Cracks in the wall of cyberdefence

Namibia’s recent cyber incidents, including the Telecom Namibia breach in December 2024 and the Otjiwarongo ransomware attack earlier this year reveal how vulnerable essential services can be when digital defences fall short. When viewed in isolation, these attacks are worrying, but together we can see that they are symptomatic of a larger challenge every organisation faces today: cyber threat exposure.

However, Snode, an award winning cyber defence firm, has observed that many organisations still think about security primarily in terms of vulnerabilities. A penetration test might highlight unpatched bugs or system weaknesses, and those are important to fix. But as we’ve seen repeatedly, knowing about vulnerabilities alone isn’t enough. Cyber threat exposure goes further. It’s the combination of assets, vulnerabilities, and threats that creates real pathways an adversary could exploit. Exposure is about context. It shows you not just where the cracks are, but which cracks actually lead to critical systems, sensitive data, or operations that matter most.

“Think of vulnerabilities as cracks in the wall, and exposures as the guiding lights for threat actors. Attackers don’t care which way they get in. Both represent risks, but exposures give them a map of where to focus. Our aim is to validate that context and prioritise the risks that matter most,” shares Sebastian Erasmus, Head of Professional Services at Snode.

It’s worthwhile to note that managing cyber threat exposure is not a one-time project. Attack patterns are constantly changing and, with the advancements in emerging technologies (like AI), they have become more complex. This means managing your cyber threat exposure needs to be an ongoing program. This is where Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) comes in. Originally coined by Gartner, CTEM is a proactive, continuous approach to reducing an organisation’s risk by identifying and addressing exposures before attackers can exploit them and indirectly enhances the cyber security posture.

The CTEM approach combines various practices. Everything from asset discovery and vulnerability scanning to threat intelligence and even simulated attacks. It provides a full, ongoing picture of where your organisation is most exposed. A key aspect of CTEM is prioritisation. Remember, not all exposures are equal. Some could lead to a catastrophic breach, while others are minor.

In fact, Snode COO, Dwain Muller, emphasises: “Exposure management isn’t about collecting more data, it’s about connecting the dots. A penetration test result, for example, gains far more value when cross-referenced with the asset inventory and enriched with threat intelligence. That’s when the real risks rise to the surface, and already constrained cyber resources can shift from reacting to isolated findings to proactively hardening their environments where it matters most.”

So where can organisations start? Well, adversaries don’t always need to break into your systems to learn about you. A surprising amount of information is already out there. It can take the form of old websites, public social media posts, leaked databases, or even an employee bragging about a project online. Skilled attackers can piece these fragments together to build a detailed picture of your organisation without ever setting off an alarm.

This practice, known as Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), is often the first step in an attack. However, cybersecurity professionals also use OSINT to show organisations what an attacker can already see. For example, past assessments have uncovered everything from executive contact details and technology stack information to sensitive documents floating freely online.

Sebastian shared the following from his experience, “Most organisations are shocked by how much sensitive information about them is freely available online. Our team has done OSINT assessments where we uncovered executive contact details, technology stack info, and even passwords leaked in past breaches. This is all without touching anything internal. It’s an eye-opener that shows what a hacker can find just by scouring the internet.”

These OSINT exercises can be an invaluable component of managing cyber threat exposure. But they may not be enough. This is where Snode’s approach, delivered in partnership with Onix Business Solutions in Namibia, sets itself apart.

OSINT can reveal what’s visible on the surface, but Snode’s OTEM assessment goes a step further by showing what’s truly exploitable. OTEM assessments connect findings with the business context that determines real risk where traditional OSINT exercises only highlight the fragments of information available to attackers. It takes into account which systems or data are most critical, how vulnerabilities could be chained together, and what current threat intelligence suggests about adversary behaviour.

The outcome is a prioritised view of exposures. It is an adversary-style threat model of the organisation with information from open sources, the dark web, or active campaigns and more. “We often hear from clients that they had no idea a confidential document was floating on the web or that their employees’ social media gave away so much,” Sebastian says. “By performing an OSINT assessment, we essentially show you what the attacker already knows about you. With that knowledge, you can plug those leaks. This could mean tightening privacy settings, scrubbing old files from the internet, or changing internal policies about sharing information.”

In practice, this shift transforms how organisations view their risk and deploy scarce cybersecurity resources. By presenting exposures prioritised by severity across multiple domains, OTEM gives defenders a clear sight of what truly matters. Instead of drowning in fragmented findings, they can focus their efforts where they have the greatest impact.

The choice for organisations is simple: either leave those exposures for attackers to discover, or take proactive steps to uncover and address them first. An OSINT exposure assessment is a powerful starting point. It shows you what adversaries already see, uncovers hidden gaps, and helps you prioritise fixes based on the scale of exposure and the business value at risk. For businesses, municipalities, and public institutions alike, the message is urgent and clear: now is the time to act, invest in exposure management, and ensure that Namibia’s digital future is not defined by its attackers but by its resilience.

Take Your First Step Toward CTEM with a Joint OSINT Threat Exposure Assessment (OTEM)

Onix Business Solutions, in partnership with Snode, offers an OSINT Threat Exposure Assessment designed to give organisations a clear view of how they appear from an attacker’s perspective. This passive evaluation is conducted entirely externally, requiring no access to your internal environment, and provides visibility into risks across your IT, OT, and IoT landscapes.

The assessment delivers a focused, point-in-time snapshot that uncovers potential attack paths and highlights where externally facing assets may be unnecessarily exposed. Beyond identifying risks, you’ll also receive actionable insights and prioritised recommendations based on real-world threat impact. It empowers you to strengthen defences around critical infrastructure and focus resources where they matter most.

By combining Snode’s advanced methodologies with Onix’s local expertise and support, this joint service ensures that Namibian organisations benefit from both global innovation and on-the-ground delivery. It’s the ideal first step toward a Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) journey.

For more information or to schedule an assessment, contact us at sales@onix.digital

• – Nithen Naidoo is Snode’s chief executive.

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