Synopsis
Breaking into a company’s security defenses takes a long time and skill. However, modern techniques make it easier than ever for threat actors to uncover vulnerable spots in an organization. Penetration testing, often referred to as “pentesting”, helps organizations identify potential attack vectors and patch them before hackers exploit them. This blog will delve into the various benefits of penetration testing, empowering you to understand its crucial role in fortifying your organization’s cybersecurity posture.
What is Penetration Testing?
Organizations can define penetration testing based on the objectives of a particular test. It may include all or some of an organization’s assets, such as, networks, apps, hardware, cloud services, etc. It mimics the behavior of real-world threat actors. Penetration testing is used by experienced cyber security specialists to strengthen a company’s overall security posture and eliminate any weaknesses that may leave it vulnerable to attacks.
Penetration testing, when done correctly, goes beyond simply preventing adversaries from gaining unauthorized access to a company’s systems. It generates realistic scenarios that demonstrate how well a company’s present defenses might perform in the face of a full-scale cyber assault.
Why do you need a Pen Test?
Penetration testing allow businesses to assess the overall security of their information technology (IT) infrastructure. In one area, a corporation may have solid security standards, yet in another, they may be weak. Because of the enormous financial ramifications of a successful cyber assault, no organization should wait for a real-world situation to unfold before taking the offensive. When security professionals use penetration testing tools and techniques to reveal flaws in a company’s security fabric, they also help resolve any issues before they become major risks.
Penetration testing is important for many reasons, not simply compliance. Isn’t it the pattern we fall into sometimes? We conduct it because we have to, but we don’t utilize the results to better safeguard our organization.
Top 4 Benefits of Penetration Testing are:
- A penetration test helps investigating existing flaws in your systems or applications, as well as your network architecture. During penetration testing, your employees’ activities that potentially lead to data breaches, are investigated. A report informs you of your security weaknesses and the relevant risk ratings; this along with strategic recommendations, could improve the overall security posture.
- Penetration testers attempt to exploit discovered flaws. That is, you can see what an attacker may do in the real world. They may get access to sensitive data or compromise the entire infrastructure. However, they may also warn you that a vulnerability that is potentially high risk isn’t that dangerous due to the complexity of exploitation. This sort of analysis can only be performed by an expert.
- Penetration testing may be mandated by your industry or legal compliance needs. For instance, the PCI regulations require organizations to undertake periodic penetration testing conducted by qualified testers. This is due to fact that penetration testing places an emphasis on real-world scenarios.
- You should be able to recognize threats and respond appropriately and quickly. When you discover an intrusion, you should begin an investigation to identify the intruders and block them. Whether adversaries exploiting or specialists testing the efficacy of your security preparedness, the results of the test will inform you about the measures you can take to strengthen your defenses.
Redfox Security is a diverse network of expert security consultants with a global mindset and a collaborative culture. If you are looking to improve your organization’s security posture, contact us today to discuss your security testing needs. Our team of security professionals can help you identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in your systems and provide recommendations to remediate them. To schedule a call with one of our technical specialists, call 1-800-917-0850 now.
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