> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/cortex-cloud-posture-management/cloud-inventory-and-environment/asset-classes/external-surface-assets.md). # External Surface assets Review externally exposed assets in your environment. The **External Surface** inventory provides a searchable, filterable view of the internet-facing assets that Cortex Cloud has discovered and attributed to your organization, including certificates, domains, services, and websites. Navigate to **Inventory** → **All Assets** → **External Surface** to access the **All External Surface Assets** view, or specific categories including **Services**, **Websites**, **Domains**, and **Certificates**. {% hint style="info" %} ### Notice Requires the Attack Surface Management (ASM) add-on. {% endhint %} The following sections provide information about each External Surface asset type. For information about external IP address ranges, see Network configuration. ### External asset categories There are four categories of external assets: * **Services:** Any internet-facing device or software communicating on an application-level protocol over the public internet. The services table includes detailed fields such as Active classifications, Business units, Discovery type, Externally inferred CVEs, and an Externally inferred vulnerability score. * **Websites:** Represents the content and the software stack that was used to generate a website. * **Domains:** All root domains and subdomains that Cortex Cloud has attributed to your organization. Subdomains are automatically grouped under a wildcard domain asset if they resolve to the same IP address, and are collapsed under a parent domain if more than 1,000 subdomains are observed. * **Certificates:** Cortex Cloud tracks "cryptographic health" checks, flagging issues such as self-signed or expired certificates, and weak signature algorithms. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/cortex-cloud-posture-management/cloud-inventory-and-environment/asset-classes/external-surface-assets.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.