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Scope is an important shaping tool that, when leveraged properly, can help enhance engagement outcomes during penetration testing, red team and other security operations. Like any tool, however, when used incorrectly it can have devastating consequences.
The fact is, the game is already stacked against us - it is an asymmetric battlefield. We follow all the rules, and real-world attackers follow their mantra - The law does not apply to me. They will leverage anything and everything they need to accomplish their goals, unencumbered by constraints such as the law, ethics, or any trace of a moral compass.
We spend so much time and money on investing in so many things to protect our organizations until it comes to something uncomfortable or inconvenient, where scope becomes a defensive mechanism that I see over and over. I've said it before and I'll say it again - Scope is not a defensive mechanism, and we've got to stop treating it like it is!
Never underestimate the creativity of a desperate adversary. If you are mis-using scope as a defensive mechanism to avoid difficult conversations, this will become your Achilles' heel. It doesn't matter what form it comes in. Be it physical, social or technical, it's in play for real-world attacks, and if simply ignored through scoping exercises, it will become a target of opportunity that will be leveraged against you.
At Truvantis we understand this reality. Yes, the scope is important for a variety of reasons, and we leverage it every day to ensure we're on track for success, but we're not in the business of checking boxes. We're here to partner with our clients and flesh out real-world risk exposure before it's leveraged by an attacker, and part of that process is an honest evaluation of the engagement scope.
Don’t let scope become your next 0-day! Speak with a Truvantis security expert about the products and services we offer that can be leveraged in all sorts of engagements to enhance engagement outcomes. From Attack Surface Analysis designed to enhance active operations to intelligence operations designed to fuel risk assessments, penetration testing engagements, and red team operations, Truvantis is a trusted partner that can help provide additional insight into real-world attack surface.
