Pentesting is something that most people have never heard of. The idea of testing in some form is something that has been around for a while. Let’s face it: as malicious as is it, hacking is a crude form of testing. Hacking might be unconventional, and it is certainly not a good thing for the companies that fall victim to it, but it is a form of testing.
Today, however, is an entirely different ballgame. At least to a great extent, companies that want to make sure that their data is secure heartily embrace pentesting as a smart way to do business. In many cases, firms like Cobalt are the answer.
Continual Monitoring and Testing
One of the primary problems with pentesting, as it often occurs, is that it is done infrequently and by methods that are not usually reliable. When a reputable and dependable firm is engaged in performing security analysis for a business, it is done in a highly organized and systematic method, which can help assure owners and managers that their data is safe and will remain so.
The extent to which system testing can be called reliable depends on the scope to which it is done. It is usually started by a firm to get an initial baseline engagement, followed by a regular schedule of monitoring all scoped networks, web applications, and hosts. This monitoring includes close examinations of changes found in exposed services and any new vulnerabilities that could impact existing services.
Focused, Detailed Reporting with Results
A reputable firm brought in to perform pentesting will focus on performing detailed testing, not publishing unblemished reports. As soon as a dependable firm finds a threat, whether it is discovered manually or with scan tools, a report will be issued and sent to a client. It should be that simple, instead of issuing long, detailed reports about what was found and how it was found. This doesn’t solve a problem. The reputable firm will immediately engage a problem with a solution, then report what was done to the managers and owners of a company.
Quick and Complete Remediation
As pointed out above, the prompt and complete remediation of security breaches or potential security breaches should be the ultimate goal of any pentesting firm. This goes not only for internal systems but for prerelease to any users who might be involved in the process. When this type of procedure is implemented, it can save considerable amounts of money and time, not to mention closing vulnerabilities sooner in the review cycle. Further, knowing that problems have been caught and corrected can relieve a lot of time pressure and anxiety over pending releases.
Unequaled Quality in Testing and Results
A lot can be said for implementing a program of regular pentesting in any firm and on any system, but what it comes down to is the quality of the work performed by the firm you hire for that testing. It’s kind of like GIGO. On the other hand, when a reputable firm is hired to perform these services, company systems are protected, but considerable amounts of time and money are saved simultaneously. This is a matter that should never be taken lightly.
