Pen testing and vulnerability scanning are often confused for the same service. The problem is business owners often use one when they really need the other. People frequently confuse penetration testing and vulnerability scanning. Both services look for weaknesses in your IT infrastructure by exploring your systems the same way an actual hacker would.
Penetration testing is a manual security assessment where cyber security professional attempts to find a way to break into your systems. It's a hands-on, in-depth test to evaluate security controls across various systems, including web applications, networks, and cloud environments. This kind of testing could take several weeks to complete, and due to its complexity and cost, it is commonly carried out once a year.
Vulnerability scanning is automated and performed by tools that can be installed directly on your network or accessed online. Vulnerability scanners run thousands of security checks across your systems, producing a list of vulnerabilities with remediation advice. It is possible to run continuous security checks even without a full-time cyber security expert on your team.
Penetration tests have long been essential to many organizations’ strategies to protect themselves from cyberattacks. It is an effective way to find flaws at a certain time. But penetration testing alone can leave organizations defenseless between testing sessions. Performing annual penetration tests as a primary defense against attackers has long been an essential part of many organizations' strategies to protect themselves from cyberattacks.
For example, what happens when a critical new vulnerability is discovered in the Apache web server operating a sensitive customer portal during that long year between their annual pen test session? What about a new problem, such as a security misconfiguration made by a staff member? What if a network engineer temporarily opens up a firewall port, exposes a database to the internet, and forgets to close it? Whose job is it to notice these issues, which, if left unchecked, could result in a data breach or compromise? Without continuous monitoring of issues such as these, they would not be identified and fixed before attackers got the chance to exploit them.
Companies that need dedicated physical security often boast of having 24/7 automated solutions to deter attackers 365 days a year. So why do some organizations treat cyber security any differently? Especially when there are an average of 20 new cyber threat vulnerabilities that are discovered every single day.
Cyber threat professionals have stated that infrequently or annual scheduled pen tests alone are insufficient. This is like only checking the locks of your high-security premises once a year.
Scanning regularly with a vulnerability scanner complements manual testing by providing organizations with ongoing security coverage between manual penetration tests. Automated scanners run 24/7, alerting users to new vulnerabilities as soon as they appear.
With annual penetration testing, vulnerability scanning is already in use in organizations of all sizes.
Only time will tell if he’s able or allowed to use these skills to land a legitimate cybersecurity role and prevent others from doing what he did.
Red Sky Alliance is a Cyber Threat Analysis and Intelligence Service organization. For questions, comments, or assistance, please contact the office directly at 1-844-492-7225 or feedback@wapacklabs. com
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