Attack Surface

The sum of all the possible ways an attacker could get into your systems or data. In other words, it's the collection of points where your organization is vulnerable - such as open network ports, software interfaces, employee accounts, websites, or even office Wi-Fi.

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A larger attack surface means more opportunities for hackers. Reducing your attack surface might involve closing unused software ports, removing unused user accounts, and limiting public exposure of devices. For an SMB, keeping the attack surface small (only the necessary services exposed, all else locked down) makes it much harder for adversaries to find a way in.