses like open databases, misconfigured APIs, or leaked credentials in an organization’s environment. Dark web monitoring then identifies if those credentials, sensitive files, or intellectual property have already been exposed or are being sold, signaling that an attacker has exploited a vulnerability.

Proactive threat detection

EASM uncovers potential entry points attackers might use, allowing businesses to address the entry points before they are exploited. Dark web monitoring will then highlight active threats, such as mentions of an organization in criminal discussions or the sale of exploits targeting your assets, giving the security team insights into how attackers are planning to act.

Prioritizing risk

EASM might detect hundreds of potential vulnerabilities, but not all post the same level of risk. Dark web monitoring can reveal which assets or data are of particular interest to attackers, helping organizations prioritize remediation efforts.

Monitoring for long-term impact

Even after vulnerabilities are patched, exposed data or credentials may remain in circulation on the dark web. Dark web monitoring ensures you remain aware of long-term risks that could emerge from past incidents.

Together, EASM and dark web monitor create a broader, more proactive cybersecurity strategy. EASM helps organizations understand their external vulnerabilities, while dark web monitoring reveals how those vulnerabilities might already be exploited or weaponized. By integrating insights from both, organizations can stay one step ahead of attackers, closing security gaps and neutralizing threats before they escalate.

Take action before the cybercriminals do

Cybercriminals are constantly searching for weaknesses in your organization’s digital footprint. They rely on speed and automation to identify and exploit vulnerabilities before you even realize they exist. The longer a blind spot in your external attack surface goes unnoticed, the greater the chance it will be leveraged against you – whether through ransomware, data theft, or a supply chain compromise. This is why taking a proactive stance is essential. 

To learn more about how you can automatically discover and address blind spots in your public-facing digital attack surface before cybercriminals can exploit them, visit our EASM tool page.