If you're exploring your options for penetration testing, you may have seen several varying service offerings from different penetration testing service providers.
Penetration tests refer to technical evaluations that put your existing cybersecurity protections under a microscope in mock cyber attacks. This is a form of ethical hacking that approaches cybersecurity from the mind of a hacker.
To give you an overview of what to expect and look for when vetting the best penetration testing companies, here are some examples and variations of this service.
What Types of Penetration Testing Services Are Available?
Although not all penetration testing services are created equal, there are a few different types of tests you typically have to choose from. These include:
- Internal/external
- Purple team
- Assumed breach
- Payload & delivery
- Red team
These services are not mutually exclusive - you should look into having multiple types of tests performed to ensure your network is thoroughly evaluated.
1. Internal & External Penetration Testing
This type of penetration testing exposes network security gaps using the latest tactics and techniques often used by hackers. Findings and recommendations will be specific for your organization.
This type of test typically takes 2 to 3 weeks, and should be conducted annually. It's a good way to gain a basic understanding of your network security posture and what's needed to secure your business.
2. Purple Team Penetration Testing
This type of test is designed so your chosen penetration testing company acts as a hacker or malicious group trying to breach your network.
In this way, their experts will play offense while your internal team goes on defense to see how strong your network security is against threat actors.
This "red team vs blue team" approach is called "purple team penetration testing" because it involves teamwork between the two teams.
In general, you should invest in purple team penetration tests every 2 years.
3. Assumed Breach
This type of breach allows your penetration testing company to use "breached" credentials to simulate a hacker that has already gotten their hands on sensitive data.
Assumed breach testing is a way to evaluate your internal safeguards to keep malicious actors from getting far if they're able to breach your network.
Ideally, you will have tools like muti-factor authentication in place that will stop hackers in their tracks. Cybersecurity experts will attempt to bypass any antivirus or Endpoint Detection & Response tools you have to show lateral movement from one point to another during this test.
This type of test takes around 2-3 weeks and experts recommend having one performed every 2 or 3 years.
4. Payload & Delivery
This type of test simulates a user downloading malware to see how your network detects and responds to it.
This test is crucial for your incident response planning, as social engineering is the number one method of cyber attacks. Learn more about different cyber readiness techniques in our blog: Incident Response vs Disaster Recovery: What's the Difference?
Social engineering refers to cyber attacks designed to manipulate human emotions to result in a desired action. This typically involves coaxing victims to click on malicious links, send money, purchase gift cards, or divulge sensitive information.
Payload & delivery testing emulates a social engineering attack resulting in a user clicking on a link or attachment injected with malware. To learn ways you can mitigate the risks of social engineering, see our blog: SLAM Dunk Your Email Security with These 4 Rules to Live By
5. Red Team
Red team penetration tests are the most advanced form of ethical hacking. These services involve multiple attack methods, using every available resource and technique to breach your network.
During this test, white hat hackers throw everything they've got at you with the objective to remain undetected, much like a real cybercriminal. This will reveal any security weaknesses using sophisticated penetration testing standards.
This can help you reduce the risk of hackers leveraging any security vulnerabilities to breach your network.
To learn more about the potential impact of cyber attacks, read our blog: What Does a Cyber Breach Cost to Fix?
The Importance of Endpoint Detection & Response
Beyond antivirus, you should have Endpoint Detection and Response as a part of your cybersecurity strategy. This protection is a powerful deterrent to harmful malware.
EDR can not only detect new types of attacks (zero-day attacks), it can reboot your network endpoint to a safe state to eradicate the threat. Learn more about this technology in our blog: EDR vs Enterprise Antivirus: What’s the Difference?
How to Find Top Penetration Testing Companies
It's important to note that not every penetration service offers the same value to your business. Some tests are simple scans that don't offer in-depth or actionable insights into how to mitigate discovered vulnerabilities.
Look for a provider that offers both penetration testing and holistic network evaluations together. Your IT strategy is more than cybersecurity. Your budget and long-term plan will be informed by other factors explored by network assessments, such as:
- Devices & technology roadmaps for refreshes
- Your switch environment
- Network performance and speed
- Existing IT contracts & licenses
- Redundant or underperforming tools
Learn more about network assessments in our blog: What Is a Network Assessment? (How It Works & Why It's Important)
If you're ready to transform your IT strategy through proactive security measures like penetration testing, click the button below to speak with a cybersecurity expert.
