Why your business needs a penetration test

Most of us, granted not all, don't go to our doctor's office for our yearly physical, right?

Okay, I get it. Many of us don't, but we should. So, if you take nothing else from this article, go do that. The point here is that it's critical to understand where our businesses have risks. Let's take a quick look at the definition of what exactly a penetration test truly is.

A penetration test, also known as a pen test, is a simulated cyberattack on a computer system to evaluate its security. Penetration testers use the same tools, techniques, and processes as attackers to find and demonstrate the business impacts of weaknesses in a system.

Essentially, it's a singular test to understand the underlying vulnerabilities you have so they can be addressed.

Does your business do one today?

Wait, my IT company handles that!

I call that "lies we tell ourselves."

Sadly, that's not the case. Truth be told, IT companies handle tickets, close tickets, monitor, and patch your stuff—and that's it.

Now, depending on which IT provider you're using, many have additional layers of security such as zero trust, etc. However, no formal "hunting" for gaps goes on. It's not what you bought.

Did you know?

A pen test is one of the first steps in a cyberattackers playbook - if they can understand exactly where you have gaps, they can exploit them!

Below are just some of the items a penetration test can find-

Network Vulnerabilities:

• Weak or default passwords: Easily guessable passwords or lack of password policies. Misconfigured firewalls: Improperly configured firewalls that allow unauthorized access.
• Outdated software: Systems running on outdated software with known vulnerabilities. Unnecessary open ports that can be exploited.
• Vulnerable network protocols: Weaknesses in network protocols like SSH, FTP, or RDP.
• Web Application Vulnerabilities: SQL injection: Exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications to access or manipulate databases.
• Cross-site scripting (XSS): Injecting malicious scripts into web pages to steal user data or hijack sessions.
• Cross-site request forgery (CSRF): Tricking users into performing unauthorized actions on a website.
• Insecure direct object references: Accessing sensitive data by manipulating URLs or parameters.
• Session hijacking: Stealing active user sessions to gain unauthorized access.

Other Vulnerabilities:

Phishing vulnerabilities: Weaknesses in email security that can lead to phishing attacks. Social engineering vulnerabilities: Human error or lack of awareness that can be exploited.

Physical security vulnerabilities: Weaknesses in physical security controls, such as unlocked doors or unsecured servers.

Cloud security vulnerabilities: Misconfigurations or vulnerabilities in cloud environments.

It is time you made this part of your own yearly routine.

Securely yours,

Scott