In this article you will learn:
- How traditional vulnerability management is evolving into exposure management
- The role of Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) in improving security posture
- Why data, context, and specific capabilities are crucial for building a proactive and effective exposure management program
- Enabling CTEM with handy tools
- How to prepare a modern security program
Cybersecurity leaders today face an overwhelming reality: Vulnerabilities are inevitable, and they’re multiplying at unprecedented rates. In 2024 alone, over 40,000 new Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) were reported.
For chief information security officers, security operations center managers, and security teams, the challenge isn’t just identifying weaknesses — it’s also determining which ones truly matter and how to act on them before attackers do.
From vulnerability management to exposure management
Traditional vulnerability management was built for a different era. It relies on siloed tools, point-in-time scans, and static scoring systems like the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). Although these methods provide value, they fall short in modern environments where cloud adoption, remote work, and advanced attack techniques have dramatically expanded the attack surface. Teams often find themselves buried under endless lists of vulnerabilities with no sense of priority on which ones to fix first.
A modern approach to exposure management takes aim at the complexity that slows security teams. It expands beyond CVEs to include misconfigurations, identity risks, and other exposures that increase attack likelihood. More importantly, it connects technical issues to business context, enabling organizations to focus on the risks that could have the greatest impact.
The role of CTEM
Gartner helped describe the shift from traditional vulnerability management to exposure management by coming up with Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM), a five-step, iterative framework designed to help organizations continuously improve their security posture. CTEM isn’t a tool but a program that adapts to changes in the threat landscape and business priorities.
The five steps of CTEM are Scoping, Discovery, Prioritization, Validation, and Mobilization. Together, they provide a structured approach to identify exposures, prioritize them with context, validate assumptions, and ultimately mobilize the right response.
Unlike static approaches, CTEM creates a feedback loop. Each cycle builds on the last, helping organizations mature over time. The goal isn’t to remediate every vulnerability. It’s to focus resources where they’ll reduce the most risk.
Why data and context matter
A successful exposure management program depends on data — lots of it. Vulnerability scanners, endpoint tools, identity systems, and cloud platforms all generate valuable insights. But raw data alone isn’t enough. Teams need context: Is a vulnerability on a critical asset or a test system? Is it actively being exploited? Is the asset already protected by mitigating controls? Without context, prioritization becomes guesswork. Many security teams address these challenges manually, attempting to stitch context together with homegrown systems, data lakes, and BI tools.
Tools that enable CTEM
Two categories of tools are particularly important:
- Cyber Asset Attack Surface Management (CAASM) platforms provide comprehensive asset inventories, ensuring no device or application is overlooked.
- Risk-based vulnerability management (RBVM) tools bring context to prioritization, weighing factors like exploitability, asset criticality, and compensating controls
When supported by automation and unified through a data fabric, these tools allow teams to streamline discovery, reduce noise, and drive efficient remediation.
Practical steps for a modern exposure management program should include a common data foundation, integrating security tools, using glass-box risk calculations, factoring in mitigating controls, and employing workflow automation. Feedback loops ensure that improvements are continuous rather than one-time fixes.
Building the security program of tomorrow
The shift from vulnerability management to exposure management represents more than an operational update — it’s a cultural shift. Instead of triaging an endless queue of CVE findings that lack context, teams can focus on what truly matters: protecting critical assets, enabling business continuity, and reducing risk in measurable ways. By unifying data, context, and controls, exposure management offers a proactive, scalable framework for cybersecurity resilience.
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