In 2017, Equifax, a major American credit bureau, became a cautionary tale in the importance of robust cybersecurity practices. It overlooked critical vulnerabilities in its systems, failing to address a known security flaw in its Apache Struts web app framework. This oversight resulted in the data leak of 143 million customers, costing Equifax $1.38 billion in making breach compensations and upgrading its IT systems.

While it can serve as part of a security strategy, it also presents some challenges. In this blog post, we outline what automated pen testing is and compare its key benefits and risks with those of manual pen testing.

Penetration testing is a critical defence mechanism in cybersecurity. It’s a process where experts mimic cyberattacks on your systems, networks or applications, identifying vulnerabilities before they can be exploited maliciously. This proactive approach is essential for fortifying your defences and ensuring compliance with various industry standards.

You can run a penetration test by following the five stages: preparation, reconnaissance, penetration, reporting and remediation. Penetration tests are important to help protect an organization from security breaches and data leaks. Cybercriminals are always looking for vulnerabilities within an organization’s system to steal their sensitive data. Penetration testing helps organizations identify security vulnerabilities to help prevent security breaches.

This plays a vital role in helping organisations mitigate cyber risk by shutting down vulnerabilities before they can be exploited maliciously. In this blog article, we outline what PTaaS is and how it can help you advance your cyber resilience.

In our continuous endeavour to innovate and improve, we are thrilled to introduce our new workflow for assessments. Designed with a focus on efficiency and user-friendliness, this newly revised process is set to significantly enhance your experience during a pentest.‍

Cyber security pen testing can vary widely, covering applications, wireless, network services and physical assets. These could include internal and external infrastructure testing, web or mobile application testing, API testing, cloud and network configuration reviews, social engineering and even physical security testing.

Penetration testing remains a crucial element in cybersecurity, providing organizations with the proactive means to identify and address security vulnerabilities long before they become opportunities for malicious actors. More than 75% of businesses perform pen-testing either to maintain their security posture or due to compliance reasons.

Securing your organization’s information systems is a top priority in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Organizations face an ongoing battle against cyber threats; penetration testing is a powerful weapon to avoid these risks. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Penetration Testing Framework, known as “nist pen testing,” offers a robust and structured approach to assessing and enhancing cybersecurity defences.