Penetration testing (or pentesting for short) is a kind of security test that assesses an organisation’s security and IT infrastructure for vulnerabilities to exploit. According to FedRAMP, a penetration test is an authorised and proactive effort on behalf of the organisation itself or a third-party security firm that assesses service errors, misconfigurations, and risky end-user behaviours.
A penetration test may also evaluate an organisation’s security policy compliance, its employees’ security awareness, and the organisation’s ability to identify and respond to security threats and breaches.
Types of Penetration Tests
There are various types of penetration tests that one could run to assess their organisation’s security depending on the purpose.
· Web Application Penetration Test
· Mobile Application Penetration Test
· API Penetration Test
· IoT Penetration Test
· External Network Penetration Test
Benefits of Penetration Testing
Many businesses have made penetration testing an essential feature to their security protocols. Regular penetration tests ensure the proper functioning and up-to-date security measures of an organisation. Here are some common benefits of regular penetration testing.
Manages Risk
Penetration testing provides a lot of organisations a solid baseline for optimal risk assessment. They can specifically target certain infrastructural features and environments to discover and manage vulnerabilities. Risks will be listed according to their severity, so you will know which ones to tackle first.
Circumvents the Rate of Network Downtime and Saves Costs
One of the major benefits of penetration testing is that it is a proactive effort to detect and address threats in the system. This means that businesses will avoid having to deal with the financial repercussions of their security flaws.
Retention programs, IT remediation, customer protection, legal activities, etc., are some things businesses will have to engage when recuperating from a security setback.
Maintains Reputation of Business
A security breach can be devastating for a company’s public relationships and its reputation. An organisation can fall victim to data tampering which may result in leaked client and partner details. Regular penetration tests can assess risks beforehand, so companies don’t fall prey to security breaches that affect their business irreparably.
Has your business not undergone a penetration test in a while? Delaying the process will only increase the risk of a security breach.
Lean Security is a trusted penetration testing provider. Whether your business requires a web or mobile application penetration test, or an external network penetration test, Lean Security is the way to go. Get in touch with us today! Call +61280786952.