Pen testing is critical for any business that wants to maintain strong cybersecurity. But not all penetration testing is successful, and some can even cause damage to your system during the test.
Proper pentesting involves thorough planning and careful implementation. The following are the top 5 tips to help you carry out basic pentesting to bolster your systems against attack.
1. Take a Targeted Approach
Pentesting isn’t about throwing darts at a wall and seeing which one’s stick. It’s a meticulous process that involves targeted planning. But how do you know which parts of your system to target?
There are a few ways to decide. One is to choose systems that haven’t been updated recently or that have a higher risk of vulnerabilities. It’s a good idea to test urgent risks before newer technology that’s likely to be more secure.
Another method is to test systems that represent a higher risk to your operations if compromised. If your business would suffer most from an attack on your payment processing system, then test that first.
Finally, you can test based on the type of attack. If you’re worried about ransomware attacks, you could test your systems for this type of penetration.
2. Don’t Go it Alone
Doing penetration testing without the proper resources can cause damage to your systems. After all, you are simulating an attack. If you aren’t careful, you can accidentally perpetrate a real attack on your IT infrastructure.
Even if you’re a pro DIY pentester, you likely lack the perspective to perform a comprehensive test. As an insider, you may overlook vulnerabilities that an outside attacker could identify.
Before testing, utilize tools and web penetration testing services to help you achieve the most comprehensive test possible.
3. Leave No Trace after Testing
Pentesting often involves the transfer of data and some manipulation of your system or your code. When this happens, you inadvertently leave a paper trail that leads to the weak points in your system. An experienced hacker may be able to follow the clues you’ve left behind to build their own attack.
Penetration testing should leave your system stronger than it was before. But it can only do this if you immediately revert your system back to its original state and remove any signs of the pen test. The exception to this is, of course, if you revealed a critical vulnerability during your test and need to make changes to update your security.
4. Do a Comprehensive Post-Mortem
The most important part of your test is the post-mortem—the review of the results and their implications.
When testing is complete, start with a debrief by walking through every part of the test. This isn’t just a PowerPoint presentation—it’s a discussion with your pentester and your team with the aim of dissecting the testing methodology.
Next, replicate your findings to weed out false positives or negatives. This increases the accuracy of your test, and it gives you the opportunity to better understand the inner workings of your system and how it responds to intrusion.
Once you’ve revealed the risks, list them and rate them based on the potential damage they could cause.
Lastly, decide on solutions to the risks based on urgency, and make a plan for implementation.
5. Test Regularly
Whether your pentest revealed robust security or an outdated system, you’ll still be pentesting again soon. The only way to keep your system safe in an age of rapid technological advances is to perform regular penetration testing.
It is recommended to hire third-party penetration testers at least once per year. Though most companies will also perform automated penetration testing regularly to maintain security and compliance standards.
Basic Pen Testing and Beyond
Performing basic pen testing is a responsible way to protect your business and keep your team aware of cybersecurity threats. However, basic testing alone isn’t enough to protect your systems.
Comprehensive penetration testing by a third-party team provides an all-around assessment of your security. Adding an annual pentest to your budget will prepare you for future growth and protect your clientele.
Aside from pentesting, ensure that you keep your staff informed of cyber threats and human attacks such as phishing, deepfakes and port access.