What you need to know about Pen Testing Services
Pen Testing is a planned exercise, where a professional ethical hacker tries to compromise a client’s system. He finds vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the client’s system. The company pays the hacker and team for his services. Ethical hacker is also known as white hat hacker. These hackers are considered virtuous kind of hackers as they secure the company’s system from stealing and sabotage. They work for the benefit of humanity. They are qualified and trained for this purpose.
Pen testing service is basically penetration testing service, in which a white hat hacker exploits vulnerabilities of the client’s network. The purpose of pen testing is to identify the security weakness before the black hat hacker exploits them. In this blog we will explore key points to know pen testing services:
Purpose of Pen Testing Service
The basic purpose of pen testing service is to evaluate and secure the infrastructure of the network by stimulating real world attacks. It helps organizations find out vulnerabilities and improve the overall security posture of the organization.
Methodology of Penetration Testing
Penetration testing professionals follow a planned and structured methodology to identify the vulnerabilities in the client’s security system. The tools which are used by these pen testing professionals are manual as well automated to get unauthorized access and stimulate potential attacks. These professionals try their best to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the form of weak passwords, insecure network architecture and configurations.
Scope of Pen testing Services
In the beginning, the pen testing may look a bit complicated, but it is crucial to know how computer vulnerabilities work. Due to this reason, the software and the operating system continuously updates the notifications. In most of the cases these updates and notifications are vital security patches to be eliminated immediately.
The scope of pen testing service is different in different organizations. It depends on the level of testing desired. However the organizations should consider the legal and ethical aspects to avoid any unauthorized activities.
Legal And Ethical Considerations
Penetration testing should be conducted with explicit authorization of the client. It should also clearly define boundaries and limitations of this testing service. The pen testing expert should follow the rules of the testing while respecting the boundaries of his work. His work should not cause any harm to the client’s system. He should maintain confidentiality and prevent disclosure of the cyber security findings. The team should maintain detailed documentation throughout the process. They should present before the organization the best remediation measures.
Reporting and Recommendations
After the successful pen testing is accomplished the team should present a comprehensive report to the client mentioning the findings. The report should outline the vulnerabilities and weaknesses discovered and possible measures to curb them. This report is very crucial for the client as it highlights the cyber security weaknesses and it also recommends doable measures to improve the security at the highest level.
Compliance and Regulations
Compliance and regulations in pen testing services refer to the laws and industry standards that govern the ethical and legal aspects. These rules and laws are different in different countries and regions. There are some industries like government, health sector and finance, which have specific compliance requirements. In majority of the cases pen testing is needed by the regulatory frameworks and industry standards. For example the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the health sector protects and secures the patient’s confidential data.
Ongoing Pen Testing
Ongoing pen testing or recurring pen testing refers to the practice of conducting pen testing on a regular basis. It involves continuous monitoring of the company’s system and infrastructure. It identifies the vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the real-time as the passwords are updated and new changes are made to the systems. Ongoing pen testing is highly recommended as it is a newly adapted approach. It recognizes the security vulnerabilities instantly. It ensures effective measures for protection.
Improved Incident Response
Pen testing significantly contributes to improved incident response capabilities. When the weaknesses and vulnerabilities are uncovered using pen testing service, the organizations can actively address them to improve the security posture. This technique provides an effective insight into how an organization’s incident response performs. By conducting realistic cyber attack simulations, the organization can judge how well their incident response procedure aligns with the actual scenario.
Awareness about your systems
A vulnerability or security breach in the system warns the organization, that how their system works. The awareness gained here, through the pen testing process is invaluable. The organization should try its best to keep the information confidential, as there are possible ways to leak out the sensitive information of the firm. Pen testing is an eye opener for the employees of the organization. The entire team needs to be aware about the security issues and remain cautious while updating any changes related to passwords. The organization should form their own home grown and ongoing security system.
Final Words
It is mandatory to note that pen testing should be performed by the qualified and skilled pen testing professional. These pen testers should have experience and command in their field. No doubt, pen testing is a proactive and recommended approach that helps organizations stay ahead of potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses. It promotes a culture of ongoing improvement and vigilance of the organization. It prepares the firms to face any cyber security risks. This ultimately strengthens the overall security posture of the organization.
