The ROI Problem in Attack Surface Management
Jan 02, 2026
Cloud Security / Security Operations
Attack Surface Management (ASM) tools promise reduced risk. What they usually deliver is more information. Security teams deploy ASM, asset inventories grow, alerts start flowing, and dashboards fill up. There is visible activity and measurable output. But when leadership asks a simple question, " Is this reducing incidents? " the answer is often unclear. This gap between effort and outcome is the core ROI problem in attack surface management, especially when ROI is measured primarily through asset counts instead of risk reduction. The Promise vs. The Proof Most ASM programs are built around a reasonable idea: you can't protect what you don't know exists. As a result, teams focus on discovery: domains and subdomains, IPs and cloud resources, third-party infrastructure, and transient or short-lived assets. Over time, counts increase. Dashboards are trending upward. Coverage improves. But none of those metrics directly answer whether the organization i...
