What is Penetration Testing?
In Cyber Security, we often talk about hackers and how they can wreak havoc on your business systems & finances. For a moment though, let’s talk about something called “ethical hacking”. Penetration Testing is exactly that, hiring a team of IT professionals to intentionally “hack” into your digital assets. This exercise showcases the vulnerabilities & risks of your infrastructure, tests for adherence to compliance regulations, & highlights your “hackability”. Penetration Testing ultimately shows you the possible entry points that real hackers could end up infiltrating & how deep into your systems they can manage to penetrate.
Pen Tests are categorized by three main strategies: white box, gray box, & black box testing. For example, a white box test will provide the IT Auditor with all of the details of the organization’s systems and a gray box offers the tester some of the details about the company’s systems. Black box testing on the other hand is like a real-world hacking event where the “malicious actor” would have no prior knowledge of the infrastructure & attempt to break into the systems for a full data breach.
What is Tested?
Penetration Tests can vary significantly, from a quick phishing test via email to full-blown DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks. Consider for a moment every device, software, application, email, phone, website, and anything else your business uses on a daily basis. Every single piece of technology, whether connected to the internet or not, is subject to vulnerabilities from malicious actors & should be tested. While internet-enabled devices are more vulnerable than offline tech, there are situations where the malicious actors (whether intentional or not) are actually employees & could potentially impact your business in a negative way.
It’s a good idea to periodically test different systems as your software will require updates, new attack strategies are consistently discovered, and new employees lack prevention training. That said, OQP Solutions recommends completing a full Penetration Test once every 6 months to ensure all risks & vulnerabilities are being minimalized.
How do you run a Penetration Test?
After the Cyber Security Team discusses the project scope with the company, the first thing they will do is a bit of reconnaissance where they gather info & data about the company for a potential attack strategy. Once a Pen Test strategy is in place, the Cyber Security team will focus on getting & keeping access to the systems that they are targeting. They will use different tools such as brute-force attacks, SQL injections, malware, phishing campaigns, any other tool necessary to complete the test. These ethical hackers may even use some social engineering techniques to gain access, something like disguising themselves as IT support to gain physical access or phishing emails disguising them as the CEO or owner. The final test is removing any trace they may have left behind, whether that be hardware or digital code, all so they can make a clean break with your valuable information.
Steps after a Pen Test
Once the Penetration Test is complete, the Cyber Security Team will review their findings with the business’s leadership & IT team. This information will be used in creating a strategy for fixing any security gaps & reducing the risks to acceptable levels. Some of the security upgrades that may be implemented after a Pen Test include DDoS mitigation techniques, tightened security validations (such as 2-factor authentication), sanitizing existing malware & other malicious codes, installing or upgrading new firewalls, and more.
How much does a Pen Test Cost?
The costs of a Pen Test vary significantly by company, strategy, & scope of the test. For example, a simple “phishing campaign” may be included in a monthly Cyber Security package. On the other hand, an in-depth penetration test targeting the entire infrastructure could run from $4,000 to $100,000 depending on the size & complexity of the organization. As for the complexity of the testing, it’s primarily determined by the use of different methodologies, software tools, and approaches. While the cost of a Pen Test can vary quite a bit, it’s safe to say that the businesses with the most data to lose & those with the most valuable data often will see the highest costs of protecting that information.
Penetration Testing by OQP Solutions
Knowing that vulnerabilities online are always out there, taking a proactive approach can significantly reduce your risks to acceptable levels. Performing regular Penetration Testing can give you valuable insights into the potential threats your digital infrastructure may have & even provide an actionable plan to fix the gaps in protection.
OQP Solutions offers ongoing & full-scope Penetration Testing for small to medium businesses. For a free consultation, schedule a call with Dontae below! We discuss the systems to review, white vs. gray vs. black box type of testing, & duration of testing. Let us know if you have any questions!
If you would like to review your Cyber Security practices/policies/systems, contact OQP Solutions to set up a consultation!