Before I get too deep into everything, let us discuss what penetration testing means. Try to think of it as a comprehensive cybersecurity check for your business systems, where the tester (typically called a “pentester”) would try to find a weakness in your current system before the cybercriminals do. It is important to mention that a penetration test is only as good as the pentester. Pentesting requires creativity – thinking like a cyber-criminal and looking for all possible vulnerabilities. It is very important that the tester understands business systems and processes, and the client’s specific IT systems.
Now, this is not about catching someone in the act; it is more along the lines of having a reformed burglar check the locks and windows on your home to make sure your house is as secure as possible. They might even try to pick a few locks or open a window, with permission, in the process. This measure puts you ahead of the curve and allows you to identify and fix real issues before someone with bad intentions can harm you.
What does all this matter? Cybercriminals have nothing but time, and are becoming more sophisticated in their approach. A single attack can result in significant financial loss, reputational damage, and legal liabilities. That is why regular penetration testing is crucial.
Why Penetration Testing is not Vulnerability Scanning?
There is a common misconception among businesses with which we have contacted, who either priced, or been offered bargain-priced “penetration testing” sold at typically a few hundred dollars. The truth is that most of these services are vulnerability scans labeled as penetration testing. Why does that matter? Vulnerability scanning is done through automated tools to look for known system issues. It is the equivalent of the same reformed burglar just walking past the house and telling you the doors and windows look good, but they never test anything. While that may be useful, not knowing how or if a system can be exploited removes the real-world perspective. You need to know the status of your business's security through deeper, hands-on testing.
Outsourcing Penetration Testing Overseas
Many IT providers offer businesses cheap outsourced penetration testing to “check a box” and fulfill bid or compliance requirements. It seems like a great idea at first, but this decision has some significant drawbacks. Some outsourced providers may not completely understand your compliance or regulatory requirements, and their testing leaves you vulnerable to fines, audits, or compliance failures, which may erode your customer’s trust. Additionally, the provided work and reports are superficial; they look very professional and flashy, but they provide minimal insights, miss critical security issues, or fail to provide actionable remediation steps. Finally, the IT providers outsourcing the work have no control over the process, and it does not consider the unique needs of your business for engaging in the pen test to being with. All these points are a recipe for a risky engagement that provides you with minimal, if any, actual risk reduction.
What is the Key Take Aways
Not all penetration testing is created in an equal manner. You need to know what you are paying for and ensure that you partner with a reputable provider that gives you the most comprehensive testing at a reasonable price. This should include manual testing, in-depth analysis of risks, and a perspective that considers your business’s specific needs and threat landscape. You may save money by cutting some corners in the short term with cheap, substandard penetration testing. In the long run however, proper penetration testing is an investment that pays dividends to your business’s cybersecurity program by identifying critical vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them. This substantially reduces the likelihood of costly, embarrassing breaches, and ensures compliance with industry regulations. These investments in security can lead to fewer disruptions, stronger customer trust, and a more resilient business overall.
Remember, a vulnerability scan could find that you have a window open, but penetration testing will tell us if an attacker might get through it, what they might gain access to, and most importantly, how the would-be criminals’ actions might impact your business.
Let IntelliSystems help you stay locked up tight!
-Getting into the Informational Piece-
IntelliSystems offers clients network and application penetration testing capabilities provided by experienced, certified personnel that work to reveal the actual ways that threat actors could exploit their public-facing or internal systems. If you have not had a penetration test recently or have concerns about the security of your systems, get in touch with us today.