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The Disconnect Between Awareness and Action: The Alarming Reality of CTEM Adoption


CTEM adoption remains a pressing concern in the cybersecurity landscape, with 84% of organizations failing to adopt this critical framework. Understanding the business benefits of CTEM adoption can provide tangible advantages in improving attack surface visibility, solution adoption, and threat awareness.

  • Organizations with Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) in place demonstrate a 50% better attack surface visibility, a 23-point higher solution adoption rate, and superior threat awareness compared to those that haven't adopted CTEM.
  • A staggering 87% of security leaders recognize the importance of CTEM, yet only 16% have translated this awareness into operational reality.
  • The complexity of implementing CTEM increases with more integrations, scripts, and dependencies, making ownership blurry and blind spots common.
  • CTEM-driven programs are essential for continuous oversight and validation of dark assets hiding in the visibility gap.
  • Traditional security approaches cannot keep up without a proactive approach to threat exposure management due to the "perfect storm" of increasing threats and demands.
  • Prioritizing understanding the business benefits of CTEM adoption is crucial, with tangible advantages including improved attack surface visibility, increased solution adoption rates, and superior threat awareness.



  • The cybersecurity landscape is fraught with challenges, from the ever-evolving threat landscape to the inadequacies of traditional security measures. Amidst this chaos, a pressing issue has emerged that threatens to compromise the very foundations of an organization's defenses. This issue revolves around the adoption and implementation of Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM), a framework designed to provide superior attack surface visibility, solution adoption, and threat awareness.

    A recent market intelligence study, conducted among 128 enterprise security decision-makers, reveals a stark divide between organizations that have implemented CTEM and those that have not. The research found that organizations with CTEM in place demonstrate a 50% better attack surface visibility, a 23-point higher solution adoption rate, and superior threat awareness across every measured dimension. In stark contrast, the 84% of organizations that have not adopted CTEM are falling behind, leaving them vulnerable to attacks.

    So, what is CTEM, and why is its adoption so crucial? Simply put, CTEM involves shifting from a reactive approach to patching everything in sight to a proactive one, where continuous discovery, validation, and prioritization of risk exposures become the norm. This mindset acknowledges that security is not just about reacting to threats but also about understanding the attack surface and taking proactive measures to mitigate vulnerabilities.

    However, despite the importance of CTEM, there seems to be a disconnect between awareness and action. A staggering 87% of security leaders recognize the importance of CTEM, yet only 16% have translated this awareness into operational reality. This chasm raises questions about why organizations are not adopting CTEM at a faster rate.

    One possible explanation lies in the complexity of implementing CTEM. As the number of integrations, scripts, and dependencies increases, ownership becomes blurred, and blind spots multiply. The study highlights that attack surface complexity is not just a management challenge but a direct risk multiplier. When the count of connected assets climbs past 100 domains, this can translate to thousands of additional scripts, each one a potential attack vector.

    The sudden increase in risk exposure drives home the need for CTEM-driven programs that can provide continuous oversight and validation of the dark assets hiding in the visibility gap. Only by embracing a proactive approach to threat exposure management can organizations hope to stay ahead of the threats.

    This disconnect between awareness and action is particularly pertinent in today's cybersecurity landscape, where security leaders are facing an unprecedented number of demands. The "perfect storm" of increasing third-party incidents, average breach costs, and stricter monitoring requirements has created an environment where security measures must be scaled up significantly. In this context, the report highlights that traditional approaches to security simply cannot keep up without a more proactive approach.

    The peer benchmarking data reinforces this point, revealing that beyond a certain level of complexity, traditional security models no longer scale. Organizations operating in high-complexity environments are faced with the daunting task of either scaling their current approach or adopting CTEM-driven solutions. The choice is clear: continued reliance on manual oversight and periodic controls will only lead to increased vulnerabilities, while embracing CTEM can provide a much-needed shield against the rising tide of threats.

    As security leaders navigate this treacherous landscape, it is essential that they prioritize understanding the business benefits of CTEM adoption. The statistics speak for themselves: 50% better attack surface visibility, 23-point higher solution adoption rates, and superior threat awareness are just a few examples of the tangible advantages that organizations can expect by embracing CTEM.

    In conclusion, the disconnect between awareness and action regarding CTEM adoption is a pressing concern that demands attention from security leaders. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, it is imperative that organizations adopt a proactive approach to threat exposure management, rather than simply relying on reactive measures. The benefits of CTEM are clear: improved attack surface visibility, increased solution adoption, and superior threat awareness. It is time for security leaders to bridge this gap and ensure their organization's defenses are equipped to face the challenges of the modern cybersecurity landscape.

    CTEM adoption remains a pressing concern in the cybersecurity landscape, with 84% of organizations failing to adopt this critical framework. Understanding the business benefits of CTEM adoption can provide tangible advantages in improving attack surface visibility, solution adoption, and threat awareness.



    Related Information:
  • https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-Disconnect-Between-Awareness-and-Action-The-Alarming-Reality-of-CTEM-Adoption-ehn.shtml

  • https://thehackernews.com/2026/02/the-ctem-divide-why-84-of-security.html

  • https://www.itcpeacademy.org/blog/news-the-ctem-divide-new-research-reveals-a-massive-security-performance-gap


  • Published: Wed Feb 18 17:19:49 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M













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