Penetration Testing

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What is Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing, also known as pen testing, is a cyberattack simulation launched on an organization’s network. The goal of the pen test is to evaluate the security of an IT infrastructure by safely trying to exploit it.

Penetration testing uses manual and automated technologies to compromise servers, end-users, applications, wireless networks, and devices. Once the tester discovers vulnerabilities, they will use the compromised system to launch subsequent exploits.

In sum, pen tests create real-world scenarios that show businesses how well their current defenses would fare under a cyberattack.

And who conducts penetration tests? We do. Keep scrolling to learn more.

Penetration Testing

What are the Benefits of Penetration Testing?

Pen testing evaluates an organization’s ability to defend against a cyberattack. That alone is worth its weight in gold, especially when the average cost of a data breach in 2020 was 3.86 M (IBM).

But there is more to it than that. By conducting a pen test, you can proactively identify which vulnerabilities are most critical, which are less significant. Testing allows your organization to prioritize remediation, apply needed security patches, and allocate security resources more effectively.

Manage the Risk

A penetration test will show you the list of vulnerabilities in the target environment and the risks associated with it. Each risk is categorized as either critical, medium, or low-risk issues. Knowing your level of risk will help you prioritize remediation.

Evaluate Security Investments

Penetration testing will help show if your current security infrastructure is strong enough to withstand a cyberattack. As a result, it will show you what security technologies are worth your time and money.

Increase Confidence in Security Posture

By regularly putting your security infrastructure and team through their paces, you’ll know how your organization will fare during a real-time attack. With each pen test, your team will grow and learn from their mistakes.

Increase Business Continuity

Cyberattacks hurt business continuity. And insecure systems suffer from more downtime than secure ones. Penetration testing will show you your vulnerabilities. And if you address those issues, the likelihood of experiencing downtime is minimal.

Verify Existing Security Programs

The only way to know if your security tools work is to test them. Pen tests serve as quality assurance checks, so you will also find out what policies are most effective and what tools provide the highest ROI.

Meet Regulatory Requirements

Penetration testing helps organizations address the compliance aspects of regulations and industry best practices. And for auditors, these tests can also verify that other mandated security measures are in place.

How does Penetration Testing Work?

Typically, penetration testing works in five different stages. But depending on the situation, there may be more or fewer steps.

Our NetGarde branch has trained and certified cybersecurity professionals as your pen testers. They know what buttons to push to get you the results you need.

1. Company Overview

We will meet with you, either in-person or online, to discuss your business’s current security posture. We will then define your goals for the pen test and gather intelligence on your infrastructure.

3. Gain Access

After the scan, our testers will know where to attack to gain access to your network. During this step, our testers will use manual and automated attacks to compromise servers, end-users, applications, wireless networks, and devices.

5. Analysis

After the pen test, the results will make their way into a detailed report. In the analysis, you’ll learn what vulnerabilities were exploited, what sensitive data was accessed, and the amount of time the pen tester was able to remain undetected in your system.

2. Scan

Now, it is time to begin the penetration test. During this first phase of the pen test, our testers will use scanning tools to understand how your business’s network and systems respond to intrusions.

4. Maintain Access

Once our testers break through, they will now try to maintain their foothold. They will use advanced persistent threats (APTs) to grant themselves unauthorized access to the targeted network.

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NOVEMBER 29, 2021

Schedule a Penetration Test Today

Ready to schedule your Penetration Test? Or just want to learn more? Please reach out to us. We will be happy to assist you.

To talk to a NetGarde security expert, give us a call or fill out the form on this web page.

info@mrwsystems.com
410-751-7111
115 Airport Drive, Suite 150
Westminster, MD 21157

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