For a long time, digital sovereignty was a term reserved for strategy papers and empty rhetoric. That has changed. Geopolitical tensions, new regulations, and growing dependence on a handful of providers have turned a political buzzword into a tangible business issue. Anyone making decisions today about the cloud, data, IT architecture, or IT security is also making decisions about control, freedom of action, and future viability. It’s high time to turn this topic on its head: What does digital sovereignty really mean – and what does it mean specifically for your company?

In many companies, the summer months are considered a quiet period. Employees are on vacation, key contacts are hard to reach and temporary arrangements replace standard procedures. Cybercriminals know exactly that – and exploit it deliberately. Firewalls, Zero Trust, endpoint security – none of that helps much if a single employee clicks on a phishing email. People are the most effective target. They can’t be patched. And they’re particularly vulnerable in the summer.

To mitigate the rapidly expanding attack surface in enterprises, new success factors are required. In this context, two disciplines are currently gaining significant importance: IT asset management and exposure management. In the field of IT security in particular, these approaches are converging into a critical aspect. Why? Because companies that do not have a complete understanding of their digital assets and the security risks associated with them cannot effectively protect them. This article examines the fundamentals, differences, and concrete value of modern, security-focused asset and exposure management.