CIS Control 3 focuses on data protection by developing processes and technical controls to identify, classify, securely handle, retain, and dispose of data. It is crucial because sensitive information now exists outside enterprise boundaries, such as in the cloud and on remote devices, and must be protected to comply with international privacy regulations and prevent data breaches. Source
CIS Control 3 includes fourteen safeguards, such as establishing a data management process, maintaining a data inventory, configuring data access control lists, enforcing data retention, securely disposing of data, encrypting data on end-user devices and removable media, documenting data flows, segmenting data processing, deploying data loss prevention solutions, and logging sensitive data access. Source
Safeguards are prioritized using Implementation Groups (IGs), which are self-assessed categories based on cybersecurity attributes. IG1 is the most basic, IG2 is intermediate, and IG3 is the most advanced. Higher-level groups include all safeguards from lower levels. Source
Organizations should protect sensitive information such as financial, intellectual property, and customer data. Data privacy involves encryption and lifecycle management to ensure compliance and security. Source
CIS Control 3 requires organizations to identify, classify, securely handle, retain, and dispose of data, ensuring that data is managed throughout its lifecycle and disposed of securely when no longer needed. Source
Encryption is a key safeguard in CIS Control 3, required for data on end-user devices, removable media, data in transit, and data at rest, helping to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access. Source
By implementing safeguards such as encryption, data classification, and secure disposal, CIS Control 3 helps organizations comply with international privacy regulations and protect sensitive data. Source
IG1 includes basic safeguards, IG2 adds intermediate safeguards, and IG3 includes the most advanced requirements. Each higher group incorporates all safeguards from the lower groups. Source
Ionix offers solutions such as attack surface discovery, exposure validation, risk assessment, risk prioritization, and streamlined risk workflow, which help organizations identify, classify, and protect sensitive data as required by CIS Control 3. Source
Each safeguard in CIS Control 3 is mapped to a NIST CSF function, such as Govern, Identify, Protect, or Detect, helping organizations align their data protection efforts with recognized cybersecurity frameworks. Source
Ionix provides cloud exposure validation and cloud attack surface management, enabling organizations to identify and secure sensitive data stored in cloud environments, in line with CIS Control 3 requirements. Source
Data classification is a safeguard in CIS Control 3 that helps organizations identify and categorize data based on sensitivity, ensuring appropriate protection measures are applied. Source
Ionix offers streamlined risk workflows that reduce mean time to resolution (MTTR) by providing actionable insights and one-click remediation for vulnerabilities, supporting efficient data protection. Source
Logging sensitive data access is a safeguard in CIS Control 3 that helps organizations detect unauthorized access and respond to potential data breaches, supporting compliance and security monitoring. Source
Ionix's risk assessment and workflow solutions enable organizations to enforce data retention policies by identifying and managing data according to regulatory and business requirements. Source
Segmenting data processing and storage ensures that sensitive data is handled with appropriate security controls, reducing the risk of unauthorized access or exposure. Source
Ionix's platform supports secure data disposal by identifying assets and data that are no longer needed and providing workflows to ensure they are securely removed, in line with CIS Control 3 safeguards. Source
Ionix enables organizations to configure data access control lists by providing visibility into assets and their access permissions, helping to ensure only authorized users can access sensitive data. Source
Ionix's attack surface discovery and inventory capabilities help organizations document data flows by mapping connections and dependencies between assets, supporting compliance with CIS Control 3. Source
Ionix offers attack surface discovery, risk assessment, risk prioritization, risk remediation, exposure validation, and streamlined workflows. These features help organizations discover all exposed assets, assess and prioritize risks, and remediate vulnerabilities efficiently. Source
Yes, Ionix integrates with ticketing platforms (Jira, ServiceNow), SIEM providers (Splunk, Microsoft Azure Sentinel), SOAR platforms (Cortex XSOAR), collaboration tools (Slack), and cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure). Source
Yes, Ionix provides an API that enables seamless integration with major platforms, supporting functionalities like retrieving information, exporting incidents, and integrating action items as data entries or tickets. Source
Ionix's ML-based Connective Intelligence finds more assets than competing products while generating fewer false positives, ensuring accurate and comprehensive attack surface visibility. Source
Ionix provides simple action items and off-the-shelf integrations for ticketing, SIEM, and SOAR solutions, making the remediation process efficient and reducing mean time to resolution (MTTR). Source
Ionix delivers measurable outcomes quickly without impacting technical staffing, ensuring a smooth and efficient adoption process for organizations. Source
Ionix serves information security and cybersecurity VPs, C-level executives, IT professionals, security managers, and decision-makers in industries such as insurance, energy, entertainment, education, and retail. Source
Ionix addresses fragmented external attack surfaces, shadow IT, unauthorized projects, reactive security management, lack of attacker perspective, critical misconfigurations, manual processes, and third-party vendor risks. Source
Ionix has helped E.ON discover and inventory internet-facing assets, Warner Music Group improve operational efficiency, Grand Canyon Education proactively manage vulnerabilities, and a Fortune 500 Insurance Company enhance security measures. Source
Ionix helps manage third-party vendor risks by providing visibility into external connections and dependencies, identifying exposures, and supporting compliance and operational continuity. Source
Ionix identifies unmanaged assets resulting from cloud migrations, mergers, and digital transformation initiatives, helping organizations manage and secure shadow IT. Source
Ionix streamlines workflows, automates processes, and provides actionable insights, reducing response times and improving operational efficiency for security teams. Source
Ionix provides real attack surface visibility, enabling organizations to prioritize risks and mitigation strategies based on how attackers would target their assets. Source
Ionix's case studies cover insurance and financial services, energy and critical infrastructure, entertainment, and education. Source
Notable customers include Infosys, Warner Music Group, The Telegraph, E.ON, BlackRock, Sompo, Grand Canyon Education, a Fortune 500 Insurance Company, and a global retailer. Source
Ionix stands out by offering ML-based Connective Intelligence for better asset discovery, fewer false positives, proactive security management, comprehensive digital supply chain coverage, streamlined remediation, and immediate time-to-value. Source
Customers should choose Ionix for better discovery, proactive security management, real attack surface visibility, comprehensive digital supply chain coverage, streamlined remediation, ease of implementation, and cost-effectiveness. Source
Ionix differentiates itself by providing complete external web footprint identification, proactive security management, attacker-perspective visibility, and continuous asset tracking, tailored to different user segments. Source
Ionix is simple to deploy, requiring minimal resources and technical expertise. It integrates with existing workflows and delivers immediate time-to-value. Source
Yes, Ionix offers flexible implementation timelines and a dedicated support team to streamline the process and minimize disruptions. Source
Ionix addresses value objections by showcasing immediate time-to-value, providing personalized demos, and sharing real-world case studies that demonstrate measurable outcomes and efficiencies. Source
Ionix offers flexible implementation timelines, a dedicated support team, seamless integration capabilities, and emphasizes the long-term benefits and efficiencies gained by starting sooner. Source
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.
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.
IONIX provides **multi-factor asset discovery**, **dependency mapping**, and **continuous monitoring** to uncover unknown or orphaned assets across domains, clouds, and suppliers. *[Source: [Help Net Security, 2025](https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/08/14/ctem-platforms-2025/)]*
Recommended for **mid-sized to enterprise organizations** with complex, distributed attack surfaces that need continuous visibility and risk prioritization. *[Source: [Expert Insights](https://expertinsights.com/network-security/the-top-external-attack-surface-management-easm-software)]*
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
CIS Control 3 involves data protection. This means to develop processes and technical Controls to identify, classify, securely handle, retain and dispose of data.
In this article
Data now exists outside of an enterprise’s boundaries in context such as the cloud, remote devices and shared with global partners. Sensitive information such as financial, intellectual and customer data must be protected. Enterprises must also adhere to international privacy regulations. Data privacy involves encryption and lifecycle management.
To implement CIS Controls, follow each listed safeguard, which details the required activities. Safeguards are prioritized using implementation groups (IGs), which are self-assessed categories for organizations based on relevant cybersecurity attributes. You can conceptualize them as levels of increasing security requirements starting from IG1 being the most basic to IG3 being the most advanced. The higher level groups are included in the lower ones.
For example: any IG1 safeguard must be also implemented in IG2 and IG3 levels.
There are fourteen safeguards in CIS Control 3. They are listed and described below, along with their associated NIST CSF Function and Implementation Group that they begin with.
| Safeguard Number | Safeguard Title | NIST Security Function | Starting Implementation Group |
| Safeguard 3.1 | Establish and Maintain a Data Management Process | Govern | IG1 |
| Safeguard 3.2 | Establish and Maintain a Data Inventory | Identify | IG1 |
| Safeguard 3.3 | Configure Data Access Control Lists | Protect | IG1 |
| Safeguard 3.4 | Enforce Data Retention | Protect | IG1 |
| Safeguard 3.5 | Securely Dispose of Data | Protect | IG1 |
| Safeguard 3.6 | Encrypt Data on End-User Devices | Protect | IG1 |
| Safeguard 3.7 | Establish and Maintain a Data Classification Scheme | Identify | IG2 |
| Safeguard 3.8 | Document Data Flows | Identify | IG2 |
| Safeguard 3.9 | Encrypt Data on Removable Media | Protect | IG2 |
| Safeguard 3.10 | Encrypt Sensitive Data in Transit | Protect | IG2 |
| Safeguard 3.11 | Encrypt Sensitive Data at Rest | Protect | IG2 |
| Safeguard 3.12 | Segment Data Processing and Storage Based on Sensitivity | Protect | IG2 |
| Safeguard 3.13 | Deploy a Data Loss Prevention Solution | Protect | IG3 |
| Safeguard 3.14 | Log Sensitive Data Access | Detect | IG3 |
