When you're evaluating the strength of your network against hackers, you may discover many types of vulnerabilities. Some of these may include:
With the countless issues you can discover through services like penetration tests, you may wonder what the next steps are once you find them. That's where managed IT providers come in.
If you're curious about the actionable steps a managed service provider (MSP) will take using findings from penetration testing, here's an overview of what you can expect.
Penetration testing is also sometimes referred to as "white hat hacking", or ethical hacking. Unlike malicious actors who often have financial, political, or otherwise nefarious motivations, ethical hackers aim to help you.
The most dangerous hackers are called "black hat hackers". These are skilled cybercriminals who know how to leverage social engineering and advanced attack techniques to exploit your network and business.
Grey hat hackers are similar to their black hat counterparts, but they aim to cause mischief and see what they can get away with. Though they have seemingly neutral intentions, keep in mind that any unauthorized access to your network is an inherent threat.
Ethical hacking services, or penetration testing, is a type of cybersecurity audit that identifies vulnerabilities that malicious hackers could exploit. This could involve mock ransomware tests to see if your network can detect issues, or probes to see if you have any open ports or blind spots in your security posture.
Penetration tests can vary in complexity, but all generally offer the same value to businesses. By understanding how a hacker could compromise your network, you can work with your MSP to implement security measures to mitigate the risk of security breaches.
Some different types of penetration testing services include:
Traditional Penetration Testing – uncovering typical vulnerabilities based on latest hacker tactics
Purple Team Penetration Testing – Red team (external “attackers”) work in tandem with your internal IT team/defenses to discover security gaps
Assumed Breach Testing – Ethical hackers simulate leaked credentials to bypass antivirus or EDR technology
Payload & Delivery Penetration Testing – Simulates malicious activity such as malware to see how your network responds
Red Team Penetration Testing – advanced ethical hacking using any possible means to breach your network
You may wonder the difference between network assessments from MSPs and hiring ethical hackers. With so many different services out there, you should be aware that not all evaluations are created equal.
For example, a network assessment audits your entire IT environment, ranging from cybersecurity to server efficiency and licensing issues. Although more holistic than typical penetration tests that focus solely on your cyber defenses, network audits also look for vulnerabilities in your IT security.
Look for an MSP that offers both penetration testing services and network assessments. By getting a birds-eye view of your IT strategy, your MSP will then be able to recommend changes to secure and optimize your network.
You can check out more about network security assessments in our guide here. Learn more about the key differences between vulnerability assessments and penetration testing in our blog: Penetration Testing vs. Vulnerability Assessment―Which is Best For You?
Once you undergo penetration testing and/or a network assessment, your MSP will use these findings to recommend different tools and practices. There are many ongoing services you might choose to bolster your cybersecurity and network efficiency.
The key benefit of hiring an MSP to handle penetration testing and network audits is that they'll be able to jump right into fixing any immediate issues. Some offerings you can expect include technology roadmap creation, having your own Virtual Chief Information Officer, active network monitoring, and general IT support.
One of the most important moving parts of your IT strategy is your long-term planning and execution. This includes planning ahead for technology refreshes before devices and software become end-of-life, mitigating future cyber threats through updated technology, and anticipating any long-term budgeting considerations.
These plans are called technology roadmaps. They can help immensely with managing your IT budget and ensuring you're allocating enough resources to foster innovation and enhance your competitive edge.
Learn more about how long-term planning can be a gamechanger for growth in our blog: How Technology Management Can Expedite Your Business Growth
Virtual Chief Information Officers (vCIOs) are sometimes also called vCISOs, or Virtual Chief Information Security Officers. These are seasoned IT and cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge and leadership qualities needed to spearhead your technology strategy.
vCIO services can take your IT environment to the next level by offering guidance on anything related to your business technology. This includes technology roadmap planning, incident response and disaster recovery planning, long-term IT projects, and much more.
To learn more about vCIO services, read our blog: FAQ's About Virtual Chief Information Officers (vCIOs)
A crucial aspect to securing your network is implementing active security monitoring technology. According to IDC, 70% of cyber breaches originate from weak network endpoints. Endpoint security involves both traditional antivirus technology and endpoint detection & response software.
EDR does a lot more than detect known types of cyber threats. Unlike anti-virus tools that simply find and alert you to malicious activity based on pattern recognition, EDR finds and mitigates both new and old types threats before they take control. Never-before-seen threats are also referred to as zero-day attacks.
To read more about this technology, read our blog: EDR vs Enterprise Antivirus: What’s the Difference?
Your agility in resolving IT issues has a huge impact on your day-to-day operations. Along with general IT support, MSPs offer ways to train your staff to increase efficiency and mitigate the risks of human error.
For example, training programs may explore proper data handling and disposal, phishing and other forms of social engineering staff may encounter, and how to determine safe links.
To learn more about what these trainings can do for your business, read our blog: Top 6 Email Security Tips for Employees
If you've been looking into ethical hacker agencies, consider looking for a managed IT provider that also offers penetration testing services.
Unlike ethical hackers for hire, managed service providers offer a full suite of capabilities to:
To kick off your journey in achieving the optimal IT environment, click the button below to speak to an expert about your business.