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CTEM Identifiers

CTEM Identifiers provide a standardized taxonomy for classifying external threat exposures. Each identifier follows a consistent naming convention (CTEM-XXX-#) that categorizes threats by type and provides a unique reference for tracking and management.

CTEM Identifiers Taxonomy

Brand Impersonation (BND)

Exposures related to counterfeit products and brand abuse that damage reputation and consumer trust.

IDNameDescription
CTEM-BND-1Counterfeit Product Offered for Sale or UseCounterfeit versions of products being sold on dark web marketplaces, online pharmacies, or e-commerce platforms

Credential Dump (CRD)

Exposures involving compromised credentials from public breaches or vendor system dumps.

IDNameDescription
CTEM-CRD-1Employee Credentials Dumped PubliclyEmployee credentials exposed in a public password dump from a third-party breach
CTEM-CRD-2Vendor System Dump with CredentialsBreached vendor system with credentials offered for sale on dark web forums

Financial Information Exposure (FIN)

Exposures involving sensitive financial data that could enable fraud or unauthorized transactions.

IDNameDescription
CTEM-FIN-1Corporate Bank Account / Routing Information ExposedBank account numbers, routing numbers, or payment details publicly disclosed
CTEM-FIN-2Accounts Payable Information ExposureVendor payment details, invoices, or payment schedules publicly disclosed

Infected Device (INF)

Exposures involving compromised hosts across various ownership categories and risk profiles.

IDNameDescription
CTEM-INF-1Infected Corporate-Owned DeviceCompany-issued device compromised with malware and established persistence
CTEM-INF-2Infected Vendor-Owned DeviceVendor/contractor device compromised that services the organization
CTEM-INF-3Infected Employee-Owned Device (Corporate Credentials)Personal device used to access corporate systems found compromised
CTEM-INF-4Infected Employee-Owned Device (Personal Use of Corporate Identity)Personal device using corporate email for personal services found compromised
CTEM-INF-5Infected Customer-Owned DeviceCustomer device that interacts with organization services found compromised
CTEM-INF-6Infected Employee-Owned Device (Internal Network Connected)Personal device connected to internal corporate network found compromised
CTEM-INF-7Infected Employee-Owned Device (3rd Party Business Use)Personal device accessing third-party business services with corporate credentials

Lookalike Domains (DOM)

Exposures involving deceptive domain registrations that impersonate the organization.

IDNameDescription
CTEM-DOM-1Typo-Squatted DomainDomains with slight misspellings or keyboard proximity errors
CTEM-DOM-2Homoglyph Attack DomainDomains using visually similar characters from other alphabets or UTF-8
CTEM-DOM-3Phishing Indicator DomainDomains exhibiting characteristics suggesting phishing intent
CTEM-DOM-4Brand Impersonation DomainDomains mimicking official naming conventions to deceive users

Ransomware (RAN)

Exposures from ransomware attacks affecting the organization's supply chain or customer relationships.

IDNameDescription
CTEM-RAN-1Ransom Dump (Supplier)Supplier/vendor data leaked via ransomware containing organization information
CTEM-RAN-2Ransom Dump (Customer)Customer data leaked via ransomware containing organization information

Source Code Exposure (SRC)

Exposures involving publicly accessible code repositories that may contain sensitive information.

IDNameDescription
CTEM-SRC-1Public Repository - Company SanctionedOfficial company repository that may inadvertently expose sensitive information
CTEM-SRC-2Public Repository - Employee CreatedRepository published by an employee without official corporate scrutiny
CTEM-SRC-3Public Repository - Vendor OwnedVendor repository containing code related to organization services
CTEM-SRC-4Public Repository - Unrelated 3rd PartyExternal repository containing references to the organization
CTEM-SRC-5Public Repository - Company Comment/IssuePublic comment or issue that discloses information about the organization

System Exposure (EXP)

Exposures involving internet-accessible systems that could provide attack vectors.

IDNameDescription
CTEM-EXP-1Directly Connected Internal SystemInternet-accessible system directly connected to internal network (DMZ)
CTEM-EXP-2Remote Site-Owned System Presumed ConnectedRemote site system suspected to have internal network connectivity
CTEM-EXP-3Corporate Internet-Exposed Gateway DeviceNetworking device (firewall, router, VPN) exposed to the internet
CTEM-EXP-4Corporate Cloud-Connected SystemSystem connected to corporate cloud account (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CTEM-EXP-5Presumed Company System by BrandingSystem appearing to be company-owned based on branding indicators
CTEM-EXP-6Contractor/Vendor-Managed SystemSystem managed by third-party contractor or vendor

Summary Statistics

CategoryCodeCount
Brand ImpersonationBND1
Credential DumpCRD2
Financial InformationFIN2
Infected DeviceINF7
Lookalike DomainsDOM4
RansomwareRAN2
Source Code ExposureSRC5
System ExposureEXP6
Total29

Identifier Format

All CTEM identifiers follow a consistent naming convention:

CTEM-[CATEGORY]-[NUMBER]
  • CTEM: Continuous Threat Exposure Management prefix
  • CATEGORY: Three-letter category code (e.g., INF, DOM, EXP)
  • NUMBER: Sequential identifier within the category

This standardized format enables consistent communication, tracking, and integration across security tools and processes.