Cybersecurity Asset Management (CSAM): Definition, Benefits, & Trends

Cybersecurity asset management (CSAM) is the continuous process of identifying, tracking, and managing all digital assets within an organization to protect them from cyber threats. CSAM involves maintaining an up-to-date inventory of hardware, software, data, and cloud instances, monitoring their behavior, and ensuring they comply with security policies and controls. By effectively managing these assets, organizations can mitigate risk, detect vulnerabilities, and enhance their protection against breaches and incidents.

With the average number of installed Internet of Things (IoT) devices (including cellular-connected devices) projected to nearly double in the next few years, this example alone predicts potentially billions of new assets that each cause greater exposure to cybersecurity risks.

Think about it: the future growth of IoT is just one example of how our device landscape is evolving at lightning speed.

All it takes is just one unmonitored endpoint or application — be it a smartphone, laptop, network router, or printer — to act as an open door for malicious actors to wreak havoc.

The importance (and urgency) of effective CSAM cannot be overstated. By proactively managing and securing your most critical assets, CSAM helps your organization stay ahead of emerging threats, comply with regulatory standards, and foster stakeholder trust.

In this post, we’ll define CSAM and explain its role in modern security operations. We’ll also examine how CSAM differs from IT asset management (ITAM), outline the key benefits of leveraging CSAM, and discuss trends in AI shaping its future. Finally, we’ll highlight how unlocking the full potential of your cybersecurity strategy starts with mastering IT asset management.
 

• What is cybersecurity asset management?
• CSAM vs. ITAM
• What are cyber assets?
• Why is CSAM important?
• Benefits of cybersecurity asset management
• How does cybersecurity asset management work?
• Enhancing automation with AI: The future of cybersecurity asset management
• Why effective cybersecurity asset management begins by improving IT asset management

What is cybersecurity asset management?

Cybersecurity asset management is the continuous, real-time identification, tracking, and management of every asset in your organization’s environment to enhance and ensure your organization’s security posture and cyber hygiene.

Introduced to the market in 2021 by Qualys, the term “cybersecurity asset management” quickly gained popularity as a way to describe providing a unified view of the entire attack surface to gain visibility into security gaps. However, the concept of managing and securing IT assets as a part of a broader cybersecurity strategy existed before this, as organizations have long recognized the importance of asset management in maintaining a robust cybersecurity posture. Now, there was a formal name for this strategic approach.

The modern digital landscape is increasingly complex, with assets extending beyond traditional on-premises data sources to include cloud services, IoT devices, and hybrid networks. Each of these assets represents a potential entry point for malicious actors.

By maintaining a comprehensive IT inventory of these assets and implementing effective security measures, CSAM helps protect against cyber threats and ensures all assets are accounted for and managed securely, reducing your attack surface and helping you ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

How to achieve complete IT visibility with Tanium

Unlike traditional IT asset management, which primarily focuses on asset utilization and lifecycle, CSAM zeroes in on mitigating vulnerabilities and minimizing cyber risks associated with every cyber asset — whether it’s hardware, software, or intangible assets.

For example, while ITAM prioritizes tracking to help you manage software and hardware costs, reduce unnecessary expenditures, and ensure that assets are used effectively, CSAM emphasizes identifying outdated software versions that could expose your systems to malware and even ransomware attacks. This distinction is crucial as security teams grapple with an ever-evolving threat landscape.

As we delve deeper into the realm of asset management, it’s essential to recognize the connection between CSAM and IT asset management. Both practices aim to manage and protect an organization’s assets but do so with different focuses and methodologies. By understanding how CSAM and ITAM intersect and complement each other, organizations can take a more holistic approach to asset management.

Let’s look at the key differences and similarities between CSAM and ITAM to better understand their unique contributions to maintaining a secure and efficient IT environment.

Back to table of contents

CSAM vs. ITAM

While both CSAM and ITAM involve asset identification and tracking, their objectives differ.

The goal for effective CSAM is securing assets, whereas ITAM focuses on optimizing their use and cost efficiency.

For instance, ITAM ensures assets are utilized effectively and replaced or upgraded on schedule. In contrast, CSAM analyzes whether those assets are vulnerable to threats, unpatched, or misconfigured — problems that could lead to a data breach.

Consider IoT devices: An ITAM approach might catalog these devices to understand inventory levels. However, CSAM goes further by evaluating the potential risks they pose, such as weak passwords or outdated firmware.

The expanding attack surface, driven by the proliferation of connected devices and systems, only adds to the need for CISOs to have a robust and broad understanding of the data flows across the business. What may seem to be innocuous data collection and storage, when combined with other data sets, could become more harmful to an organization’s customers, employees and business strategy.¹

Integrating both strategies — where ITAM provides a robust inventory and CSAM overlays a security-focused lens — better enables your organization to manage your assets holistically.

The synergy between ITAM and CSAM underscores why organizations must adopt a two-pronged approach to asset management, blending operational efficiency with robust security protocols.

Understanding CSAM’s emphasis on security lays the foundation for exploring how it complements ITAM and the unique benefits it delivers for cybersecurity-focused organizations. But first, it’s important to understand what assets qualify as cyber assets.

[Read also: Should I use an IT asset management or inventory system? In-depth solution comparison]

Back to table of contents

What are cyber assets?

A cyber asset is any digital resource in your organization’s environment that contributes to your operations or cybersecurity management.

A key characteristic that categorizes an IT asset as a cyber asset is its interconnectivity with your network and IT environment.

While this essential connectivity helps your organization function efficiently, it can also create devastating vulnerabilities if not properly managed and secured.

For example, a single unpatched server or misconfigured IoT device can become an entry point for cyberattacks. CSAM is critical to maintaining operational integrity and securing sensitive data.

Some asset types may be obvious to you as cyber assets, while others might surprise you. Common examples of cyber assets include:

• Hardware: Servers, mobile devices, laptops, desktops, printers, and routers
• Software: Applications, operating systems, APIs, SaaS solutions, encryption keys, containers, email and messaging apps, and proprietary algorithms
• Data and data-related assets: Databases, intellectual property, digital documents, and images
• Virtual resources: Social media accounts/profiles, cloud instances, virtual machines, VPN, your company domains, IP addresses, and firewalls
• Intangibles: Patents, licenses, login credentials, access controls, and network configurations

Effective management of cyber assets involves continuous discovery, real-time monitoring, and rigorous IT compliance with security policies. This ensures the asset’s optimal performance and protects it and your organization from cyber threats.

Unsecured cyber assets can become entry points for cyber threats, leading to data breaches, unauthorized access, and potential disruptions to your operations. Implementing robust cybersecurity measures to protect these interconnected assets and mitigate risks is essential.

Back to table of contents

Why is CSAM important?

Cybersecurity asset management is vital in helping organizations mitigate risks, comply with regulatory requirements, and respond proactively to emerging threats.

Unmanaged assets pose a significant risk. Without a CSAM strategy, your organization might miss vulnerabilities lurking in shadow IT, rogue endpoints, or misconfigured cloud instances.

Additionally, regulatory frameworks like GDPR and HIPAA mandate strict data protection standards, which include requirements to maintain accurate asset inventories to ensure compliance.

Effective CSAM solutions not only reduce exposure to threats but also improve incident response times. When a breach occurs, knowing the affected assets’ details will improve your remediation efforts and allow your IT services and IT security teams to act swiftly and decisively to minimize damage and restore the integrity of your information systems.

Given its critical function in modern cybersecurity, let’s better understand the key benefits organizations can achieve by implementing CSAM.
 
Back to table of contents
 

Benefits of cybersecurity asset management

From enhancing vulnerability management to streamlining compliance, CSAM offers a range of benefits that improve your organization’s overall security posture. These benefits highlight the transformative potential of CSAM, including:

• Mitigating security risks: Identify and address vulnerabilities across hardware, software, and cloud environments to minimize the risk of breaches.
• Enhancing risk assessments: Gain visibility and insights to ensure accurate asset data for better prioritization of the most effective risk management and evaluation efforts
• Improving attack surface management: Reduce exploitable entry points by ensuring assets are secured and monitored continuously.
• Streamlining compliance management: Ensure that all assets adhere to regulatory standards and guidelines, reducing the risk of noncompliance issues.
• Accelerating incident response: Provide detailed asset data for faster containment and recovery during security events.
• Reducing costs: Identify unprotected or mismanaged assets to minimize vulnerability gaps and lower the risk of costly breaches or regulatory fines.

Effective CSAM is crucial in enhancing security and is essential for any organization. In the next section, we’ll explore how CSAM works and the various components involved. Understanding these processes helps organizations implement strategies that not only streamline asset management but also strengthen their cybersecurity defenses.

[Listen to our free podcast: Episode 19 – Meet shadow AI, the riding new threat]

Back to table of contents

How does cybersecurity asset management work?

CSAM employs a systematic and programmatic approach to discover, monitor, and secure all assets within your organization’s IT environment. This process ensures comprehensive visibility, enhanced security, and compliance with regulatory and cybersecurity frameworks.

Here are five main components typically included in a CSAM workflow:

1. Asset discovery: CSAM starts with real-time identification of all connected assets, including those not officially sanctioned.
2. Asset inventory: Each discovered asset is cataloged, detailing critical information such as its type, location, owner, and current security status.
3. Vulnerability management: CSAM solutions continuously monitor assets for changes, vulnerabilities, and security noncompliance.
4. Risk analysis: By analyzing asset configurations and usage patterns, CSAM identifies and prioritizes potential security risks based on impact and likelihood.
5. Remediation: CSAM tools must integrate with IT and security workflows to allow quick responses, such as patching vulnerabilities, quarantining compromised assets, or updating misconfigured settings. For example, a CSAM solution might detect an unpatched IoT device on the network. The system would flag the device, prioritize its remediation based on your organization’s risk tolerance, and initiate an automated patching process or alert IT administrators to address it manually.

Maintaining a robust security posture is essential for any organization. However, the complexity and scale of modern IT environments often present significant challenges.

Organizations have traditionally used automation to implement effective CSAM, enhancing control and efficiency beyond what manual processes can achieve. In the next section, we’ll delve into how organizations currently use automation for CSAM and discover how automation is evolving to keep up with the pace of modern IT ecosystems.

[Read also: What is security automation? The benefits, importance, and features]

Back to table of contents

Enhancing automation with AI: The future of cybersecurity asset management

Automation has historically been vital in supporting cybersecurity asset management. Why is that? The complexity and vastness of IT environments make manual management and security of numerous assets time-consuming and error-prone. Automation has helped address this challenge by providing the control and efficiency manual processes lack, such as asset discovery, incident response, and vulnerability monitoring tasks.

Today, leveraging AI to streamline workflows, enhance experiences, and analyze data is popular for good reasons. AI is also seen as an effective method to maximize the impact of existing strategies, and unlocking additional value from your existing CSAM efforts is one such use case.

Whether optimizing individual productivity, automating processes or offering predictive insights, AI can serve as a core enabler of strategic transformation.²

Combining AI and automation not only amplifies the benefits of traditional asset management but also introduces new levels of efficiency, accuracy, and proactive security measures.

By integrating AI insights into existing systems and automation processes, organizations can accelerate incident response times, enable real-time threat detection and automated recovery processes, and boost predictive analytics that allow for the identification of potential security risks before they happen.

As we look to the future of CSAM, it’s clear that smart automation informed by AI insights will play a pivotal role in enhancing security measures and operational efficiency. By leveraging AI alongside automation, organizations can achieve real-time threat detection, automated recovery processes, and predictive analytics, creating a more resilient and secure IT environment.

[Read also: What is cyber resilience?]

However, to fully realize the benefits of advanced CSAM solutions, starting with a strong foundation is essential. This begins with improving ITAM.

In the next section, we’ll dig deeper into why successful cybersecurity asset management starts with robust ITAM practices and how they lay the groundwork for a comprehensive and secure asset management strategy.

Back to table of contents

Why effective cybersecurity asset management begins by improving IT asset management

Effective cybersecurity asset management requires a foundation of visibility and control over IT assets. This baseline work is crucial because it creates the infrastructure needed to implement security controls and tailored policies.

IT asset management provides that foundation with the up-to-date inventory and operational insights required to monitor, secure, and manage assets effectively. Without a solid ITAM strategy, your organization will struggle to identify risks, enforce security controls, and ensure compliance, exposing you to breaches, fines, and operational inefficiencies.

ITAM ensures all assets are accounted for and tracked throughout their lifecycle; CSAM extends this benefit by layering on security-focused asset management measures, such as:

• Implementing tailored security policies to address specific vulnerabilities tied to asset types, adapt to regulatory requirements, account for asset sensitivity, and ensure operational efficiency that doesn’t compromise security.
• Reducing security issues by identifying and addressing unprotected or mismanaged devices, including shadow IT, legacy systems, and unpatched software, which often serve as entry points for malicious actors.
• Streamlining compliance audits by maintaining detailed records of asset security statuses, ensuring that all assets meet regulatory requirements, and reducing the risk of noncompliance penalties.

[Read also: Compliance vs. risk management – Definitions and differences]

The synergy between ITAM and CSAM is indispensable for modern organizations. By establishing a robust ITAM foundation, organizations can ensure comprehensive visibility and control over their assets, which is essential for implementing effective security measures. CSAM builds on this foundation by addressing specific security vulnerabilities and enhancing compliance efforts.

Together, ITAM and CSAM create a robust framework that not only protects against cyber threats but also optimizes operational efficiency and regulatory adherence. Embracing this integrated approach is crucial for safeguarding your organization’s digital landscape and ensuring long-term success. Without effective ITAM to feed CSAM, building upon new innovations like automation powered by AI becomes challenging. This integration is essential for staying ahead in the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.

Back to table of contents

---

Tanium Asset Discovery & Inventory seamlessly integrates ITAM and CSAM to enhance efficiency and ensure security. It provides real-time insights into every connected device (even unmanaged or rogue assets) and provides a single source of truth to ensure consistent, accurate asset data across the organization.

Additionally, with Tanium Autonomous Endpoint Management (AEM), our innovative platform elevates your ability to manage assets by automating critical tasks, including vulnerability patching, configuration updates, and compliance monitoring.

Tanium empowers organizations to:

• Proactively identify and mitigate risks before they escalate, minimizing security threats.
• Automate labor-intensive tasks to reduce operational costs, including resolving issues without employee downtime or helpdesk calls.
• Build resilience against emerging threats through real-time monitoring and advanced analytics.
• Predict the impact of endpoint changes by analyzing and measuring even minor alterations in real time.
• Capture and design dynamic, reusable automation that integrates IT and security workflows.
• Minimize disruptions by scheduling endpoint changes at optimal times for business operations.
• Prioritize and remediate high-risk vulnerabilities in real time with automated processes.

Effective cybersecurity starts with the basics. By investing in robust ITAM, your organization will have a solid foundation for effective CSAM. Additionally, Tanium AEM is creating new opportunities for organizations to realize the benefits of smart automation and AI insights fed by our interconnected ecosystem of solutions, resulting in an integrated approach that’s crucial for safeguarding your organization’s digital landscape and ensuring long-term success.

To see how Tanium Asset Discovery & Inventory can redefine your asset management approach, request a demo today.