Penetration Testing

Choosing a Cyber Ally certified provider for penetration testing offers assurance of quality, expertise, and ethical conduct. These providers undergo rigorous training, ensuring they possess the skills to effectively identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities. Their independence and impartiality guarantee unbiased results. CREST certification is widely recognised in the industry, enhancing the credibility of the organisation’s security program. Additionally, ongoing professional development ensures these providers stay updated on the latest threats and technologies, offering cutting-edge testing services. Ultimately, selecting a Cyber Ally certified provider strengthens the organisation’s cybersecurity posture and resilience against cyber threats.

An authenticated penetration test involves testing a system or application with valid credentials, simulating an attack by an insider or a compromised user. This allows testers to assess security controls and vulnerabilities accessible to authenticated users, such as inadequate permissions or weak authentication mechanisms.

In contrast, a non-authenticated penetration test does not involve using valid credentials. Instead, testers attempt to exploit vulnerabilities from an external perspective, simulating an attack by an unauthorised user. This type of test focuses on identifying weaknesses accessible without authentication, such as misconfigured services or publicly exposed sensitive information.

Both types of tests provide valuable insights into an organisation’s security posture, but authenticated testing offers a deeper assessment of internal vulnerabilities and controls, while non-authenticated testing focuses on external threats and surface-level weaknesses.

Automated penetration testing is suitable for scenarios where efficiency, scalability, and repeatability are essential. However, it’s crucial to supplement automated testing with manual testing to ensure comprehensive coverage and uncover more nuanced vulnerabilities.

Organisations might choose to engage a different or second provider for penetration testing due to several reasons:

1. Diverse Expertise: The second provider may offer specialized expertise or experience in areas that the primary provider lacks, enabling a more comprehensive assessment of security risks.

2. Validation and Verification: Employing multiple providers can provide validation and verification of findings, reducing the risk of overlooking critical vulnerabilities or misinterpreting results.

3. Conflict of Interest: Concerns about conflicts of interest with the primary provider, such as being involved in the design or implementation of security measures, may prompt organisations to seek an independent assessment from a different provider.

4. Regulatory Compliance: Regulatory requirements or industry standards may necessitate independent verification of security controls, prompting organisations to engage multiple providers to ensure compliance.

5. Risk Mitigation: Diversifying penetration testing efforts across multiple providers can help mitigate the risk of bias, errors, or oversights inherent in relying solely on one provider.

6. Benchmarking and Comparison: Engaging multiple providers allows organisations to benchmark the effectiveness of their security measures and compare findings to gain deeper insights into their security posture.

Overall, leveraging different providers for penetration testing can enhance the thoroughness, objectivity, and effectiveness of security assessments, contributing to a more robust cybersecurity posture for the organisation.

Login credentials are necessary for penetration testing to simulate real-world attack scenarios where attackers might have access to valid user accounts. This allows testers to assess security controls and vulnerabilities accessible to authenticated users, ensuring a thorough evaluation of the system’s security posture and the identification of potential risks and weaknesses.

Hackers will find your vulnerabilities and the impacts and cost will be significantly larger.

• You can’t fix vulnerabilities if you don’t know they exist.
• A hacked system can mean the end of your business.

Internal penetration testing evaluates the security of systems and networks from within an organisation’s internal network, simulating attacks that could occur from employees or other authorised users.

External penetration testing, on the other hand, assesses the security of systems and networks from an external perspective, mimicking attacks from outside the organisation, such as hackers on the internet.

While internal testing focuses on insider threats and vulnerabilities accessible to authorised users, external testing targets vulnerabilities that could be exploited by unauthorised external parties. Both types of testing are crucial for identifying and mitigating security risks effectively.

Penetration testing alone cannot guarantee the prevention of cyber incidents and data breaches, but it significantly reduces the risk by identifying and addressing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.

For example, in 2017, Equifax suffered a massive data breach exposing the personal information of millions of individuals. The breach occurred due to a known vulnerability in the Apache Struts software, which Equifax failed to patch. If Equifax had conducted regular penetration testing and addressed the vulnerability promptly, they could have prevented the breach.

Penetration testing helps organisations proactively identify and mitigate security weaknesses, reducing the likelihood of successful cyberattacks and data breaches. However, it should be part of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that includes regular patch management, employee training, and other security measures to effectively mitigate risks.