Penetration testing (aka pentesting or ethical hacking) – what is it and why might you need it?
Penetration testing, also known as pen testing and ethical hacking, is getting more and more popular, but many people still don’t understand exactly what it is or what it’s used for. This brief article will walk you through the fundamentals of why you might be advised to have your systems pentested and what happens if you do.
Penetration testing (pentesting) definition
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre defines penetration testing as:
“A method for gaining assurance in the security of an IT system by attempting to breach some or all of that system’s security, using the same tools and techniques as an adversary might.”
In other words, penetration testing is an attempt to break into your IT systems in a safe manner in order to determine whether they are vulnerable to attack. It typically consists of a series of tests performed by a team of experts known as penetration testers or pentesters. They will search for vulnerabilities in your systems that cyber criminals could exploit.
It’s the equivalent of having a security consultant walk around your house, checking windows and doors, making sure they can’t get into places they shouldn’t, and so on, and then telling you what they found so you can fix it before a criminal takes advantage.
Penetration testing means you can fix flaws
This means that if your system has flaws, you can fix them by updating software, improving technology, or adding new processes as necessary. This reduces the likelihood of your system being hacked.
It also means you can demonstrate to your customers, business partners, and others that you take security seriously, which will increase their trust in you.
Safe, proven methodology
When Securious performs pentesting for clients, we adhere to the National Cyber Security Centre’s guidelines and, where relevant, the OWASP top ten most critical risk. We employ a tried-and-trusted methodology that searches for flaws in your defences both inside and outside of your company’s network.
The results of the penetration test are then written up in a report that highlights the risks and recommends where more resources should be used to protect your systems.
It is completely risk-free, necessitates minimal preparation, and results in no downtime on your part.
Penetration testing – summary of benefits
So in summary, the three main reasons to undertake pentesting are:
- Identify vulnerabilities so you can ensure your critical assets and data are secure
- Provide evidence to third parties that your systems have been tested
- Meet regulatory compliance requirements (like PCI DSS if you take payment by card)
Learn more about penetration testing (pentesting)
If you’d like to read about penetration in more detail, try the following from our site:
If you’d like to talk to one of our specialists about your pentesting requirements, please email info@securious.co.uk
