In the current digital age, businesses are increasingly reliant on technology to function. This reliance has made companies more vulnerable to cyberattacks, which can have devastating consequences. In order to protect themselves, businesses need to invest in professional external penetration testing services.
External penetration testing is a type of security assessment that simulates a real-world attack on your system in order to identify vulnerabilities. By hiring a professional company to carry out this testing, you can be sure that your system is as secure as possible against potential threats. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of external penetration testing and how it can help keep your business safe from cyberattacks.
Why cybersecurity is important?
As our lives move increasingly online, cybersecurity becomes more and more important. With the amount of personal and financial information we store on our devices and in the cloud, it’s essential that we take steps to protect ourselves from cyberattacks.
Unfortunately, even the most careful person can be vulnerable to attack. That’s why it’s important to not only take personal responsibility for our own cybersecurity but also to work with businesses and organizations that are committed to protecting our data.
External Penetration Testing is one-way businesses can ensure their systems are secure. Using experienced ethical hackers, External Penetration Testing simulates a real-world cyberattack so that businesses can identify vulnerabilities and take steps to fix them before they are exploited by bad actors.
While no system is ever 100% secure, External Penetration Testing is an important tool in the fight against cybercrime. By working with businesses to find and fix vulnerabilities, we can make the internet a safer place for everyone.
Common cyber threats for businesses
There are a number of common cyber threats that businesses face today. These include malware, phishing, and denial of service attacks.
Malware is a type of malicious software that can infect a computer and cause damage. Phishing is a type of online fraud where criminals send emails or texts pretending to be from a legitimate organization in order to trick people into giving them sensitive information such as passwords or credit card numbers. Denial of service attacks can disrupt access to websites or online services by overwhelming them with traffic from multiple computers.
Businesses need to be aware of these threats and take steps to protect themselves. This includes having effective anti-malware software installed, being cautious when opening emails or clicking on links, and having systems in place to deal with denial-of-service attacks. External penetration testing can also help identify vulnerabilities in a business’s systems that could be exploited by attackers.
What is External Penetration Testing?
External penetration testing is a type of security testing that is used to assess the security of an organization’s external perimeter. This type of testing simulates an attack from outside the organization and is often used to test the effectiveness of an organization’s security controls.
External penetration testing can be used to test the security of both Internet-facing and non-Internet-facing systems. Testing Internet-facing systems typically involve identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications, DNS servers, and other publicly accessible systems. Testing non-Internet-facing systems typically involve social engineering attacks and physical access attacks.
Social engineering attacks are designed to trick users into divulging information or performing actions that would allow an attacker to gain access to the system. Physical access attacks involve physically accessing the system in order to bypass security controls or steal data.
External penetration testing can be used to test the effectiveness of an organization’s security controls, as well as its ability to detect and respond to attacks. Organizations should consider conducting external penetration tests on a regular basis, as new vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered.
The Benefits of External Penetration Testing
External penetration testing is a type of security test that is conducted from outside the company’s network. This type of test simulates a real-world attack and is used to assess the organization’s ability to detect and respond to an attack.
There are many benefits to conducting an external penetration test, including:
1. Identifying vulnerabilities: External penetration tests can help identify vulnerabilities that may be exploited by attackers.
2. Testing detection capabilities: External penetration tests can help assess an organization’s ability to detect and respond to an attack.
3. Improving incident response plans: External penetration tests can help improve incident response plans by providing data about how an organization would react to a real attack.
4. Raising awareness: External penetration tests can raise awareness among employees about the importance of cybersecurity and the potential consequences of a successful cyberattack.
The Process of External Penetration Testing
- Planning the external penetration test
The first step in conducting an external penetration test is to plan the engagement. This includes identifying the objectives and goals of the test, as well as the scope. It’s important to involve all stakeholders in this process to ensure that everyone is on the same page and understands what is going to be tested.2. Information gathering
The next step is to gather information about the target system. This can be done through public sources such as Google or social media, or by using more sophisticated methods such as port scanning or banner grabbing. The goal here is to gain as much knowledge about the system as possible so that you can plan your attack.3. Attack planning
Once you have gathered enough information, it’s time to start planning your attack. This includes deciding which vulnerabilities you want to exploit and how you are going to do it. It’s important to consider the potential impact of each vulnerability so that you can prioritize them accordingly.4. Executing the attack
Now it’s time to put your plan into action and execute the attack. This can be done manually or by using automated tools, depending on the complexity of the attack. It’s important to remember that during this phase, you should only focus on exploiting vulnerabilities and not on trying to access sensitive data or disrupt service availability.5. Reporting
After the attack has been executed, it’s time to compile a report of your findings. This should include a detailed description of the vulnerabilities exploited, as well as any sensitive data that was accessed. It’s important to make this report as comprehensible as possible so that the stakeholders can understand the risks and take appropriate action.
Conclusion
If you are concerned about the safety of your online data, it is important to consider investing in professional external penetration testing services. By working with a team of experienced security experts, you can ensure that your systems are as secure as possible and that you are prepared for any potential cyberattacks. Contact a reputable security company like Vumetric today to learn more about how external penetration testing can benefit your business.
