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Attack Surface

Security

It’s like all the doors and windows where a thief could break into a house.

Definition

The total number of ways an attacker can try to enter or extract data from a system.

In plain English It’s like all the doors and windows where a thief could break into a house.

Why this matters

Why it matters: The larger the attack surface, the more chances for attackers to succeed.

Example

Example: Unused apps, open ports, or bad passwords expand a system’s attack surface.