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Busting Cybersecurity Myths: The Truth About Vulnerability and Attack Surface Management

MK Kaufmann
MJ Kaufmann

October 07, 2024 · 8 min read

Cybersecurity myths are stubborn. They hang around, often based on outdated information or misunderstandings that, if left uncorrected, can put businesses at risk. Vulnerability management (VM) and attack surface management (ASM) are two areas where myths can lead to weak defenses and bad decisions that leave your organization ripe for attack. Let’s walk through some of the most common myths, why people believe them, and, more importantly, why they’re dangerous.

Myth 1: Vulnerability Scanning Disrupts Network Operations

There’s an old belief that vulnerability scans are like bulldozers—clumsy, disruptive, and likely to knock things over. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Modern tools are light on their feet. They’re built to cause minimal disruption, quietly assessing your systems in the background while business as usual continues. Many of these tools leverage customization options to throttle scanning processes so they run when you want and can only steal a limited amount of CPU, memory, and bandwidth, reducing their overall impact.

Organizations that hold onto this myth avoid implementing regular scans because they fear operational impact. Avoiding vulnerability scans leaves systems exposed to threats that could have been easily detected and prevented. Not scanning doesn’t keep you safer—it keeps you in the dark.

Myth 2: Attack Surface Management Is Only Necessary for Large Enterprises

This myth sticks because of a false sense of invisibility. Small businesses often think, “We’re too small for hackers to notice.” Wrong. Attackers don’t care about your size. They care about your vulnerabilities.

Small and medium-sized businesses are often targeted precisely because they think they’re not on anyone’s radar. Thinking, “We’re too small to be a target,” can lead to cutting corners on security, which is precisely what attackers hope for. The danger here is obvious: failing to manage your attack surface leaves openings for threats to creep in.

Cybercriminals don’t discriminate based on size—they’re opportunistic. If your attack surface is wide open, they’ll take advantage, whether you’re a small business or a global enterprise. Whether it’s an unsecured API or an outdated web app, you’re inviting trouble if you’re not actively managing your attack surface. Every business, no matter how small, has something worth protecting. ASM helps you find the holes before someone else does.

Myth 3: A Clean Vulnerability Scan Means the Network Is Secure

It feels good to get that all-clear from a scan. But that warm, fuzzy feeling can quickly become complacency. Here’s the reality: a clean scan doesn’t mean your network is untouchable. Zero-day vulnerabilities, for example, can slip right through undetected. And web applications, especially those developed in-house may have vulnerabilities that are difficult to detect by only looking at the code.

On top of all this, the security environment changes fast. New threats pop up, patches fall behind, and a clean scan can quickly become outdated.

Believing that a single scan guarantees safety is dangerous because it can lull organizations into a false sense of security. These scans are only a vision of a point in time where your organization is safer from known threats. Continuous monitoring is critical. Without it, that clean scan becomes meaningless as new vulnerabilities emerge.

Myth 4: Vulnerability Scanning Is the Same as Penetration Testing

These two terms get mixed up all the time, but they’re not interchangeable. Vulnerability scanning is like checking for cracks in the walls and unlocked windows—it spots weaknesses that might be exploitable. Penetration testing is more like sending a professional burglar to try to break into your house. It goes beyond finding weaknesses; it tests how exploitable those weaknesses are.

The danger of confusing these two is that you might think your vulnerabilities are harmless when, in fact, they could be exploited in ways you never expected. Pen testing reveals the real-world consequences of those gaps. If you’re only scanning, you’re missing half the picture.

Myth 5: Once the Attack Surface Is Mapped, No Further Action Is Required

There’s a certain appeal to the idea of setting something up once and never thinking about it again. But attack surfaces are like moving targets—they change with every new application, cloud service, or device you add to your network. If you map your attack surface once and assume the job’s done, you’re asking for trouble.

The danger here is thinking that security is static when, in reality, it’s a living, breathing process. Keeping your attack surface secure requires constant updating to ensure it accounts for your business’s current IT state. Complacency is your enemy. You can’t afford to take a “set it and forget it” approach with something this critical.

Myth 6: Regular software updates make vulnerability scanning unnecessary.

Regular software updates are crucial for security but don’t cover everything. These updates generally fix known bugs and close vulnerabilities that vendors have already identified. So much like a vulnerability scan, they only address what is known AND that a vendor has provided an update for.

The danger here is that not every vulnerability stems from a known software exploit. Updates don’t address configuration errors and unauthorized changes, creating significant security gaps. Vulnerability scanning fills these visibility gaps, offering a broader assessment by checking for misconfigurations and unauthorized alterations that updates can overlook. This allows teams to address vulnerabilities currently without patches, adding compensating controls to diminish the risk or increasing monitoring when this is not possible.

Why These Myths Persist—and Why They’re Dangerous

Myths like these continue to circulate for a variety of reasons—outdated thinking, a lack of education, or a tendency to view cybersecurity as someone else’s problem. Whatever the cause, these misconceptions are dangerous. They foster complacency and create gaps in an organization’s security posture.

It’s easy to believe that only the largest companies need sophisticated cybersecurity strategies. Small and medium-sized businesses may convince themselves that because they’re not a Fortune 500 company, they won’t be on a cybercriminal’s radar. This false sense of security can lead to under-investment in critical areas like attack surface and vulnerability management.

On the other hand, larger enterprises can fall into the trap of thinking that their current efforts—whether through vulnerability scans or periodic assessments—are enough. But as we’ve seen, security requires constant vigilance. You can’t just run a scan, check the box, and call it a day. Continuous monitoring, regular assessments, and adapting to new threats are the only ways to maintain a strong security posture.

Moving Forward: Embracing Reality

The reality is that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility for organizations of all sizes. Whether you’re a small business or a multinational enterprise, vulnerability management and attack surface management are not optional—they’re critical components of a healthy security strategy.

Breaking free from these myths allows for a more realistic approach to security. It helps organizations prepare for the unexpected rather than just reacting to threats after they’ve already caused damage. Whether it’s keeping scans non-disruptive, recognizing the need for ASM in smaller environments, or understanding the differences between vulnerability scans and pen tests, the key is continuous improvement and awareness.

Cybersecurity is never a one-and-done process. It’s a commitment. Recognizing that commitment and staying informed is how organizations stay ahead of threats. And that starts with debunking these common myths.

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