Pen testing is a practice that requires a lot of research and strategy to be successful. It also requires a high degree of diligence and attention to detail. The end result depends on how well and how transparent the team is in carrying out the test. For those who don’t know, pen testing is the practice of testing software applications and digital networks to uncover security vulnerabilities so that they can be patched and verified. Here are five tips to help you get started with an effective pen test in Singapore.
Build an Alignment Before You Begin
Before you start, it’s important to get your team on the same page. This means that you need to establish a decision-making process and decide on the scope of your project (what types of tests will the team do) and ensure that the right people are included in the project. In order to make sure that everyone is aligned with the goals, it’s important to provide clarity in what will be done as well as cover risk mitigation. With this in mind, you should also create an action plan for every phase of pen testing so you can see where things are headed.
Define Your Pen Testing Goals
When defining your pen-testing goals, what are the risks and benefits of each option? What are the potential vulnerabilities? What is the time frame in which you have to complete this process? Different organizations have different requirements. Some may only require a security analysis once every six months while others may need a security analysis on a monthly basis. The best way to define your goals is to sit down with your management and come up with a plan that fits your company’s requirements.
Develop a Plan Before You Begin
Failing to plan is planning to fail. The first step in pen testing is to develop a strategy that will give you the best chance of success. It can be difficult to know what needs to be done without having experience in pen testing, so it’s important to set specific goals and objectives before you begin.
Use Automated Tools
The first tip for effective pen testing is to use automated tools. Automated tests are the most time-effective and reliable way of exposing security vulnerabilities. It’s important not to make assumptions when using automated tools because they can be easily fooled. It’s best to automate simple test cases first and run them manually before automating more complex scenarios. Another benefit of using automated tools is that they don’t require a lot of skill and knowledge on how the software works or what specific functionality it has.
Always Carry Out Final Verification
It’s not enough to just carry out a pen test. The final verification of your findings is important. It turns out that around 60 percent of the time, a hacker still manages to infiltrate the system despite all of the vulnerabilities that were found. You need to know what you’re up against and expect the best from your pen-testing team. They might be able to find one vulnerability, but it doesn’t mean that they will be able to find them all or stop hackers from exploiting those vulnerabilities. So, always conduct final verification before moving into action and taking any kind of digital security measures.
The industry says that it takes a lot of time and money to conduct pen tests. This is true, but you should also be realistic in your expectations with the amount of time and money that are needed. If you have the resources to manage an entire team and conduct these types of tests on a regular basis, then by all means go ahead. However, if you’re just starting out or don’t have the budget available, keep these five tips in mind:
