The 21st century has been about reaping the benefits of the Internet revolution. The Internet revolution has impacted our lives in many ways. It has brought people closer, made cumbersome processes more effortless, and provided access to unlimited information available to humankind. It has created an environment where people interact with each other and often involve themselves in monetary transactions that directly result from online business activity. However, certain elements use this environment to get unauthorised access to your data and information for malicious purposes. To avoid this, a penetration test (pen test) emulates a real-life threat and helps identify the network system’s inherent weaknesses for future remedy.
Practical Benefits
A pen test is a simulation of a real-life cyber-attack that is being carried out on a company’s digital assets, such as confidential data and information. It is among standard practices used to ensure a company’s cyber interest. There are numerous benefits associated with it. Firstly, it can highlight areas most likely vulnerable to exploitation, which the IT team can then work upon using a detailed and deliberated action plan to avoid any undesirable results. It is recommended that businesses hold confidential data and carry significant transactions online. Secondly, it helps to discourage hackers by pre-emptively attacking the weak spots and strengthening the network defenses. In addition, it also helps in training employees about the standard practices of network security, which enables them to not fall prey to phishing schemes, malicious click baits, and spam downloads.
How should an organisation prepare for this?
Various stages go behind a successful penetration test. The first stage is about planning and surveillance. In this, the company and the testers would detail all the objectives they want to achieve. It would include describing the type of attack, the intensity of the episode, priority order of digital assets to get examined, timings of the attack, etc. In the second step, scanning tools determine how a target will respond to intrusions. It is carried out to markup areas of weaknesses within the structure. The third strep involves gaining access using the network’s spotted vulnerabilities for gaining access, followed by the fourth step that attempts to prolong the access for intrusion. After the assessment, the testers compile the results that highlight the potential weaknesses and solutions to the problems that can increase the difficulty of intrusion in the next attempt.
Precautions
People shall note that one can’t guarantee a 100% secure system by using this method. It is an inherent weakness as the person carrying out this test may not have a thorough knowledge of all the entry points in the network system. The rule of thumb while conducting such tests is to have a backup of your data ready. It is done to ensure that the client is not suffering from data loss if anything goes unplanned during the planned attack. Another recommended precaution is to plan such attempts during non-business or business hours with minor traffic. And is suggested because a penetration test can often exceed the expected time; hence, the test must be prolonged to achieve all the objectives. Furthermore, since it is carried out on a real-life system, the impact it can have during peak business hours is significant and disruptive.
A pen test allows a company to simulate a cyber attack that pre-emptively spots the vulnerabilities. The results of these tests are further analysed, and remedial steps are taken to boost the network defenses. In the world of the 21st century, where the world is reaping the benefits of the Internet, it is no longer an optional examination but a necessity to secure a company’s cyber interest against hackers with ulterior motives willing to cause significant damages to the company.
