IT leaders know that the reason regulators and cybersecurity insurers require them to conduct network penetration testing is to ensure they’re protecting their networks from being accessed by attackers. But hackers don’t operate on the same schedule as regulators.
Compliance-focused network penetration testing — conducted annually or quarterly — only helps organizations identify weaknesses that are present at the specific points in time when they’re undertaking testing. That may be enough to help organizations avoid potential fines and legal actions, but it doesn’t amount to a proactive security posture.
IT leaders and their firms can better protect their businesses and customers by increasing the frequency of their network penetration tests. But the high costs of outsourced consultants tend to hold them back.
By embracing automated network penetration testing — which can cost 60+% less than traditional or manual network penetration testing — firms can stay on top of risks and strengthen their defenses more proactively.
Overcoming time and cost challenges with traditional testing
Network penetration testing is the process of hacking a firm’s computer network, in a simulated manner, to uncover and identify security vulnerabilities and weaknesses.
Regulators, cyber insurers, and (sometimes) large customers require firms to conduct network penetration tests annually or quarterly, and firms typically engage security consultants to carry out the tests using manual hacking methods.
“Consultants test using a lot of tools that require a lot of manual processes, and those take time,” says Jason Wells, COO at Vonahi Security. “Plus, once you have a contract with a consulting company, you have to get on their schedule, then let them spend time running the test, then let them spend time writing their report. From start to finish, all of that can take four to six weeks.” Given how frequently firms update their networks — and how rapidly new security vulnerabilities emerge — a four-to-six-week old report is stale by the time it’s completed.
But while conducting more frequent network penetration testing could drastically benefit firms’ ability to protect their networks, most stick with a compliance-driven, point-in-time, check-the-box approach simply because it’s what they can afford. “You can’t do ongoing penetration testing if you’re paying a consultant to do it,” says Wells. “It’s too expensive.”
Embracing an ongoing approach that reduces security risks
An automated approach to network penetration testing addresses firms’ cost and time-investment pain points.
Automated network penetration testing rises to the rigorous security standards set by regulators and insurers — meeting all compliance and cyber insurance requirements by fully replicating manual testing — and equips firms with reporting within business days of conducting a test, rather than weeks.
Companies can also schedule automated tests on demand, without the need to coordinate with consultants. “If you need a test today, you can get a test today,” says Wells.” And since an automated network penetration test is over 60% less expensive than a traditional one, companies can afford to conduct them more frequently.
Engaging in more frequent network penetration testing and more continuous monitoring of their network security allows firms to take faster action on issues based on more accurate, real-time visibility into network activities. It also gives them more time to spend on enhancing security controls in critical areas, rather than on managing consultant relationships and scheduling tests.
“We’re going to do everything that your consultant would do, but we’re going to do it through automation so that it’s faster and more cost effective, and you can do it more frequently,” says Wells. “Testing once a month helps you identify and remediate your issues so that when an actual attacker hits your network, you’ve already remediated the gaps, weaknesses, and holes in your network.”
Conclusion: A smarter way to protect your network
Staying ahead of attackers can drastically reduce a firm’s security risks. But a compliance-driven, once-per-year approach to testing isn’t capable of helping firms keep up. “Last year, new exploitable vulnerabilities came out roughly twice per week,” says Wells. “That’s why frequency is what makes network penetration testing valuable. It takes it from a compliance-driven solution to something firms can actually use for proactive security.”
Reducing security risks through a cost-effective, automated, expert-backed solution like Vonahi helps firms scale their efforts to take security seriously, and better protect their businesses and customers while keeping their compliance obligations met.
vPenTest by Vonahi is the leading automated network penetration testing SaaS platform that streamlines the delivery of network pentesting. To learn more, visit www.vonahi.io.
