Penetration testing is a technique where authorized/ethical hackers simulate an attack on specific applications, networks or websites to assess their security posture. It is one of the most widely used techniques to comply with security regulations and ensure the protection of network and computer systems. A pen test is designed with a specific goal in mind, to access a sensitive system that is believed to be secure. During pen testing, a researcher runs tests and produces a report for a fee. These pen testers are expensive and the cost remains the same, even if they produce a few or many vulnerabilities. Enterprises consider penetration testing companies to be a cost-effective solution to strengthen their apps with respect to security.
Following are 5 things to look for when selecting a penetration testing company:
- Attack Vendors:
A good pen testing company can simulate a full spectrum of attack vendors across networks, hosts and application layers. The Open Web Application Security Project is listed in the top 10 listed injection, broken authentication, and sensitive data exposure. In addition to the OWSP top ten, pen testers should also perform attack vendors including DoS and DDoS, IDOR, remote code execution, DNS brute force, DNS Subdomain takeover, cross-site scripting (XSS) and deprecated ciphers.
- The Number of Researchers:
A traditional security testing firm will typically appoint one to three researchers for a pen test and they often choose entry-level testers. More ethical hackers participating in a penetration test means diverse skills will yield more varied vulnerabilities. It is often observed that some hackers may be experts at finding database vulnerabilities, like the SQL injection. Whereas, others may specialize in testing particular software frameworks including .NET.
- Vulnerabilities:
When looking for a penetration testing company, it is important to hire pen testers who can discover vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. Thus, discovering more vulnerabilities is better. There are pen-testing companies that pay-per-report to complete the assignment and charge according to an hourly basis. Typically, there are no bonuses for number, severity or diversity of vulnerabilities detected. Hackers conduct pen testing that is only paid if they identify a vulnerability.
- Flexibility:
When it comes to penetration testing, customers have different needs. If their requirements are simple, they may use a traditional research company. But businesses that charge on time bases, traditional firms have strong financial rewards to reuse templates and processes.
- Value:
It is one of the most cost-effective ways to find as many vulnerabilities quickly at the lowest possible cost. Value comes from different and critical reports. Analysts review all reports and communicate with the hacker for any additional information if required.
Conclusion
A penetration testing company can assist businesses in identifying security vulnerabilities. It is a simulated attack to check how secure an application or software is. Pen testing is performed to highlight security concerns before a malicious attacker can target the business networks, apps or websites.
