Penetration Testing Requirements of Data-driven Organizations

Penetration Testing is the most efficient way for organizations to handle their data vulnerabilities. As per Gartner’s, Cost of a Data Breach Report 2021, data breach incident costs sprung from USD 3.86 to USD 4.24 million. In the seventeenth-year history of this report, this was recorded as one of the highest average costs. Majorly, due to the non-compliance of organizations with penetration testing requirements of their data.

What is Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing is the examination of vulnerabilities and security loops existing in an organization’s system. This method helps to pre-evaluate exploitable vulnerabilities like information leakage liabilities and unauthorized network control access by any outside host. This is the information that hackers could easily exploit and take advantage of.

In penetration testing, the tester acts with the mind of a hacker and ensures data security. Pen-testing is another term for penetration testing. It is configured as per various organizations’ given infrastructure and IT requirements. The common layers include security control, software, mobile applications, IoT devices, and cybersecurity tools. The data vulnerable insights generated from these layers could further be used to calibrate the probable security threats and patch gray areas.

What is meant by Data Vulnerability?

Data vulnerability in the context of penetration testing connotes any kind of unauthorized data disruption, a security breach in the system or an error in device code. Such gray areas in the security system allow the hackers to get access to any data-driven landscape posing a cyber security threat. Such unauthorized access could lead to immediate errors in admin portal privileges or the access denial of all the functional services.

Some common vulnerabilities that we often come across are errors in configuration, software bugs, compromised confidentiality and errors in coded design. When such vulnerabilities are exposed to unauthorized accessors or hackers, it then leads to the ‘exploit’ of that data. Vulnerability assessment of data is a vital mechanism in penetration testing.

What Basic Steps Does Penetration Testing Involve?

In general, it has four simple phases.

1.      Planning Phase

In this phase, it is analyzed what methodology would be adopted. Based upon the logistical requirements, it could be the black-box, white-box, or gray-box method. This phase plays an important role in breaking the ice between a tester and the company to map down the limitations and expected goals, out of the penetration testing approach.

2.      Discovery Phase

This phase gives time to the tester to get their ammunition and do the hands-on preparation for the test attack. This includes the collection and assessment of all the required statistics.

If the tester has to go by the method of white-box penetration, they get access to all the infrastructure and source code knowledge of the web. However, in the case of the black-box method, the tester is not given out any vital knowledge and penetrates the web as an intruder. One common example of it is phishing emails.

3.      Vulnerability Assessment and Attack

This phase calls for some action time. It involves the use of manual and automation techniques by the experts on the job. All in all, vulnerability assessment leads to penetration testing. The ultimate goal is to highlight any security loops and secure them from any probable attacks.

4.      Reporting Phase

After the penetration testing, a complete report is regulated that consists of all the vulnerable data information.

The testers give an insight into how they penetrated and exploited the data. Furthermore, they address the scope of your organization’s testing methodologies. Also, the report recommends some do-able actions that the firms could take on to prevent any future data harm or attacks.

Why Onboard a Penetration Testing Company?

It is important to hire not just any company but the one which has a proactive agile methodology and offers world-class testing services. With the increase in data breaching headlines, it has become drastically important for all the data-driven companies out there to assure the quality, protection of their services and products.

A good penetration testing company does not just help with your compliance requirements but offers consultation/technical support for the desired level of organizational maturity too.  Be it various deployments, scrutiny of risk mitigation or in-house awareness programs on data security for the employees. The goal must be to provide detailed documentation on the security compliance of your products and the next steps to remove any data vulnerabilities. 

A good penetration testing company would offer you all these benefits below and nothing less:

• Provide gap analysis
• Enhance business continuity
• Assurance of quality
• Protection of clientele
• Auditing of investment in security
• Protection of company reputation
• Structured risk management assessment

Verdict:

Penetration testing companies have their hands full with the world moving towards digital in light of the recent Pandemic. Also, being a data-driven organization, absolute data security is your ultimatum. Adhering to this notion requires your organization to comply with penetration testing, as its top priority. You can only fix something once you are aware of the loop.

Henceforth, it is imperative for you to settle with an established testing services company with a record of delivering quality and ensuring reliability. One of the most renowned penetration testing companies in this regard is Kualitatem Inc. The company’s enhanced services in penetration testing offer VoIP, Internal/External, Web, and Wireless Penetration testing services. Having the accreditation of providing the best testing services and secure software development, the company can help you get compliant with your required standards in your suggested timeline.