Cyber Insights 2026: External Attack Surface Management

Cyber Insights 2026: External Attack Surface Management argues that AI will both help and hinder defenders, assisting in identifying external assets while enabling attackers to locate weak points, making the battle between attackers and defenders larger and faster. External Attack Surface Management (EASM) is described as the process of finding and managing every asset an organisation exposes to the internet, with emphasis on invisible and untracked assets that attackers may exploit.

The piece notes that the external surface expands as organisations adopt cloud services, APIs, SaaS, IoT and multi‑cloud ecosystems, and that third‑party connections increasingly shape risk. It highlights shadows—shadow IT, shadow AI, and Shadow MCPs—as critical risks requiring automated discovery and governance, with calls for a human‑in‑the‑loop approach to remediation.

Attacks are expected to rise in areas such as SaaS misconfigurations, AI‑to‑AI threats, and supply‑chain dependencies, including enhanced focus on IPv6 visibility, while AI‑driven tools should aid asset discovery and prioritisation, though full automation remains years away, according to SecurityWeek. 13 January 2026.