Vulnerability & Pen Testing

In a ransomware attack, cyber criminals hold the victims’ data and systems hostage and ask for a financial payment, often in crypto-currency since it is anonymous and less traceable. 32% of UK businesses reported suffering a cyber-attack or breach in 2023 and for medium businesses, this rises to 59% and 69% for large businesses. It is estimated that UK businesses lost around £736 million to cyber-crime in 2021with 31% of businesses estimating they are attacked at least once a week. The true count of ransomware incidents is a known unknown for officials trying to figure out how to tackle the problem. Victims are not obliged to report attacks to law enforcement, and darknet extortion sites only provide a partial count of victims who refused to pay

Vulnerability refers to weaknesses or flaws within a computer system or network, or technology policies that can be exploited by attackers. These vulnerabilities can be used to provide unauthorised access, enable data theft, or facilitate other malicious activities.

Penetration testing, also known as pen testing, plays a crucial role in assessing the security posture of a computer system or network. It involves identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities to simulate real-world attacks. Ethical hackers, called penetration testers, employ various tools and techniques to gauge the system's resilience against such attacks. The results of penetration tests help prioritise remediation efforts, addressing weaknesses and fortifying the system's security. By conducting pen testing, organisations proactively identify and mitigate vulnerabilities, preventing potential exploitation by malicious actors.

Talk to Claritas today to see how we can support you in the following:

Identify Vulnerabilities: Pen testing can help identify vulnerabilities in a system or application that could be exploited by attackers. Pen testers use a variety of tools and techniques to identify these vulnerabilities, including network scanners, port scanners, and vulnerability scanners.

Measure Security Posture: Pen testing provides a way to measure the effectiveness of security controls and processes. This can help organizations understand how well they are protecting their assets and where they need to improve their security posture.

Test Response Capabilities: Pen testing can also be used to test an organization's response capabilities in the event of a security breach. This can help identify areas where improvements are needed, such as incident response plans, communication protocols, and employee training.

Validate Compliance: Pen testing can help validate compliance with industry regulations and standards, such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001. This can be important for organizations that handle sensitive data or operate in regulated industries.

Provide Recommendations: Pen testers can provide recommendations for improving security based on their findings. These recommendations may include technical controls, process improvements, or employee training.

Benefits

Identifying security weaknesses

Pen testing helps to identify potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. This information can be used to remediate those weaknesses and prevent future attacks.

Enhancing security posture

By identifying vulnerabilities, pen testing allows organizations to address those issues and strengthen their security posture. This reduces the likelihood of successful attacks and minimizes the potential impact of any successful attacks.

Meeting regulatory requirements

Many industries and government bodies require regular security testing to ensure compliance with regulations. Pen testing can help organizations to meet those requirements.

Reducing business risk

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Improving incident response

By simulating attacks, pen testing helps organizations to test their incident response plans and identify areas for improvement. This can help organizations to respond more effectively to actual attacks in the future.

Building customer trust

By demonstrating a commitment to security through regular pen testing, organisations can build customer trust and differentiate themselves from competitors who may not prioritise security in the same way.