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Why You Need an External Attack Surface Management (ASM) Service

Posted on June 15, 2025

In today’s hyper-connected world, your digital assets stretch far beyond the company firewall. With cloud services, remote work, third-party integrations, and the relentless pace of technology, knowing exactly what’s exposed to the internet has become a moving target.

Attackers are constantly scanning for new doors, open windows, and forgotten back entrances. The question isn’t just what you’re protecting, but whether you even know what you have.

This is where an external Attack Surface Management (ASM) service comes into play.

Seeing Yourself Through a Hacker’s Eyes

Imagine trying to defend a castle without knowing how many gates, secret tunnels, or forgotten towers exist. Internal teams, no matter how skilled, often develop “security tunnel vision.” Routine, resource limits, and daily fires can blindside even the best IT teams.

An external ASM service offers fresh, unbiased perspective. It scans the entire internet just like cybercriminals do to identify every asset, endpoint, and vulnerability connected to your brand. No assumptions, no gaps, just the real, up-to-the-minute picture of your external risk.

Continuous Discovery and Monitoring

Your attack surface isn’t static. New services get spun up, old domains linger, shadow IT projects slip through the cracks. An external ASM service uses automation and intelligence to continuously map, monitor, and alert you to changes as they happen. This means:

  • No more relying on outdated asset inventories
  • Instant notifications when new exposures pop up
  • Faster response to real-world threats

Outpacing Threat Actors

The speed of exploitation is staggering. Attackers often weaponize new exposures within hours or even minutes. An external ASM service helps you stay ahead by:

  • Spotting forgotten test environments and open dev ports
  • Detecting cloud storage buckets that were accidentally left public
  • Finding credentials, secrets, or sensitive data exposed via third-party sites

It’s not about playing catch-up. It’s about setting the pace.

Unbiased Risk Prioritization

When you use an external service, you benefit from a view that matches what attackers see. This lets you prioritize real risks, not just theoretical vulnerabilities. External ASM highlights exposures that actually matter for your business—helping you focus your resources where they make the biggest difference.

Compliance, Reporting, and Peace of Mind

Auditors and executives alike demand proof that your external footprint is under control. An ASM service provides easy-to-understand dashboards and reporting—making compliance smoother and executive conversations simpler. Plus, it’s a powerful story to tell: “We know exactly what’s exposed and are actively managing it, every single day.”

How AI Supercharges Both Attackers and Defenders

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the cybersecurity landscape—but not always in ways that benefit defenders. Today’s attackers are using AI to automate reconnaissance, launch smarter phishing campaigns, and uncover exposed assets faster than ever.

Key Regulations & Guidance Relevant to ASM

NIS2 Directive (EU)

The NIS2 Directive (effective October 2024) mandates enhanced risk management and continuous monitoring of assets for essential and important entities in the EU.

While it doesn’t name ASM, its requirements around asset visibility, incident reporting, and vulnerability management make external ASM highly recommended—especially for organizations with complex or cloud-based infrastructure.

DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act, EU)

DORA requires financial sector entities to identify and manage all ICT risks, including those exposed to the internet. Continuous asset discovery and risk assessment are core requirements, often satisfied with external ASM services.

NIST Cybersecurity Framework (U.S.)

NIST CSF states organizations should “identify and manage assets,” maintain an “inventory of physical and software assets,” and monitor for vulnerabilities. It doesn’t require external ASM specifically, but for large or cloud-native organizations, external ASM is the industry best practice.

PCI DSS 4.0 (Global, Card Payment Industry)

PCI DSS 4.0 requires organizations to “identify and document all system components” and to perform regular vulnerability scans of all internet-facing systems. Many organizations turn to external ASM for continuous, independent asset discovery and scanning.

ISO/IEC 27001:2022

This standard mandates “inventory of assets” and “regular risk assessments” including assets exposed externally. It recommends “external vulnerability assessments,” which ASM services are purpose-built to deliver.

SEC Cybersecurity Rules (U.S., Public Companies)

The new SEC rules (in force since 2024) require listed companies to “describe their processes for identifying and managing material cybersecurity risks.” For large organizations, external ASM is the fastest way to meet this requirement and demonstrate due diligence.

How Cyberleveling Can Help

At Cyberleveling, we offer comprehensive external Attack Surface Management services that deliver real value to our clients by continuously identifying, monitoring, and prioritizing internet-facing risks.