CloudSEK Attack Surface Management vs Microsoft Defender EASM: 2026 Comparison

CloudSEK Attack Surface Management

Mid-market and enterprise security teams drowning in shadow IT and undocumented digital assets need CloudSEK Attack Surface Management because it finds what you don't know you're exposing, not just monitors what you already cataloged. The platform maps NIST ID.AM asset management by discovering external-facing infrastructure across cloud, DNS, and third-party integrations that traditional vulnerability scanners miss. Skip this if your attack surface is already fully inventoried or you're looking for a replacement for your existing ASM tool; CloudSEK excels at the discovery phase and is less differentiated once baseline assets are known.

Microsoft Defender EASM

Mid-market and enterprise security teams managing multiple cloud environments will get the most from Microsoft Defender EASM because it actually finds unmanaged assets and shadow IT that your teams don't know exist, then feeds that inventory directly into your existing Microsoft security stack. Its integration with Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Security Copilot means you're not bolting on another disconnected tool; discovery flows straight into your asset management and risk prioritization workflows. Skip this if your organization runs primarily on non-Microsoft infrastructure or lacks the Defender for Cloud footprint to make the integration pay off.