ongesecuren

Ongesecuren is a term used in information security to describe the state of systems, networks, and services that remain insecure due to misconfigurations, weak authentication, unencrypted data in transit or at rest, and insufficient defense-in-depth. The concept emphasizes that security is not a single feature but a property of ongoing operational practices, software supply chains, and architectural choices.

Origin and usage: The term appears in security discussions and some industry writings as a neologism to differentiate between nominally secured products and the practical realities of implementation. It is used to discuss systemic risk introduced by insecure defaults and policies that are not enforced across teams.

Characteristics: Ongesecuren typically involves persistent vulnerabilities, visibility gaps, and inconsistent security controls across environments such as cloud services, on-premises systems, and Internet of Things devices. Attack surfaces are enlarged by exposures such as weak passwords, improper access controls, and outdated software.

Impact and mitigation: The consequences include data breaches, regulatory penalties, downtime, and loss of trust. Mitigation focuses on security-by-default, asset discovery, strict access management, encryption, patch management, and regular security assessments.

Related terms: insecure defaults, misconfiguration, unencrypted data, supply chain risk.