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Penetration Testing
As the use of technology across various industries grows, so does the number of individuals aiming to use weak security defences to their advantage.
Your company firewalls and anti-virus may not be enough to prevent data breaches from occurring.
Penetration testing from the Ministry of Cyber Security can pinpoint any weaknesses in your existing barriers, both on internal and external networks. This can allow you to strengthen your security, giving you more firepower against cyber threats.
Why does my business need pen testing?
Annual testing of your existing security measures may be great for compliance and internal/external audits, but this may only occur on one day out of 365. Cybercriminals and hackers may attempt to breach your system at any time of the year. They won’t only work within your working hours or take note of holidays.
Your business will be far more secure by running penetration tests. At the very minimum, you should be tested quarterly. However, monthly testing can be far more beneficial.
Gain additional compliance
Find out about weaknesses BEFORE they become an issue
Easy-to-read security reports
Keep your business up and running while testing takes place
How we stage the attack!
How is the penetration test done?
The penetration test is completed by inputting a small device into your system which we then run an advanced hack on your system to see if your defences can actually hold off an attack.
How long does it take to complete the penetration test?
The penetration test takes roughly a week, you will not notice this happening, similar to a real attack. Your work will not be interrupted and employees can work as normal with no repercussions.
Why is it important to penetration test your systems?
This is an important step, businesses take many precautions to protect their system and the data it holds but many businesses have never tested these systems actually work. For compliance, you need to complete a penetration test once a year, our recommended best practice would be to have a penetration test once a month but this is totally your choice!
The outcome of your Penetration test
Internal and External attacks completed
Internal: Discontent employees and human error can lead to security breaches from within your network. Assessing how secure your systems are for users can help to greatly mitigate these risks.
External: Hackers may attempt to gain access to your information from across the world. Our tests will see if there are any gaps in your security that unaffiliated individuals could use as footholds into your data.
Reports completed and sent
Once the penetration test is complete, we will send you two reports outlining the vulnerabilities found. You can then use this information to improve your defences and ensure when you are hacked for real they will be unable to penetrate your systems the second time around.
GDPR Compliance
It is your responsibility to ensure any confidential or sensitive data is adequately secured within your systems.
As part of GDPR compliance, pen testing shows you have gone above and beyond to protect that information from malicious access or use.
Validation
You can check users' credentials for accuracy, as well as what they have access to. Having more knowledge of your team's credentials can massively improve security.
Fake Tests
We will try to put fake, non-harmful viruses onto your devices to see how well your existing methods can highlight and repel them.
Seeking Data
You can check users' credentials for accuracy, as well as what they have access to. Having more knowledge of your team's credentials can massively improve security.
Outgoing Info
External data can also be a risk. We will try to gain access to any data leaving your domain to see how easy it is to infiltrate.
"Cyber crime won't affect me..."
Realistically, if you believe that it won’t happen to you, you will be less likely to put effective security measures into place.
It is THAT type of thinking that makes life easier for hackers. In 2018, a small business was successfully hacked roughly every 19 seconds. That figure doesn’t account for the number of businesses that managed to fend off an attack.
This means that, in the space of you reading this box, several businesses may have become victims of cybercrime.
Don’t let the next one be you!
Questions & Answers
What is Penetration Testing?
is a cybersecurity practice that involves simulating cyberattacks on computer systems, networks, applications, or devices to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses. The goal of penetration testing is to assess the security posture of a target system and to uncover potential points of exploitation that could be leveraged by malicious hackers.
What size companies need cyber training for their teams?
Every size! All businesses with security measures in place to protect their data are at risk! If you have never tested your defences how can you be sure they are effective enough to fight of a cyber attack?
Penetration testing will give you the reassurance in knowing you have tested and secured your defences.
What happens during a Penetration Test?
During a penetration test we systematically attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in the target system using various techniques and tools. The process typically involves several key steps:
How does Penetration Testing work?
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Planning and Reconnaissance: We gather information about the target system, its architecture, potential entry points, and other relevant details.
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Scanning: Our Penetration test use's specialised tools to scan your system for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and open ports. This helps identify potential weak points that could be exploited.
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Gaining Access: We then attempt to exploit the identified vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to the system. This might involve using techniques such as password cracking, exploiting software vulnerabilities, or social engineering.
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Maintaining Access: Once access is gained, testers may attempt to maintain their presence within the system to assess the potential impact of a successful attack.
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Analysis and Reporting: After the testing is complete we send you a full report of the results which document the vulnerabilities that were successfully exploited, and provide recommendations for remediation.
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Remediation: You can then take these results to your IT or security team / company and use these findings to address and fix the vulnerabilities discovered. This helps improve the overall security of the system.
How regularly should I complete a Penetration Test?
For GDPR compliance it is recommended that you complete a penetration test once a year. However, the best practice and what we would recommend if you want to keep your business as safe as possible is having a reoccurring test every quarter.
Whenever you employ new staff, implement new machines or add new email addresses these can open up new opportunities for a hacker to penetrate your systems without regular testing you will find yourself at risk of having data stolen.
How long does it take to complete a Penetration Test?
Our Penetration Tests take roughly one week to complete, just like a real hack none of your employees will be aware this is happening and there will be no disruptions to their work.