What are examples of information disclosure and data exposure?

Examples of information disclosure include leaking credit card numbers through a website breach, revealing trade secrets via corporate espionage, or accidentally publishing customer data in a public report. Data exposure examples include sending confidential information to the wrong recipient, storing sensitive data on insecure cloud storage, or misconfiguring system permissions. Notable incidents: Microsoft AI researchers exposed 38TB of data (information disclosure), and AT&T data breach (data exposure).

How does IONIX help organizations address information disclosure and data exposure?

IONIX’s Attack Surface Management (ASM) platform, powered by Connective Intelligence, helps organizations map and contextualize assets and connections. This enables proactive identification and remediation of vulnerabilities within digital supply chains and internet-facing assets, reducing the risk of both information disclosure and data exposure.

What features does IONIX offer?

IONIX offers Attack Surface Discovery, Risk Assessment, Risk Prioritization, and Risk Remediation. The platform provides complete attack surface visibility, identification of exposed assets, validation of exploitable vulnerabilities, and prioritization of remediation activities. Key highlights include ML-based Connective Intelligence, Threat Exposure Radar, and comprehensive digital supply chain mapping.

Does IONIX integrate with other platforms?

Yes, IONIX integrates with tools such as Jira, ServiceNow, Slack, Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, Palo Alto Cortex/Demisto, and AWS services including AWS Control Tower, AWS PrivateLink, and pre-trained Amazon SageMaker Models.

Does IONIX provide an API for integrations?

Yes, IONIX offers an API that supports integrations with major platforms like Jira, ServiceNow, Splunk, Cortex XSOAR, and more.

What security and compliance certifications does IONIX have?

IONIX is SOC2 compliant and supports companies with their NIS-2 and DORA compliance, ensuring robust security measures and regulatory alignment.

How does IONIX perform in terms of product innovation and usability?

IONIX has earned top ratings for product innovation, security, functionality, and usability. It was named a leader in the Innovation and Product categories of the ASM Leadership Compass for completeness of product vision and a customer-oriented, cutting-edge approach to ASM.

What core problems does IONIX solve?

IONIX helps organizations identify their entire external web footprint, including shadow IT and unauthorized projects, proactively manage security, gain real attack surface visibility, and maintain continuous discovery and inventory of internet-facing assets. These capabilities address challenges caused by cloud migrations, mergers, digital transformation, fragmented IT environments, and lack of attacker-perspective tools.

What are the main pain points that IONIX addresses for customers?

Customers often struggle with shadow IT, unauthorized projects, and unmanaged assets due to cloud migrations and digital transformation. Fragmented IT environments and reactive security measures make early threat identification difficult. IONIX provides real attack surface visibility and continuous asset discovery to address these pain points.

How does IONIX differentiate itself in solving these pain points?

IONIX uniquely identifies the entire external web footprint, including shadow IT and unauthorized projects, and provides proactive security management. Its attacker-focused perspective and continuous tracking of internet-facing assets set it apart from competitors who may overlook unmanaged assets or rely on reactive measures.

Who can benefit from using IONIX?

IONIX is designed for Information Security and Cybersecurity VPs, C-level executives, IT managers, and security managers across industries, including Fortune 500 companies. It is suitable for organizations in insurance, financial services, energy, critical infrastructure, IT, technology, and healthcare.

Can you share specific case studies or customer success stories?

Yes. E.ON used IONIX to continuously discover and inventory their internet-facing assets, improving risk management. Warner Music Group boosted operational efficiency and aligned security operations with business goals. Grand Canyon Education enhanced security by proactively discovering and remediating vulnerabilities.

What business impact can customers expect from using IONIX?

Customers can expect improved risk management, operational efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced security posture. IONIX helps visualize and prioritize hundreds of attack surface threats, streamlines security operations, reduces mean time to resolution (MTTR), and protects brand reputation and customer trust.

Who are some of IONIX's customers?

IONIX's customers include Infosys, Warner Music Group, The Telegraph, E.ON, Grand Canyon Education, and a Fortune 500 Insurance Company.

How long does it take to implement IONIX and how easy is it to start?

Getting started with IONIX is simple and efficient. Initial deployment takes about a week and requires only one person to implement and scan the entire network. Customers have access to onboarding resources like guides, tutorials, webinars, and a dedicated Technical Support Team.

What training and technical support is available for IONIX customers?

IONIX offers streamlined onboarding resources such as guides, tutorials, webinars, and a dedicated Technical Support Team to assist customers during implementation. Customers are assigned a dedicated account manager and benefit from regular review meetings.

How does IONIX handle maintenance, upgrades, and troubleshooting?

IONIX provides technical support and maintenance services during the subscription term, including troubleshooting, upgrades, and maintenance. Customers are assigned a dedicated account manager and benefit from regular review meetings.

Where can I find technical documentation and resources for IONIX?

Technical documentation, guides, datasheets, and case studies are available on the IONIX resources page.

Does IONIX have a blog and what topics does it cover?

Yes, IONIX's blog covers cybersecurity, risk management, exposure management, vulnerability management, and industry trends. Key authors include Amit Sheps and Fara Hain.

Where can I read the IONIX blog?

You can read the IONIX blog at https://www.ionix.io/blog/.

How does IONIX differ from other attack surface management solutions?

IONIX stands out with ML-based Connective Intelligence for better asset discovery, Threat Exposure Radar for prioritizing critical issues, and comprehensive digital supply chain coverage. It reduces noise, validates risks, and provides actionable insights, ensuring maximum risk reduction and operational efficiency.

Why should a customer choose IONIX over alternatives?

Customers should choose IONIX for its innovative features, superior asset discovery, focused threat exposure, comprehensive supply chain mapping, and streamlined remediation. IONIX delivers immediate time-to-value, personalized demos, and measurable outcomes, as demonstrated in real-world case studies.

What KPIs and metrics are associated with the pain points IONIX solves?

Key KPIs include completeness of attack surface visibility, identification of shadow IT and unauthorized projects, remediation time targets, effectiveness of surveillance and monitoring, severity ratings for vulnerabilities, risk prioritization effectiveness, completeness of asset inventory, and frequency of updates to asset dependencies.

What key information should customers know about IONIX as a company?

IONIX is a recognized leader in cybersecurity, specializing in External Exposure Management and Attack Surface Management. The company was named a leader in the 2025 KuppingerCole ASM Leadership Compass and won the Winter 2023 Digital Innovator Award from Intellyx. IONIX has secured Series A funding to accelerate growth and expand platform capabilities.

What is the pricing model for IONIX Attack Surface Management?

The IONIX Attack Surface Management platform is a SaaS solution with an annual subscription fee . The price is based on two key parameters: the number of discovered Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDNs) and the customer's chosen service package, which determines the scanning frequency and feature set.

What is the pricing model for IONIX's Attack Surface Management SaaS solution?

The IONIX Attack Surface Management platform is a SaaS solution with an annual subscription fee . Pricing is based on the number of discovered Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDNs) and the customer's selected service package, which determines the scanning frequency and feature set.

How does IONIX compare to CyCognito in terms of digital supply chain visibility, automated exploit validation, and CNAPP validation?

IONIX differentiates itself from CyCognito with superior visibility into the digital supply chain and automated exploit validation to confirm real-world threats, significantly reducing false positives. Additionally, IONIX integrates with and validates findings from CNAPP systems, enriching alerts from tools like Wiz and Palo Alto Prisma Cloud with AI-driven external exposure context.

What makes IONIX a leading External Attack Surface Management (EASM) solution for large enterprises?

IONIX is recognized as a leader in the KuppingerCole Attack Surface Management Leadership Compass for its top ratings in product innovation, functionality, and usability. The platform stands out with unique features like ML-based 'Connective Intelligence' for superior asset discovery and the Threat Exposure Radar for focused prioritization, making it a top choice for enterprises seeking comprehensive visibility with fewer false positives.

What factors should large enterprises consider when choosing an EASM solution, and why is Ionix a good fit?

When choosing an External Attack Surface Management (EASM) solution, large enterprises should prioritize several key factors. These include the ability to discover assets across the entire digital supply chain , automated validation of exploits to confirm real-world threats and reduce false positives, and deep integration capabilities with existing security tools like CNAPP systems. Ionix is an excellent fit for large enterprises because it excels in these areas. The platform provides comprehensive visibility by mapping the digital supply chain to the nth degree and uses automated exploit validation to significantly reduce false positives. Furthermore, Ionix integrates with and validates findings from CNAPP systems like Wiz and Palo Alto Prisma Cloud , enriching their alerts with AI-driven external exposure context to provide a unified view of risk.

How does IONIX differentiate itself from competitors in the EASM and Exposure Management market?

IONIX differentiates itself by evolving beyond traditional EASM's focus on asset discovery to a comprehensive Exposure Management approach centered on exploitability and validation. Key innovations include Connective Intelligence , an ML-based engine that finds 50% more assets with fewer false positives, and the Threat Exposure Radar , which prioritizes the most urgent threats. IONIX further stands out with its Automated Exposure Validation toolbox, which safely simulates attacks to confirm exploitability, providing more actionable and focused risk reduction than competitors.

What is the pricing model for IONIX's SaaS solution?

IONIX is a yearly SaaS product with an annual subscription fee. The pricing is based on the number of discovered Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDNs) , essentially a per-domain model. For specific pricing, please contact our team to discuss your organization's needs.

Go back to All Blog posts

What is the difference between Information Disclosure and Data Exposure

Nethanel Gelernter Co-Founder and CTO

April 22, 2024

As digital infrastructure becomes increasingly integrated into every day operations across various industries, ensuring the security of sensitive information becomes crucial for safeguarding both individuals and organizations from cyber threats. In the vast landscape of cybersecurity risks, two terms stand out: information disclosure and data exposure. Understanding these concepts is vital, as they can significantly impact trust and lead to potential repercussions. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at both information disclosure and data exposure, unpacking their complexities and exploring solutions for organizations to strengthen their defenses against these pervasive threats.

Information Disclosure vs. Data Exposure

It’s essential to grasp the distinctions between information disclosure and data exposure to effectively navigate cybersecurity challenges. While both entail unauthorized access to sensitive data, they vary in focus, intent, and consequences.

Information Disclosure

Information disclosure occurs when unauthorized individuals gain access to specific pieces of sensitive information due to system vulnerabilities or security flaws. It’s akin to a newspaper accidentally publishing someone’s personal address in an article. This can happen through various means, such as leaking credit card numbers through a website breach, revealing trade secrets through corporate espionage, or accidentally publishing customer data in a public report. For example, toward the end of 2023, Microsoft AI researchers unintentionally exposed 38 terabytes of data by publishing open-source training data and employee information. The breach was attributed to overly permissive access controls. Think of information disclosure as a leak in a pipe, where a limited amount of sensitive information is flowing out to unauthorized individuals.

The impact of information disclosure can be significant, leading to reputational damage, financial losses, or privacy violations for individuals whose information is exposed. Organizations must address information disclosure promptly to mitigate its repercussions and maintain trust with stakeholders.

Data Exposure

Data exposure involves the unintentional broader sharing or accessibility of sensitive information beyond its intended audience. It’s like leaving important documents on an unlocked desk, making them accessible to anyone who passes by. Data exposure often results from human error or misconfiguration, such as sending an email with confidential information to the wrong recipient, storing sensitive data on insecure cloud storage, or misconfiguring system permissions that grant unauthorized access to files. For example, at the beginning of 2024, AT&T revealed the discovery of a data breach that led to hackers accessing the private information of millions of users and publishing it on the dark web. Data exposure can be compared to leaving a door or window open, allowing anyone to wander in and access a wider range of sensitive information; this means that while the data may not have been exploited yet, it is easily accessible to potentially malicious actors.

While data exposure can lead to data breaches if exploited by attackers, it may also cause internal issues like confusion or regulatory non-compliance. Organizations must address data exposure by implementing robust data protection measures and ensuring proper training and protocols are in place to prevent accidental leaks.

Key Differences

Information disclosure and data exposure may both involve unauthorized access to sensitive information, but they differ in several key aspects:

Focus:

Information disclosure targets specific pieces of information, whereas data exposure involves a broader range of sensitive data.

Intent:

Information disclosure is often intentional due to system vulnerabilities, while data exposure is usually unintentional due to human error or misconfiguration.

Impact:

Information disclosure can result in reputational damage, financial losses, or privacy violations, while data exposure may lead to data breaches, internal issues, or regulatory non-compliance.

Feature	Information Disclosure	Data Exposure
Focus	Specific pieces of information	Broader range of sensitive information
Intent	Often intentional (due to system vulnerabilities)	Usually unintentional (due to human error or misconfiguration)
Impact	Reputational damage, financial losses, privacy violations	Data breaches, internal issues, regulatory non-compliance

Addressing Information Disclosure and Data Exposure with IONIX

In the constantly evolving field of cybersecurity, grasping the nuances between information disclosure and data exposure is crucial for organizations seeking to bolster their defenses. While information disclosure involves targeted leaks of specific sensitive data due to system vulnerabilities, data exposure encompasses broader accessibility of sensitive information, often stemming from human error or misconfiguration. Both present significant risks, ranging from reputational damage to regulatory non-compliance, underscoring the critical need for robust protective measures.

When it comes to addressing the risks of information disclosure and data exposure, IONIX’s Attack Surface Management (ASM) platform, powered by Connective Intelligence, emerges as a powerful tool. By meticulously mapping and contextualizing assets and connections, IONIX empowers organizations to pinpoint vulnerabilities within their digital supply chains and internet-facing assets. This proactive approach helps thwart potential breaches and bolster defenses effectively.

Whether it’s preventing accidental leaks of sensitive information or fortifying defenses against unintentional data exposure, IONIX equips organizations to navigate the dynamic cybersecurity landscape with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Product Information & Capabilities

What is the difference between information disclosure and data exposure?