Penetration testing involves deliberately attempting to exploit vulnerabilities in a computer system from various angles, and is typically carried out by ethical “white hat” hackers. This is in contrast to a vulnerability scan, which simply identifies and reports on the severity of vulnerabilities. There are two main types of penetration testing: external and internal. External testing is used to evaluate the effectiveness of a system’s security measures in detecting and preventing attacks, while also identifying weaknesses in assets that are accessible from outside the network, such as websites, email, and file shares. Internal testing assumes that the tester has network access, and is used to assess the potential damage that could be caused by an employee or visitor who gains unauthorized access to sensitive data by, for example, opening a phishing email attachment or connecting a personal device to the network.
Need for Penetration Testing
- Amateur or professional hackers have the objective of obtaining sensitive data from your organization, whether it is for malicious reasons or for financial gain. A single instance of system downtime resulting from a cyber attack can severely damage your company’s reputation, causing both customers and business partners to question the security of their relationship with your organization.
- Merely updating your password and Windows firewall at regular intervals is insufficient to safeguard your system against highly proficient hackers who possess the ability to infiltrate your computer system and obtain any desired information without your knowledge.
- In order to safeguard against illegal hacking and prevent the detrimental impact of system downtime, it is imperative for any organization, corporation, or company that relies on IT to conduct regular security testing and ensure the ongoing updating of their security features.
Benefits of Penetration Testing
Penetration testing offers several advantages, including:
Reveal Vulnerabilities
The primary objective of conducting a penetration test is to identify weaknesses in the computer system and network infrastructure of your organization. During this testing process, the behaviors and practices of your employees are also examined to help uncover potential vulnerabilities and risks of data breaches or malicious infiltration. The penetration tester then provides a detailed report that outlines any security vulnerabilities found, as well as recommendations for improving the software and hardware, policies, and overall security of your organization.
Show Real Risks
Penetration testing involves attempting to exploit known vulnerabilities, thereby simulating real-world attack scenarios and providing insight into the actions that an attacker may take. Such an attacker may execute operating system commands and gain access to sensitive data on your system. It is worth noting that exploiting vulnerabilities may pose significant challenges to an attacker, and penetration testing can provide insight into the actual level of risk posed by a given vulnerability, which can only be accurately assessed by a specialist in this field.
Test Cyber-Defence Capability
During penetration testing, it is crucial to identify and promptly respond to any attacks. In the event of an intrusion, immediate investigation of the intruders should be undertaken, and appropriate measures taken to detect, block, and deter further breaches, regardless of the intent of the intruders. The evaluation of your protection strategy by experts helps to test its efficacy.
Ensure Business Continuity
It is crucial to maintain the availability of your company’s operations, including network access, communication, and resource availability 24/7, in order to avoid negative impacts on your customers and business partners. Conducting penetration testing can help to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities that could disrupt your operations, and ensure that there is no unexpected downtime or loss of accessibility.
Third-Party opinion
In the event that an issue is identified within your organization, management may not be sufficiently motivated to take appropriate action. However, if the report is generated by an impartial third-party expert, its impact on management is likely to be more substantial, potentially resulting in the allocation of additional funds to address the issue.
Follow Certification
To comply with industry and legal requirements, regular security reviews and penetration testing are necessary. The PCI regulation and ISO 27001 standards mandate that these reviews be carried out by skilled testers in coordination with the manager and system owner. The primary objective of the pen test is to assess the real-life impact of potential security breaches.
Maintain Trust
A system breakdown or cyber-attack can harm the loyalty of your customers and business partners. However, if your company has a reputation for performing regular and thorough penetration testing, and maintaining systematic and strict security measures, this can provide reassurance to all stakeholders involved.
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