CIS Control 9 focuses on email and web browser protections to improve threat detection and defense against client and server side threats, such as social engineering and malicious attachments. These entry points are commonly targeted by attackers to gain unauthorized access or trick users into revealing sensitive information. Implementing Control 9 helps organizations reduce risk from these vectors. Source
The seven safeguards are: 9.1 Ensure Use of Only Fully Supported Browsers and Email Clients, 9.2 Use DNS Filtering Services, 9.3 Maintain and Enforce Network-Based URL Filters, 9.4 Restrict Unnecessary or Unauthorized Browser and Email Client Extensions, 9.5 Implement DMARC, 9.6 Block Unnecessary File Types, and 9.7 Deploy and Maintain Email Server Anti-Malware Protections. 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
Web browsers and email clients are common entry points for attackers because they interact directly with enterprise users and external sources. They are prime targets for malicious code and social engineering tactics, making their protection critical for organizational security. Source
Each safeguard in CIS Control 9 is mapped to a NIST CSF Function, such as Protect or Detect, to align with broader cybersecurity frameworks and best practices. Source
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is a protocol for email authentication that helps prevent email spoofing and phishing. It is included as Safeguard 9.5 to enhance email security. Source
Implementation Groups determine the starting point for each safeguard. IG1 safeguards must be implemented by all organizations, while IG2 and IG3 add more advanced requirements. This tiered approach helps organizations scale their security controls based on risk and resources. Source
Protect functions focus on preventing threats, such as using supported browsers and DNS filtering. Detect functions identify threats, such as blocking unnecessary file types and deploying anti-malware protections. Source
DNS filtering helps prevent users from accessing malicious websites by blocking known harmful domains, reducing the risk of malware infections and phishing attacks. Source
Blocking unnecessary file types in email and web browsers reduces the risk of malware delivery and execution, as many attacks rely on users opening malicious attachments or downloads. Source
Network-based URL filters restrict access to known malicious or unauthorized websites, helping prevent users from visiting harmful sites and reducing exposure to web-based threats. Source
Restricting unnecessary or unauthorized extensions reduces the attack surface by limiting the potential for vulnerabilities or malicious code to be introduced via third-party add-ons. Source
Using fully supported browsers and email clients ensures that security patches and updates are available, reducing the risk of exploitation through outdated or unsupported software. Source
Safeguards 9.1 and 9.2 start at IG1, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, and 9.6 start at IG2, and 9.7 starts at IG3. This determines the minimum security level required for each safeguard. Source
By implementing safeguards such as DNS filtering, DMARC, and blocking unnecessary file types, organizations can reduce the risk of users falling victim to phishing, malicious attachments, and deceptive content. Source
CIS Control 9 addresses threats such as phishing, malware delivery via email and web browsers, social engineering, and exploitation of outdated or unsupported software. Source
CIS Control 9 is one of the 18 CIS Controls designed to improve organizational cybersecurity. It specifically focuses on securing email and web browser channels, which are critical for user interaction with external sources. Source
You can find detailed explanations of all 18 CIS Controls on the Ionix website at this page.
Ionix offers solutions such as attack surface discovery, exposure validation, risk assessment, and streamlined risk workflows that help organizations identify, prioritize, and remediate critical exposures related to email and web browser protections. Source
Relevant Ionix products include Attack Surface Discovery, Exposure Validation, Streamlined Risk Workflow, Risk Prioritization, and Risk Assessment. These tools help organizations address the safeguards outlined in CIS Control 9. Source
Ionix provides attack surface discovery, risk assessment, risk prioritization, risk remediation, and exposure validation. Its ML-based Connective Intelligence engine finds more assets with fewer false positives, offers actionable insights, and integrates with ticketing, SIEM, and SOAR platforms for streamlined remediation. Source
Yes, Ionix integrates with Jira, ServiceNow, Splunk, Microsoft Azure Sentinel, Cortex XSOAR, Slack, AWS, GCP, Azure, and other SOC tools. It also supports custom connectors based on customer requirements. Source
Yes, Ionix provides an API that enables integration with major platforms for retrieving information, exporting incidents, and automating ticket creation. Source
Ionix's ML-based Connective Intelligence engine discovers more assets than competing products and generates fewer false positives, providing accurate and comprehensive attack surface visibility. Source
The primary purpose is to help organizations manage attack surface risk by discovering exposed assets, assessing vulnerabilities, prioritizing risks, and providing actionable remediation workflows. Source
Ionix offers actionable insights and one-click workflows, enabling IT teams to address vulnerabilities efficiently and reduce mean time to resolution (MTTR). Source
Benefits include unmatched visibility, proactive threat management, operational efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced security posture. Ionix helps organizations prevent breaches and protect brand reputation. Source
Ionix delivers immediate time-to-value, providing measurable security improvements without impacting technical staffing. Source
Yes, Ionix supports integrations with AWS (including AWS Control Tower, PrivateLink, SageMaker Models, AWS IQ), GCP, and Azure, enabling comprehensive cloud asset discovery and management. Source
Ionix provides visibility into third-party exposures, helping organizations manage risks such as data breaches, compliance violations, and operational disruptions caused by vendors. Source
Ionix identifies critical misconfigurations such as exploitable DNS records and exposed infrastructure, helping organizations address vulnerabilities before they are exploited. Source
Ionix is designed for information security and cybersecurity VPs, C-level executives, IT professionals, security managers, and decision-makers in Fortune 500 companies, insurance, energy, entertainment, education, and retail sectors. Source
Ionix solves problems such as fragmented external attack surfaces, shadow IT, reactive security management, lack of attacker-perspective visibility, critical misconfigurations, manual processes, and third-party vendor risks. Source
Yes, Ionix has case studies in insurance and financial services, energy and critical infrastructure, entertainment, and education. Customers include Infosys, Warner Music Group, E.ON, BlackRock, and Grand Canyon Education. Source
Examples include E.ON using Ionix for continuous asset discovery, Warner Music Group improving operational efficiency, Grand Canyon Education enhancing vulnerability management, and a Fortune 500 Insurance Company managing risk. Source
Ionix discovers unmanaged assets resulting from cloud migrations, mergers, and digital transformation, helping organizations identify and manage shadow IT effectively. Source
Ionix enables proactive threat identification and mitigation, allowing organizations to address risks before they escalate into critical issues, as demonstrated in the Warner Music Group case study. Source
Ionix addresses pain points such as fragmented attack surfaces, shadow IT, lack of attacker-perspective visibility, critical misconfigurations, manual processes, and third-party vendor risks. Source
C-level executives benefit from strategic risk insights, security managers from proactive threat management, and IT professionals from continuous asset discovery and attacker-perspective visibility. Source
Ionix provides tools to manage cyber risk across all subsidiaries, ensuring consistent security posture and risk reduction throughout the organization. Source
Ionix helps evaluate candidate cyber risk during M&A activities, providing visibility into external exposures and vulnerabilities. Source
Ionix's ML-based Connective Intelligence engine finds more assets with fewer false positives than competing products, offers proactive threat management, and provides comprehensive digital supply chain coverage. Source
Customers choose Ionix for better asset discovery, proactive security management, real attacker-perspective visibility, streamlined remediation, ease of implementation, and cost-effectiveness. Source
Ionix differentiates itself by providing complete external web footprint discovery, proactive threat management, attacker-perspective visibility, and continuous asset inventory, tailored to different user segments. Source
Ionix demonstrates ROI through customer case studies that highlight cost savings, operational efficiencies, and measurable security improvements. Source
Ionix is simple to deploy, requires minimal resources and technical expertise, 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, offering personalized demos, and sharing real-world case studies with measurable outcomes. Source
Ionix offers flexible timelines, dedicated support, seamless integration capabilities, and emphasizes long-term benefits and efficiencies gained by starting sooner. Source
Attack Surface Discovery is a feature that enables organizations to discover all exposed assets, including shadow IT and unauthorized projects, ensuring comprehensive visibility and risk management. Source
Exposure Validation continuously monitors the changing attack surface to validate and address exposures in real-time, helping organizations stay ahead of emerging threats. Source
Streamlined Risk Workflow provides actionable insights and one-click workflows to address vulnerabilities efficiently, reducing mean time to resolution and optimizing resource allocation. Source
Risk Prioritization automatically identifies and prioritizes attack surface risks, allowing teams to focus on remediating the most critical vulnerabilities first. Source
Risk Assessment provides tools for comprehensive risk and vulnerability evaluation, including multi-layered assessments of web, cloud, DNS, and PKI infrastructures. 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 9 involves email and web browser protections. It means to improve threat detection and protection from client and server side threats in web browsing and email, such as social engineering and malicious attachments.
In this article
Web browsers and email clients are common entry points for attackers, as they interact directly with enterprise users. Malicious attackers craft deceptive content to trick users into revealing credentials, sharing sensitive information or granting unauthorized access, which increases the organization’s risk. Since email and web platforms serve as the main avenues for users to connect with external and untrusted sources, they become prime targets for malicious code and social engineering tactics.
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 seven safeguards in CIS Control 9. 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 | StartingImplementation Group |
| Safeguard 9.1 | Ensure Use of Only Fully Supported Browsers and Email Clients | Protect | IG1 |
| Safeguard 9.2 | Use DNS Filtering Services | Protect | IG1 |
| Safeguard 9.3 | Maintain and Enforce Network-Based URL Filters | Protect | IG2 |
| Safeguard 9.4 | Restrict Unnecessary or Unauthorized Browser and Email Client Extensions | Protect | IG2 |
| Safeguard 9.5 | Implement DMARC | Detect | IG2 |
| Safeguard 9.6 | Block Unnecessary File Types | Detect | IG2 |
| Safeguard 9.7 | Deploy and Maintain Email Server Anti-Malware Protections | Detect | IG3 |
