Learn more about what types of penetration testing services are available, the benefits of each and why you should consider continuous penetration testing.
Penetration Testing Services: The smart way to stay secure
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Penetration testing services – sometimes referred to as pen testing services – are by far the most effective way to identify potential threats to your cyber security. Penetration test services are run by a team of highly skilled penetration testers who attempt to hack your IT infrastructure, networks, systems, and applications.
Using ethical hacking techniques and methods, penetration testing services will look for any security vulnerabilities, so you can get a better understanding of your risk of attack.
What are penetration testing services?
Pen testing services will identify and diagnose vulnerabilities in your networks, web applications, and systems – safeguarding your security posture before cybercriminals can exploit them.
Penetration testing service experts look at the following:
- Where a hacker might target you
- How they would access your systems
- How strong your security posture is
- How your defences would cope
- The potential impact of a breach
The general rule of thumb is that companies should conduct pen test services with a penetration testing vendor at least once a year.
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What are the types of penetration testing services?
Some companies opt for using software to run automated pen testing. However, software solutions will only ever test what they are told to. This only checks for known adversaries. The only way to truly understand if your business has any vulnerabilities that put you at risk of a cyberattack is to enlist a penetration testing service provider.
Penetration testing services can uncover anything from internal weaknesses or issues in your IT infrastructure, to potential exploits in your web applications. By conducting penetration testing services, company risk and vulnerabilities are revealed, and action can be taken to prevent cyberattacks.
Penetration test services shouldn’t be confused with a vulnerability assessment. Both services will look for weaknesses in systems and networks. However, only penetration testing services will try to exploit those issues to see how far that exploitation could be taken and what damage could be done. Just like a hacker would.
The simplest way to think of these two services is that penetration testing as a service picks up where the initial vulnerability scan finishes.
Not all penetration testing services are created equal. Make sure that you’re not being sold a vulnerability scan under the guise of a full penetration test. There are a few key types of pen test services which a penetration testing vendor will cover:
Approximately 30,000 websites are infected with malware every day, with more than 60% of all internet-based attacks launched against web applications. State-of-the-art web application penetration test services will identify any weaknesses in web applications.
These services can also check the functionality of websites to pinpoint any failings. A web application penetration test service will provide the protection you need to safeguard your sensitive data. Regular web application penetration tests will defend against every conceivable online threat, beating hackers at their own game.
With the increase in mobile usage and devices becoming a major part of our lives, organisations must take steps to secure these mobile apps to protect the business, its reputation and most importantly, its customers.
A mobile application penetration testing service process will look for a range of exploitable vulnerabilities
Whether it’s a disgruntled employee smuggling trade secrets, or a negligent staff member falling prey to a phishing attack, an internal environment security breach could prove disastrous for your company. With comprehensive penetration tests of your internal environments, systems and procedures, we’ll ensure you have all the right countermeasures in place to prevent unauthorised personnel gaining access to privileged information.
Internal network penetration testing services are designed to simulate attacks from within your organisation, highlighting potential issues in your security and helping you guard against threats from malicious insiders.
By mimicking real-world cyber-attacks, external penetration testing services will identify any gaps in your external environment security and allow you to carry out the necessary fixes to keep the hackers at bay. Using the same techniques that a hacker would, experts conduct external network penetration testing services to discover whether your sensitive data is secure.
On completion of the external penetration testing service, penetration testers issue a comprehensive report as standard. Using this information, any flaws in your security can be addressed, allowing you to eliminate potential threats before they can harm your business.
There are also specific penetration testing services for PCI DSS compliance, social engineering assessments and full red team exercises to test your people and processes.
These are dependent on business needs and what industry regulations apply.
What are the benefits of continuous penetration testing services?
There are many benefits to conducting regular penetration tests. If any weaknesses that are identified during the pen tests are left unpatched or unaddressed, bad actors are likely to exploit and compromise the business. Penetration testing vendors will provide clear reporting on any weaknesses to ensure that security controls and processes are addressed. This helps to reduce information security risk.
CREST recommend that penetration testing consulting services are carried out annually as a minimum. With regular updates to software being deployed and changes in applications and systems being frequent throughout the year, it’s best to enlist a penetration testing service whenever a major upgrade takes place.
More regular pen testing services, such as on a quarterly basis, ensure that the business is safeguarded against security vulnerabilities. These are often referred to as continuous penetration testing services. Only by conducting continuous penetration testing can you ensure long-term solutions to ensure your organisation stays protected.
“There are many benefits in procuring penetration testing services from a trusted, certified external company who employ professional, ethical and highly technically competent individuals. CREST member companies are certified penetration testing organisations who fully meet these requirements, having been awarded the gold standard in penetration testing, building trusted relationships with their clients.”
CREST spokesperson
Discuss your cyber security options
Get in touch today to speak to an expert and secure your business, or call us on 0800 090 3734
DigitalXRAID’s penetration testing services
Our penetration testing services will identify any weaknesses and potential vulnerabilities in your systems, networks and applications, giving you the chance to remedy them before it’s too late.
DigitalXRAID is one of the first companies in the world to gain CREST certification, making us one of the top penetration testing companies in the UK. If there’s a vulnerability, DigitalXRAID’s CREST certified penetration testing service experts will find it. All certifications are reviewed and approved by GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) and the NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) for added assurance.
For more information on our penetration testing consulting and how we can support you in staying a step ahead of cyber criminals with a range of CREST penetration testing services, get in contact.
For an in-depth view and to get tailored quote, scope your project.
Why choose DigitalXRAID?
DigitalXRAID has a unique insight into offensive security and the defensive side of cyber security and cyber threats. With cyber security services operating on both the offensive and defensive sides, we have a more holistic view, and a much deeper understanding of what techniques are being used for attack and defense. Therefore, our CREST pen testing will dive deeper, uncovering vulnerabilities that others tend to miss.
DigitalXRAID’s ethical security testers can offer penetration testing services, including:
- Internal Penetration Testing Services
- External Penetration Testing Services
- PCI DSS Penetration Testing Services
- Red Teaming
- Social Engineering
- Mobile app Penetration Testing Services
- Web application Penetration Testing Services
- And many more
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