New opportunities and the risk of cyberattacks go hand in hand in the digital realm for all businesses. That’s why you must always watch and protect your company’s apps and systems. Some data suggest that almost 93% of company networks are susceptible to threats and can be hacked in under 48 minutes. Are your systems and processes safe against the potential risks? You can opt for security exercises like penetration testing to identify and fix any hidden threats before it’s too late. These steps can be taken only by professionals who follow ethical practices. You can find a reliable, local agency specializing in IT services for this help.
Someone like Rooted Software can guide you through these steps as your IT services partner. Experts typically conduct penetration tests based on your company’s security demands. What do they do?
- Professionals test VPNs, firewalls, and other network infrastructure to protect devices and company networks.
- Cloud services, configurations, and mechanisms are evaluated to determine their security.
- Apps, communication protocols, and IoT devices are examined to find threats.
- APIs can be tested to determine the strengths and weaknesses of configuration settings, data, and authentication processes.
- All mobile apps, web apps, and others can be tested to detect the risk of cross-site scripting and SQL injection.
How are penetration tests implemented?
These tests can help only when there are strong strategies in place. Like any other investigation technique, this testing method also gathers information. However, it doesn’t end there. Data are analyzed to uncover weaknesses. Experts can use AI-powered tools to sift through massive datasets sourced from social media, public platforms, and other channels. For more discreet knowledge, they can also examine certification and subdomains. Regular IT tasks can be automated, and other creative ways can be adopted to detect vulnerabilities. The other strategy can be cloud penetration. The technicians can study access management policies and identity misconfigurations that can lead to unauthorized access. Codes and functions can also be checked to find vulnerabilities.
Furthermore, any encryption methods can be hacked through quantum computing. Hence, penetration testing techniques can also target this area to help make your systems future-proof. Experts can use quantum-resistant algorithms to counter these threats. The other challenging area is the Internet of Things (IoT). Professionals depend on firmware analysis to inspect software and spot defects to strengthen your IT security. They can use special tools to examine the wireless protocols of your IoT devices.
The other interesting method is social engineering. This penetration testing strategy helps identify human-targeted attacks on an organization and the efficiency of your internal team in handling them. Some simple techniques that can be used are sending phishing emails or fake messages on purpose. Employees’ response to these attacks can show their understanding and preparedness for these types of threat handling.
How is a specific penetration testing technique selected?
Again, a meticulous approach has to be taken. One must allocate a budget for this kind of testing. There should be absolute clarity regarding how these tests can be conducted on networks, systems, and other assets. Also, proper authorization is required for these types of testing. Adhering to relevant rules and regulations is necessary throughout this testing phase.
These are some of the critical decisions that modern companies must make to protect themselves against online threats. If you have outsourced your IT services, your vendor can suggest the best action.
