How Organizations Can Prioritize Cybersecurity Risks Effectively

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Organizations face persistent challenges in addressing recognized cyber threats despite increased data collection efforts, according to a recent analysis by Filigran.

Key Findings from Filigran’s Analysis

Security teams continue to operate with fragmented tools, resulting in disjointed insights about their risk profiles. Cloud environments, on-premises systems, third-party services, vulnerability scanners, threat intelligence sources, and attack surface management platforms generate vast amounts of risk-related information. However, 93% of entities encounter difficulties maintaining a current and accurate understanding of their attack surface, with only 41% achieving a unified perspective on cyber risk exposure.

Key Barriers to Unified Risk Assessment

Important barriers include asset visibility, data consolidation, and integrating meaningful risk context. The accumulation of threat data does not inherently enhance decision-making processes. Combining internal telemetry on assets and configurations with external telemetry on adversary activity and targeting is essential for a contextualized risk assessment.

“Organizations are overwhelmed by threat data from numerous feeds and tools. Without continuous validation and intelligent prioritization, this data creates noise rather than clarity,” said Julien Richard, CTO of Filigran.

Threat Intelligence Adoption and Challenges

Threat intelligence adoption remains widespread but inconsistent. Ninety-nine percent of organizations utilize threat intelligence within security operations centers, though only 45% have operationalized it effectively. On average, entities consume 14 threat intelligence feeds, including nine open-source sources. Managing this information remains a manual task for many, as teams must structure, contextualize, and prioritize intelligence before it supports security operations.

Challenges in Remediation Workflows

Separated exposure data and remediation workflows hinder the creation of a cohesive risk view. Determining which risks demand immediate attention remains elusive. Attackers frequently exploit known vulnerabilities that lack proper prioritization, with 97% of organizations struggling to assess exploitability. Manual processes delay vulnerability evaluation, threat analysis, and validation, prolonging the time between risk identification and mitigation.

Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) Programs

Organizations with established CTEM programs employ distinct risk assessment tooling compared to those planning implementation. Governance, risk, and compliance platforms, cloud security posture management, breach and attack simulation, and external attack surface management tools show higher adoption among mature CTEM programs. Penetration testing usage declines, while custom internally developed tools remain largely unchanged.

AI Integration and Future Trends

Automation is expected to play a larger role in exposure management over the next two years. Organizations estimate AI currently supports one-third of exposure management tasks, with expectations of significant expansion. Areas like exposure detection, exploitability validation, and remediation prioritization are seen as high-benefit zones for AI integration.

Geographic Disparities in Risk Visibility

Geographic disparities persist in risk visibility. North America leads with 52% of organizations reporting a consolidated cyber risk view, compared to 37% in EMEA and 31% in APAC. North America also demonstrates the highest use of threat intelligence within continuous automated validation processes. These differences reflect varying stages of maturity in connecting threat intelligence with risk validation.

Conclusion

The report underscores the need for systemic improvements in threat data management, emphasizing the critical role of automation, contextualized risk assessment, and organizational alignment to address evolving cyber threats.

FAQs

What is the main challenge organizations face in cyber threat management?

Organizations struggle with fragmented tools, leading to disjointed insights and difficulties in maintaining a unified understanding of their attack surface.

How does threat intelligence adoption vary across organizations?

While 99% of organizations use threat intelligence, only 45% operationalize it effectively. Manual processes for managing threat intelligence remain prevalent.

What role does AI play in future exposure management?

AI is expected to expand significantly in areas like exposure detection, exploitability validation, and remediation prioritization, supporting 1/3 of current tasks.