Penetration testing is the cornerstone of any cyber security strategy, yet enterprises often don’t get an optimal outcome from their pen test engagements. In this blog I’ll be looking at the three main reasons behind this, and also suggesting an alternative way of working that could vastly improve security outcomes whilst also increasing business value.
Penetration testing, also known as “pen testing,” is an intentional, simulated cyberattack against your IT systems to find vulnerabilities and test the efficacy of cybersecurity controls. For example, penetration testers can use this tactic to improve web application security mechanisms such as firewalls. Pen testing might involve an attempt to breach access controls to gain access to a private network.
Many businesses are running remotely as a result of the latest COVID-19 pandemic. The 'new normal' has expanded the market for digital transformation initiatives and cloud migration strategies. However, according to Verizon's 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report, cybercriminals are taking advantage of enterprises' desperate digital transformation initiatives by developing new ways to target and exploit their web applications.
Adaptation of large-scale web applications at a wider level in several multi-faced industry verticals like healthcare, banking, intelligence services and others has exposed them to massive data breaches. Despite increasing awareness about security, complex threat vectors continue to put organizations across the globe under attack.
Every spring, my family has an annual ritual of visiting our friendly primary care physician for our physical exams. Although it’s one of the last things my wife wants to do, these routine checkups are an important way to detect problems before they become more noticeable.
At the time it was first introduced, a penetration test accurately represented how an attacker was likely to target a network. Today, that is no longer the case. As digital networks and business processes have evolved, so too have their security needs.
