CTEM Solutions: A Detailed Market Comparison

Purpose-built continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) solutions are the best way to get CTEM benefits in your security program.

Because the CTEM market is relatively new (the term “CTEM” was only coined by Gartner in 2022), there are various solution types marketed as CTEM solutions.

Unfortunately, not every product billed as a “CTEM solution” can actually “do CTEM.”

Based on our analysis (we reviewed all the vendors we could find who say they sell CTEM solutions), most CTEM products on the market are partial solutions at best. Some can do preliminary CTEM tasks, e.g., asset discovery and mapping. However, most cannot perform the most critical CTEM functions, such as validation, and only one does the full cycle of CTEM processes. 

In our opinion, the current lack of clarity around CTEM solutions creates a potential value trap for buyers. You might think you are buying a CTEM solution and getting CTEM benefits, but the end result can leave your security program facing excessive false positives or relying on manual processes.

In this article, we break down four technologies that we see being sold as CTEM solutions and compare their capabilities to a full-cycle CTEM platform.

There Are 4 CTEM Solution Technologies On the Market Currently 

Based on our review of more than a dozen CTEM vendors, we found that most CTEM products use one of four primary technologies. 

1. Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS). A process that replicates known tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) against assets inside an organization’s environment. BAS tools work through agents installed in different parts of an organization’s environment.
2. External Attack Surface Management (EASM). An external solution that discovers, monitors, and tests all external-facing digital assets. EASM does not use installed agents but scans an attack surface based on a target IP. Learn more about the difference between ASM and CTEM.
3. Security Assessment. A broad term we use to describe solutions that produce security scorecards or risk assessments based mostly on passive indicators. 
4. Full-cycle CTEM platform. A combination of offensive security capabilities that brings together attack surface discovery with exploitation. This kind of platform does not require an agent and works on external attack surfaces only.

Most products sold as CTEM solutions rely on one of these four technologies. 

All are capable of doing parts of the five CTEM processes. However, only one technology will provide customers with full CTEM benefits out of the box. 

To explain why, we made a detailed capability comparison between these technologies and specific tasks that we know (based on our experience developing a CTEM platform) that a CTEM solution needs to do.

Here are the things a full-cycle CTEM solution should do: 

• Active exploitation: Exploiting found vulnerabilities in a live environment using known TTPs.
• Attack vector exploitation: Identifying and testing pathways attackers might use to breach a system beyond an initial entry point.
• Validating findings: Confirming vulnerabilities with evidence and eliminating false positives.
• Alert fatigue mitigation: The ability to stop vulnerability management teams from being overwhelmed by noncritical alerts.
• Asset discovery: Identifying all externally facing network assets that contain exploitable vulnerabilities while minimizing incorrect vulnerability detections.
• Asset mapping: Linking discovered assets to understand dependencies and exposure.
• Scan frequency: Analyzing systems for vulnerabilities continuously.
• Advanced playbooks: Detailed, automated response plans that show security teams how to mitigate or remediate specific risks.
• Comprehensive coverage: Ensuring all assets, vectors, and risks are assessed.
• Intelligence prioritization: Focusing on actionable, high-impact threat information relevant to the attack surface being scoped.

At the end of this article, we compare these four product types in a table. 

The following section gives a high-level overview of each solution type and what we think it does and does not do regarding the five CTEM processes.

Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS)

Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) is an automated security testing method that emulates cyberattacks in a controlled (i.e., simulated) environment. 

BAS focuses on known internal network assets based on where its agent is installed. 

In our opinion, it is important to note that BAS simulates exploitation. No active exploitation takes place.

What BAS tools can do for CTEM:

• Simulate known TTPs against internal network assets.
• Provide theoretical insights into certain attack scenarios and highlight exploitation paths.
• Reduce reliance on manual penetration testing for routine checks.

What BAS tools can’t do for CTEM:

• Discover and test your external attack surface.
• Validate real-world risks versus theoretical issues.
• Actively exploit vulnerabilities to validate attack paths.
• Address organizational issues like poor security culture or policy enforcement.

External Attack Surface Management  (EASM)

EASM products focus on discovering external-facing digital assets and mapping theoretical vulnerabilities and attack paths. 

EASM typically relies on applied machine learning to do asset correlation and risk scoring. 

No active exploitation takes place.

What EASM tools can do for CTEM:

• Discover assets using web crawlers, DNS enumeration, and IP scanning.
• Map dependencies and correlate assets with known inventories.
• Detect vulnerabilities via port scanning, configuration checks, and CVE matching.
• Monitor for changes and integrate threat intelligence for real-time alerts.
• Provide risk prioritization and detailed reporting.

What EASM tools can’t do for CTEM:

• Active exploitation to remove false positives. 
• Validate real risks to your environment.
• Prioritize risks based on proven attack paths rather than theoretical findings.

Security Assessment 

A security assessment solution evaluates an organization’s security posture using external data and threat intelligence. 

These kinds of solutions typically provide a score or rating based on various risk factors (e.g., vulnerabilities, configuration issues, and exposed services) and industry comparatives (e.g., threats that organizations like yours face). 

Again, no active exploitation of external facing assets takes place.

What security assessment tools can do for CTEM:

• Provide threat intelligence data.
• Benchmark theoretical security performance against industry standards or peers.
• Help communicate risks to stakeholders.

What security assessment tools can’t do for CTEM:

• Detect external vulnerabilities or threats.
• Discover network assets.
• Provide real-time, detailed analysis of risks.
• Validate findings without additional manual confirmation.
• Exploit vulnerabilities and help prioritize remediation work.

Full-cycle CTEM platform 

A full-cycle Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) platform is an integrated solution that combines discovery, assessment, prioritization, remediation, and validation of security risks across your entire external attack surface.

Taking a platform approach to CTEM provides end-to-end threat exposure management, offering continuous visibility and actionable insights.

The benefit of a full-cycle CTEM platform:

• Integration: A CTEM platform combines a range of offensive security capabilities into one unified platform.
• Comprehensive attack surface coverage: Addresses external risks, validating the attack surface that real threat actors see most often.
• Real-time risk discovery: Continually scans, validates, and exploits potential risks.
• Automation: Automates and consolidates a variety of processes into one operation.
• Validation: Goes beyond assessment by validating fixes, ensuring vulnerabilities are truly mitigated.
• Risk prioritization: Integrates threat intelligence and real-world testing to show you exact risks.
• Efficiency: Reduces tool sprawl and alert fatigue by consolidating multiple features into one platform, improving operational workflows.

CTEM Solution Types Comparison 

Element Security’s CTEM Solution 

Element Security’s CTEM platform is a full-cycle solution for CTEM. 

With Element Security, you can perform all five CTEM processes, including active exploitation of vulnerabilities, from a single platform that can be deployed in minutes.

Element Security works externally from the same black box perspective that real cybercriminals do and combines vulnerability management, asset discovery, threat intelligence, and other core CTEM capabilities into a single solution. 

Take Control of Your External Attack Surface with a Full-Cycle CTEM Solution

All you need is a web address—no installation required. 

Try a free demo to see how easy it is to deploy Element Security’s CTEM solution in your environment.