Offensive Security

What is Pentest as a Service?

What is Pentest as a Service?

Pentest as a Service can be relevant for anyone who is continuously striving to have their infrastructure and applications examined for IT security. Progressive digitization brings with it many advantages. Companies can work faster and more flexibly, as well as react more flexibly to changes. But digital networking and the Internet, as well as all digital infrastructures, also harbor dangers. A trusted partner can ensure an increase in IT security maturity.

The attackers become more creative. The know-how is lacking in many organizations

Hackers are becoming more and more brazen and try with all their might to steal information, data or money from people or companies. Pentest as a service helps protect against hackers. Of course, this also avoids the consequences of hacking. Companies or groups involved in software or product development are particularly at risk from external attacks and should take preventive measures.

A pentest should be performed once a year. However, as this is often not enough to protect companies comprehensively, it may be advisable to use a permanent partner or Pentest as a Service. This offer makes it possible to carry out these very pentests in a flexible manner and in accordance with the company’s needs. In this way, customers enjoy a fully comprehensive service that specifically addresses individual needs and requirements. For example, the pentest can be performed monthly or quarterly.

Protection against the most diverse attacks

Sophisticated and sophisticated measures reduce the likelihood that attackers will succeed in the future. Because the nature of attacks is so complex, it pays not to leave the company’s protection to chance. Pentests protect against a wide variety of attacks, which are briefly listed below.

  • Attacks from outside perpetrators: Hackers attempt to access internal resources from the outside. Compromising reachable applications can also be a goal.
  • Attacks by internal perpetrators: What is the damage if an attacker made it through security measures? The answer is provided by the internal pentest
  • Attacks on infrastructure: how many systems does a criminal find and what could be a possible course of action? This question is very often pentester
  • Attacking an application: Does the application behave as expected? Does the data upload, data entry and cookie handling work as planned? This is investigated when an application is in focus.

Identify vulnerabilities and protect against attackers in a targeted manner

It is extremely important to identify potential vulnerabilities and get ahead of attackers. This is where a Pentest as a Service can help. This provides an overview of the effectiveness of the implemented security measures and helps to find out where the company is most vulnerable to threats. Thus, regulatory as well as organizational requirements can be met.

Improvement measures to increase protection can be implemented in a targeted and efficient manner in the next step. This is a measure that keeps entrepreneurs’ heads clear so that there is time again for the important things in life.

Save money with Pentest as a Service?

First, of course, a PaaS costs money. Instead of costing a lot at a time, however, the Pentest as a Service service costs a flat fee each month .But when you compare the expense with the benefit that comes with it, it’s an extremely sensible investment.

So if you take care of identifying the vulnerabilities in advance, it is much cheaper in comparison than if you have to take care of eliminating the consequences of the hacker attack afterwards. The recovery process after an attack by hackers can cost a company dearly. Basically, a pentest pays for itself faster than it is paid for.

Identify undiscovered vulnerabilities and security holes

Threats on the Internet are constantly changing and adapting to the infrastructure over time. Applications, systems, and networks can have security vulnerabilities that people may not even notice. If you’re in the business of identifying vulnerabilities yourself, it’s a constant race to discover these gaps before potential attackers do.

That’s why it’s even more important to stay one step ahead of the hackers and use Pentest as a Service. This is the most effective method to be able to determine the current state of cybersecurity in the company. Thus, you set up protection against threats in the shortest possible time.

Preserve the company’s image and customer loyalty

In addition to the financial damage that occurs after a hacker attack, the company’s reputation and the trust of its customers can also be at risk and suffer permanent damage. In the course of a hacker attack, sensitive customer data may become public. The consequences of this scenario would be fatal and could drive a company to ruin.

This can also lead to a massive loss of trust and cause enormous damage to the company’s reputation and success. That is why it is all the more important to prevent this from happening in the first place and to ensure that the company is fully protected. The company’s reputation and the loyalty of its customers can therefore be sustainably preserved in this way.

Comply with cybersecurity regulations and laws

Certain industries require that you adhere to various standards and laws. This serves, for example, to protect the company and to protect sensitive data with which the company may be working. For example, some companies may require or require a security audit of IT systems by an independent third party.

Certain standards, such as ISO, may also often require mandatory testing of security systems. Pentests help to be able to prove the security level. In addition, the company’s reputation for safety and reliability can thus be built up and strengthened in the long term.

Create clear competitive advantages with pentests as a service

Especially nowadays, the competition does not sleep and it is even more important to stand out from them. Companies often reach deep into their bag of tricks for this and try to create a competitive advantage for themselves with various options. They use various tactics, which are often very elaborate and complex. But basically, it’s not difficult or complicated at all to stay one step ahead of the competition and especially hackers.

With the help of pentests, it is easy to check the company’s digital infrastructure and thus ensure that sensitive data is protected. In order to obtain the most sustainable protection, it is necessary to have these tests performed regularly and at specific intervals. This is the only way to ensure the most comprehensive protection possible.

Customized, individual solutions

The cost of Pentest as a Service depends on the time spent and the complexity, nature and size of the IT system or web applications. Especially with the time it takes to perform a pentest, it helps to look for/find a professional pentest as a service partner.

More detailed information about the company is needed to determine how much support is needed. This information includes, for example, the systems to be examined, applications, and time periods of the desired recurring examination.

If web applications are involved, for example, test accesses can be useful. In addition, other information, such as information about the frameworks used, helps to provide the appropriate offer. If one wishes to have a pentest, the static IP address of the performing company should be whitelisted.

At the same time, the recurring tests by no means have to look the same. A non-invasive network scan could be performed first to get an idea of the network.

In some circumstances, PaaS can also be performed on applications running in the cloud. As hosting critical business applications with cloud providers becomes more common, this step is often necessary as well. So basically, Pentest as a Service is about sustainable and efficient measures that help to maintain and increase the company’s success in the long term.

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Vincent Reckendrees

Hallo, ich bin Vincent Reckendrees und leite das Team Offensive Services bei der AWARE7 GmbH. In meinem Bachelor und Master Studium habe ich mich auf IT-Sicherheit spezialisiert und BSI zertifizierter IS-Penetrationstester. Meine Leidenschaft gilt Reverse Engineering, Hardware- und Web-Sicherheit. Als Experte für Penetrationstests finde ich Schwachstellen in Systemen und Netzwerken und nutze sie, um realistische Cyberangriffe zu simulieren und Sicherheitsmaßnahmen zu verbessern. Durch Reverse Engineering entdecke ich Fehler und Verbesserungsmöglichkeiten in Software und Hardware. Meine Fähigkeiten in Hardware- und Web-Sicherheit ermöglichen es mir, physische Geräte und Online-Plattformen vor einer Vielzahl von Cyberbedrohungen zu schützen und ihre Integrität und Zuverlässigkeit zu gewährleisten.