Asset awareness is the first step in understanding your complete security posture. If you don’t know what assets you own, how can you protect them? 

This question becomes even more critical in multi-cloud or third-party environments. A lack of visibility into your assets leaves your organization’s valuable data exposed to risks, compounded by the ever-growing sprawl of data, lax policies around data storage and threats from third-party providers. 

Asset Awareness and Data Management Challenges 

To grasp the magnitude of these challenges, imagine managing five physical facilities alongside a sprawling multi-cloud presence. Can you say with certainty that all your data is accounted for across these environments? 

The reality is often surprising. You might uncover that one department is using “XYZ Corp” for its CRM system, while marketing has outsourced the company’s main website to a third-party provider without proper vetting. Even more concerning, you may find that a small team within the organization spun up a project management platform or a department-specific instance, unknowingly exposing customer data to a third-party system. 

These examples highlight a broader issue: Many organizations struggle with managing and securing their data because of underlying gaps in asset awareness. 

Bridging the Gap in Asset Awareness 

Several factors exacerbate the challenges of effective asset management, starting with the sheer number of applications and third-party services available today. This proliferation creates a fragmented environment where security is harder to manage, and vulnerabilities in vendor systems can become entry points for attackers. 

Compounding this issue is the lack of consistent policies and controls over data storage. In many organizations, employees store data wherever they find it convenient, often without adhering to company guidelines. When incidents occur—such as breaches involving third-party systems or undiscovered assets—they can expose sensitive information, including customer data and financial details. 

Remote work adds another layer of complexity. Employees frequently use personal devices to access corporate systems, especially third-party platforms. These devices often lack enterprise-level security, leaving them vulnerable to malware and credential theft. Such scenarios are increasingly common and further blur the lines of responsibility for data security. 

Even when organizations invest in incident response (IR) plans, execution often falls short. It’s not uncommon for 90–95% of IR plans to remain unimplemented due to inadequate resources or capabilities. Similarly, advanced technologies like AI and cloud security, which have been available for years, still present significant gaps in protection due to their specialized nature. 

Attainable Solutions for Stronger Asset Management 

To address these challenges, organizations must begin with clear and enforceable policies. A policy is only as effective as its enforcement. Employees should not only understand these policies but also be actively involved in ensuring compliance, such as vetting vendors against minimum security standards. 

Investment in discovery tools is another key step. Threat intelligence and vendor management processes can provide visibility into hidden assets, helping organizations locate data and evaluate its use across systems. 

Additionally, ongoing education is essential. Employees should receive regular training on cybersecurity best practices, such as avoiding browser auto-save features for storing corporate passwords. These small steps can prevent significant vulnerabilities. 

Finally, organizations need to assess the capabilities of their current security technologies. On-premises solutions often fail to perform adequately in cloud environments, underscoring the need for cloud-native platforms that address specific challenges like posture management and external asset exposure. 

By taking these measures and engaging in regular dialogue with departments to understand their tools and workflows, organizations can build a culture of accountability and preparedness. 

Security Starts With Awareness 

Ultimately, security begins with awareness and due diligence. Your organization’s ability to identify its assets, understand their use and address vulnerabilities is critical to staying ahead of attackers. The more you know about your assets and their associated risks, the more effectively you can protect your organization’s data—and sleep soundly at night.