Continuous Penetration Testing: Why Should I Do It and How Can I Do It?

Continuous penetration testing is a type of vulnerability assessment done regularly to identify potential security issues.

This type of testing helps find new vulnerabilities in your network and keeps you up to date with the latest attacks.

There are many different types of continuous pen testing. You can choose the one that best fits your needs. In this article, we’ll outline the types of tests you can perform and how to select the best one for you.

5 Types of Penetration Testing Services

1. Partial Penetration Testing

In a partial penetration test, you’ll be given a limited amount of time to authorize an assessment process. The tester will try their best to find vulnerabilities throughout the allotted time. Partial tests are designed for executives who want immediate results and an awareness of what could happen if they don’t take action.

2. General Penetration Test

A general penetration test is designed to provide you with an in-depth analysis of your security posture. The tester will have access to your internal network for a specific period, usually two weeks or more, and they’ll perform vulnerability assessments on all of your systems.

The goal is to find weaknesses in your security that an attacker may easily exploit. This type of test provides you with a great amount of information and will help you find common mistakes in your network, so they can be fixed before someone exploits them.

3. Vulnerability Scanning Only Penetration Test

A vulnerability scanning only test is when you are given a report of the vulnerabilities in your systems. This may be done manually or with an automated tool. For this type of test, the tester will not try to exploit any weaknesses found in your network since it’s meant to identify critical issues that need attention. You can then fix the problems yourself or hire someone to do it for you.

4. Vulnerability Scanning Plus Penetration Testing

A vulnerability scanning plus penetration testing service provides you with an assessment of your network security. You’ll be given a detailed report of your vulnerabilities and exploits and how to fix them. However, this time around, you’ll also be given an assessment of your systems by the penetration tester. They may try to gain access to your network and exploit any vulnerability found there as well.

By combining vulnerability scanning with penetration testing, you can save time and money since many issues will be addressed simultaneously.

5. Red Team Assessment Penetration Testing

A red team assessment is like a general penetration test, except it’s given by an external contractor instead of your security staff. The tester will be given access to your systems for a specific time frame, and they will try to exploit vulnerabilities found in your system.

Additionally, the tester may be given certain goals to achieve during their time on your network. This type of testing is often done by high-level executives because it will show them how much effort an actual attack would take. It’s also good for training purposes.

5 Benefits of Cyber Security Penetrating Testing

Here are the benefits of cyber security penetrating testing.

1. Address security issues

Penetration testing will allow you to find security vulnerabilities before they are exploited. When a system is tested, exploits that could be used by an attacker to damage or gain unauthorized access to your network are identified. That means as soon as your systems have been compromised, you can limit the amount of damage done and repair them faster than if you had no report.

2. Promotes a culture of constant improvement

This means that your company will continuously improve its security standards as every penetration test performed will provide you with information to make changes and address weaknesses in your network. You can also see which areas need more attention or if certain issues keep coming up, such as the same exploits being used or the same system being breached.

3. It’s good for training purposes

A penetration test can be used to train your security staff members in phishing techniques, social engineering, and standard cyber security practices so they know how to handle information securely. It will also help them understand the potential threats and how to mitigate them.

4. It’s a great way to measure your progress

You can use penetration tests to see how much you have improved since the last test was performed on your systems. This is especially true if you follow up on each report provided by the penetration testing service provider and make changes according to the test results. You can also compare two reports to see how much progress you’ve made in improving your system security.

5. It helps prioritize projects

Knowing which areas need more attention (and which ones are secure) will allow you to prioritize your cyber security projects based on what needs immediate attention and what’s already in good shape.

Continuous Penetration Testing Wrap Up

Penetration testing is only one of the ways to do vulnerability assessment. As mentioned earlier, all penetration tests are not created equal; each type of penetration test has its benefits and drawbacks, which should be weighed accordingly by your company’s management team.