Cyber Brief: Third-party exposure, misconfiguration and recovery

Today’s cyber reporting continues to highlight how risk is amplified by trust and complexity. Third-party access remains a key exposure point, misconfiguration continues to create avoidable weaknesses and recovery readiness gaps are extending disruption when incidents occur. These themes reinforce the importance of governance, visibility and preparation as organisations settle into the new year.

Third-party exposure remains a common attack pathway

Reporting published today highlights continued incidents where attackers gained access through trusted third parties rather than directly targeting primary organisations. In several cases, suppliers retained access beyond project completion or operated with broad permissions that were not regularly reviewed.
Once supplier credentials were compromised, attackers were able to move quietly within downstream environments. Activity blended into legitimate access patterns, delaying detection and increasing dwell time. Organisations often discovered the issue only after operational disruption or data access had already occurred.
The reporting reinforces that third-party exposure is rarely caused by a single failure. Instead, it develops gradually through permission creep, limited oversight and reliance on static assurance rather than ongoing validation.

Why it matters
Third-party access expands attack surface. Regular access reviews, time-bound permissions and clear ownership reduce supplier-related risk.

Source
Computer Weekly

Misconfiguration continues to drive avoidable exposure

Cloud and infrastructure analysis released today shows that misconfiguration remains one of the most common causes of security exposure. Changes made under pressure, inherited permissions and unclear ownership frequently result in systems being more accessible than intended.
In several incidents reviewed, services were exposed externally or granted broader access than operationally required. Attackers actively scan for these conditions and exploit them without needing to bypass security controls.
The reporting emphasises that misconfiguration is rarely a tooling issue. It reflects gaps in governance, review processes and accountability across teams.

Why it matters
Misconfiguration creates silent risk. Regular reviews, guardrails and clear ownership reduce unintended exposure.

Source
The Register

Recovery readiness gaps extend operational impact

UK-focused reporting today highlights that many organisations continue to struggle with recovery readiness. While detection capabilities have improved, recovery plans are often outdated or untested.
In multiple incidents reviewed, teams identified issues quickly but lacked confidence in restoration processes. Poor understanding of system dependencies and unclear escalation routes delayed recovery and increased operational disruption.
The reporting reinforces that recovery is not purely technical. Preparation, coordination and rehearsal play a critical role in reducing impact.

Why it matters
Recovery readiness shortens disruption. Regular testing and scenario exercising improve confidence and response effectiveness.

Source
BBC News

Today’s Key Actions

1. Review and reduce third-party access permissions.
2. Validate configurations for externally accessible systems.
3. Assign clear ownership for configuration and access review.
4. Test recovery plans using realistic scenarios.
5. Update risk registers to reflect supplier, configuration and recovery risks.

Secarma Insight

Today’s stories underline a consistent lesson. Cyber risk is often created by gradual drift rather than sudden failure. Strong governance around third-party access, disciplined configuration management and tested recovery plans help organisations reduce disruption and maintain control.

Get in touch with us to prioritise your next steps and strengthen your security posture.