Penetration testing is an authorized set of techniques performed by security experts to detect
vulnerabilities and security holes. Since cybercriminals actively exploit software, hardware
security issues, and employees, the demand for pen tests has been skyrocketing.
Though there are many tools for finding security vulnerabilities, all of them lack insight. So far,
the most effective way to root out a problem is to manually validate security issues. By using the
same methods as black hat hackers do, testers see where the weakest spots are and validate
the vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
Springing from the type of attack, testers look for:
- incorrect configuration
- software or hardware defects
- operational weaknesses
- susceptibility to phishing and so on.
As a result, a client receives a detailed report on ways a company can improve its security systems and prevent possible cybersecurity breaches and an executive summary on how to drive the security program to another level.
Types of Penetration Testing:
- Internal & External
- Wireless Pen Testing
- Web Application Testing
- Mobile Application Penetration Testing
- Build and Configuration Review
- Social Engineering
Penetration testing can be of different types, varying in focus, duration, and depth.
- Internal & External Infrastructure Penetration Testing. This type of a pen test allows checking on on-premise and cloud network infrastructure as well as firewalls, routers, and switches. Depending on your goal, a pen test can be internal or external. In the first case, testers focus mainly on assets inside the corporate network, while external testing focuses on internet-facing infrastructure.
- Wireless Pen Testing. Wireless pen testing is used to check organizations’ WLAN and wireless protocols to pinpoint flaws in encryption and WPA exposure to threats.
- Web Application Testing. The procedure examines websites and web applications to detect potential bugs. Before running this test, you need to determine the number of apps to be tested.
- Mobile Application Penetration Testing. Mobile penetration testing checks if applications/mobile operating systems have vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals. To run this test, you need to gather the following info: types and versions of operating systems that you want an app to be tested on, number of AP calls, and other details such as requirements for jailbreaking and root detention.
- Build and Configuration Review. This is a process of reviewing network builds and configurations to find possible misconfigurations across web and app servers.
- Social Engineering. The practice is meant to test employees’ commitment to security policies. Imitating typical social engineering scams, ethical hackers rely on human errors. A test will show whether employees will fall victim to hackers’ tricks or not.
5 Reasons Why Your Business Needs Penetration Testing
When we say that penetration testing is a far more complicated process than just a vulnerability
scan, we mean that it is one of the best ways to check the effectiveness of your security tools against hackers. To prove this point, we can name 5 reasons why your business needs penetration testing.
Detect exposures before cybercriminals
A pen test helps to highlight weak spots in a cybersecurity strategy that were overlooked at the planning stage. However, it is important to keep in mind that a pen test and a vulnerability scan are different. Pen testers look for specific weak spots that:
- hard or almost impossible to detect with the help of automated scanning;
- appear in the result of a combination of several lower-risk vulnerabilities;
- appear in the result of an employee’s error.
Try out your network defense
The studies show that the minimum time needed to find and identify a data breach is 197 days. In the worst case scenario, it can be 287 days. It is obvious that the longer a data breach exists, the more dangerous consequences are. A timely conducted pen test will check if malicious programs and users can break through your defense.
Calculate potential damage costs
Many SMEs and organizations hesitate whether they need a pen test or not. A common reason to postpone it is a high price, but is it that high if we compare the test price with damage costs? The studies show that the cost of a data breach is 10.3 percent higher than it was in 2020.
Financial losses are not even the main issue, because a successful attack usually leads to:
- severe reputation damage;
- IT infrastructure disruption;
- derange of working process;
- loss of backups.
Demonstrate the effectiveness of your security policy
The more scandals with data breaches are featured in the media, the more cautious customers become. People are seriously concerned about the safety of their data, thus they demand guarantees that their credit card information as well as other sensitive information won’t fall into
the wrong hands. Penetration testing will help you to create a safe operating space for your customers and business partners.
Penetration testing and a following process of fixing up security issues can be costly, but it is
still cheaper than the expenses that come with a data breach.
A cybersecurity strategy can’t be viewed as effective if it hasn’t been tested. As a rule, there is
always room for improvement. That is exactly Abira Security’s expertise. Reach out to us to
learn more about penetration testing, costs, and everything you want to know about
cybersecurity.