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Blast radius

Blast radius describes how far the impact of a compromise could spread from a single starting point — the set of systems, identities, and data an attacker could reach after gaining an initial foothold. A small blast radius means a breach is contained; a large one means a single compromised host endangers much more.

Measuring blast radius requires understanding the relationships in an environment — network reachability, access rights, and dependencies — which is why it is closely tied to digital twins and attack simulation. Reducing blast radius (through segmentation, least privilege, and removing unused access) is one of the most effective ways to limit the damage of an inevitable incident.