MCNC expands access to Attack Surface Monitoring technology to secure digital blind spots for NC organizations

Proactive cybersecurity solution provides continuous visibility and real-time alerts for schools, municipalities, and more - regardless of network provider

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As organizations across North Carolina expand their digital footprints at blistering pace, every new cloud service, remote connection, or forgotten sub-domain creates a potential blind spot for bad actors. To help community institutions move from reactive cybersecurity to proactive control, MCNC is now expanding the availability of its Attack Surface Monitoring (ASM) solution to organizations statewide, including those who might not be connected to MCNC's vast network.

MCNC's Attack Surface Monitoring acts as a continuous radar, mapping an organization's entire external network the way a malicious intruder might see it. By combining advanced threat intelligence and external discovery tools, the service identifies unknown, vulnerable, and/or misconfigured digital assets so IT teams can lock them down in real-time before they can be exploited.

Long trusted by all of North Carolina's K-12 school districts and community colleges as well as the UNC System, MCNC is now extending ASM to private colleges and universities, municipalities, and other community institutions looking for a high-value, low-investment entry point to bolster their security posture.

"You can't protect what you can't see, and as your network grows, so does your risk of a breach through an overlooked digital asset," said James Nester, MCNC Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Director of Sales and Portfolio Management. "Many IT teams are stretched thin. Attack Surface Monitoring provides a vital second set of eyes on your perimeter, enhancing your team's security capability without a heavy operational lift. And because you don't have to be on our network to use it, this service is a simple starting point for anyone looking to partner with MCNC and build a more resilient cybersecurity strategy."

MCNC's ASM platform automates the discovery of shadow IT, orphaned domains and exposed ports, prioritizing alerts based on actual exploitability. This cuts through the noise so IT teams can focus on remediating mission-critical vulnerabilities. In a recent real-world scenario, a school system made routine adjustments to its firewall that inadvertently exposed internal vulnerabilities to the outside world. MCNC's Attack Surface Monitoring detected the exposure in real-time and alerted the school's IT staff immediately, allowing them to close the gap before a costly disaster or data breach could occur.

"Imagine managing security for a massive campus or municipal complex where people keep adding new doors and windows without updating the blueprint," said Chris Beal, MCNC Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). "Our ASM solution continuously maps that blueprint from the outside, finding those hidden, unlocked doors. When an accidental misconfiguration happens, having continuous external visibility is the difference between a quick, quiet fix and a major incident."

For organizations looking to uncover complex exposures or needing expert assistance closing security gaps, this new ASM service is a complementary addition to MCNC's expanding cybersecurity portfolio, giving customers hands-on support to remediate risks and strengthen long-term governance.

To learn more about MCNC's Attack Surface Monitoring or to schedule a consultation, visit mcnc.org/solutions/attack-surface-monitoring or explore MCNC's full suite of cybersecurity solutions.

About MCNC
MCNC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit client-focused technology organization. Founded in 1980, MCNC owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), one of America's longest-running regional research and education networks. With over 45 years of innovation, MCNC provides high-performance services for education, research, libraries, healthcare, public safety, and other community anchor institutions throughout North Carolina. NCREN is the fundamental broadband infrastructure for over 850 of these institutions including all public K-20 education in North Carolina. As one of the nation's premier middle-mile fiber backbone networks, MCNC leverages NCREN to customize protected Internet, cybersecurity services, and related applications for each client while supporting private service providers in bringing cost-efficient connectivity to rural and underserved communities in North Carolina.

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SOURCE MCNC