Penetration test
A pentest is a simulated attack on a computer system or network that reveals the security gaps and vulnerabilities that could be exploited by real hackers. The aim is to identify security gaps, a priority risk assessment and improve security measures.
Why should a pentest be carried out on critical systems?
A pentest can help achieve the following benefits for any organization:
- Increased safety — A pentest identifies and prioritizes the risks that threaten the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical systems and suggests appropriate remedial measures to address them.
- Avoiding data loss and reputation risks — A pentest can prevent sensitive data such as customer information, financial data or trade secrets from being stolen, manipulated or destroyed by hacker attacks, which could lead to heavy fines, legal consequences or a loss of trust among stakeholders.
- Compliance with standards and regulations — A pentest can prove that the company is complying with applicable security requirements and best practices, such as ISO 27001, PCI DSS, GDPR, NIST, or DORA. This can strengthen the trust of customers and partners and avoid potential sanctions.
- Improved efficiency and performance — A pentest can improve the performance and functionality of critical systems by uncovering bottlenecks, errors, or configuration issues that could affect or slow down business processes.
Why automated penetration testing isn't enough
The price of a pentest depends on several factors, such as the scope, depth, goal, duration, and method of the test. Simple, cheap penetration tests are often automated or partially automated and use ready-made tools or scripts to search for known vulnerabilities or common errors. While this type of test can identify some surface issues, it can't simulate the complex or tailored attacks that a real hacker would execute. In addition, automated tests can produce many false positive or false negative results that require manual verification.
Tailored, manual penetration testing is pricier because it requires a higher level of expertise, experience, creativity, and time. This type of test is carried out by qualified and certified pentesters who design and apply tailored attack scenarios tailored to the customer's specific goals, threats, and vulnerabilities. Manual penetration testing can dig deeper into systems and reveal logical errors, business logic errors, design errors, or zero-day vulnerabilities that automated testing would miss. In addition, manual penetration testers can make specific recommendations on how to fix the vulnerabilities and provide a full report on the findings, insights, and lessons.
In summary, it can be said that the difference between simple, inexpensive penetration tests and tailored manual penetration tests lies in the quality, accuracy, depth, and relevance of the tests. Simple, cheap penetration testing may be enough for some basic security checks, but tailored, manual penetration testing provides much better value and protection for the business.
For simple, basic checks, we recommend the vulnerability scan.
What happens after you order SIDD?
Once SIDD has been commissioned for a pentest, the process is as follows:
Contract signing
We conclude a service contract that contains the framework conditions and scope of our activities. Digital, of course 😉
Kick-off meeting
The goals, scope, methodology, and timeline of the penetration test are discussed and defined with the customer. The customer must also grant the necessary authorizations for the penetration test and specify any restrictions or requirements.
Information gathering
The penetration testing team collects information about the target, such as IP addresses, domain names, operating systems, applications, network topology, security measures, etc. This information is used to identify potential attack vectors and define the testing strategy.
Vulnerability analysis
Automated and manual techniques are used to test the identified attack vectors and find vulnerabilities that can be exploited. Vulnerabilities are assessed and prioritized based on their severity, risk, and impact.
Exploitation
In this step, the vulnerabilities found are exploited to gain access to the target, extract data, escalate privileges, gain persistence, etc. The penetration testing team documents all steps and evidence of successful exploitation.
Reporting
The penetration testing team prepares a detailed report on the results of the penetration test, including the description, assessment, and identification of the vulnerabilities, recommendations for resolving the vulnerabilities, lessons learned, and best practices. The report is shared and discussed with the customer to clarify questions and agree on measures.