The way code is developed today has changed dramatically in the last ten years, yet companies still believe that implementing security the way we did it ten years ago will suffice.
Think of it this way: We would never buy many different services we might need as part of our software stack and then ask for their price. But we do something utterly standard in software development: We develop all the different features in an application and then wonder if our product is secure.
Implementing continuous penetration testing into your security program in the development cycle from the beginning is not more work. It allows organizations to develop secure code and discover vulnerabilities more quickly.
Techniques to mitigate these potential breaches can then be developed and implemented across the organization.
Due to these proactive measures, organizations can focus on constantly improving their defensive security controls versus building plans and defenses once the damage is done.
With continuous testing, you are able to receive constant simulations of how a breach can look like, what are your weak points and apply what you’ve learned in your defense strategies.
In this blog, we will discuss the role of continuous penetration testing services play in modern cybersecurity. We will also look into why continuous pen testing is essential for maintaining a high level of system or application security and discuss methodologies, benefits, and best practices for effective implementation.
What Is Continuous Penetration Testing?
There are many definitions of continuous penetration testing. At Qualysec, we believe conducting a penetration test at least quarterly means you’re continuously assessing your security posture.
Of course, there are many different definitions of “continuous” and different testing frequencies are best for your organization.
Nevertheless, you can say that at its core, you’re performing continuous penetration testing if your organization is constantly aware of the security status of your application, service, or network system.
When we refer to the term “Continuous Penetration Test” we mean a comprehensive security review conducted to identify security vulnerabilities of your application, service, or network by an offensive certified security professional (OSCP).
Why Continuous Penetration Testing Is Important: Understanding the Concept
Continuous Penetration testing, also known as ethical hacking, is a critical security process aimed at checking applications, cloud environments, network infrastructure, etc., for potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors.
This approach’s peculiarity and most value lie in simulating a real-world cyberattack to identify security holes and weaknesses that attackers can exploit. It lets you detect and fix vulnerabilities before cybercriminals exploit them.
Statistics show the popularity and demand for penetration testing. In 2024, the global penetration testing market will be worth $1.7 billion. Experts claim it will reach $3.9 billion by 2029 with a CAGR of 17.1%.
The primary benefits of continuous penetration testing include:
- Cost-Effective
- Increase Visibility
- Meet Compliance Requirements
- Reduces Cyber Risk
Cost-Effective
You can plan on the mitigation of findings and most likely less amount of work will be required therefore not the entire team needs to be engaged in fixing the security findings, and you can seamlessly implement the fixes as tasks into your sprint. This also would allow for better budgeting in terms of continuity.
Increases Visibility Of The Security Posture
With continuous penetration testing, you are constantly informed as to the security status of your environment. With this, comes greater insight into what additional controls need to be implemented in your defense strategy, allowing you to continuously and simultaneously build your defense as you assess your posture.
Enables Compliance
It could be concluded that continuous penetration testing increases the evidence and generates more findings, and reports continually, allowing the absence of pressure to comply with security standards and regulations since there is always an update.
Mitigates the likelihood of successes
Staying ahead of the curve comes down to data-something organizations must have much more knowledge about their surroundings than threat actors. Availing constant pen-testing achieves just that.
Continuous Pentesting Methodologies
Now, let’s have a look at the major continuous penetration testing methods.
- Black box testing: In this kind of testing, the tester performs without any information about the target system. This is the most effective method of simulating cyberattacks. It is refined for detecting vulnerabilities without having any inside information.
- White box testing: In this scenario, the tester has access to all information related to the target system. This can include architecture, credentials, and even source code. Here, the main objective is to ensure full coverage of the system’s security aspects.
- Gray box testing: It is a middle ground between the previous two methodologies. Testers need more information about the target system. Here, they simulate an attack scenario in which the criminals have some basic understanding of the system and its components.
Why Is Penetration Testing Important for Cost Savings and ROI?
Here are some essential stats to give you a perspective on how CPT can help save you money. Experts project that in 2025, the overall expense from cybercrime damage will total more than $10 trillion. The average cost of a data breach is $4.45 million, while the average cost of ransomware for a company is $5.13 million.
Why Annual Penetration Testing Isn’t Enough
With the evolving threat landscape, threat actors are rapidly searching for zero-day vulnerabilities. Concurrently, there is a growing presence of security researchers, alongside the continuous development and integration of new technologies within our technology stack, as organizations increasingly roll out new features.
This action only broadens the attack surface and speeds up the development timeline. It is essential to ask, “Are you developing with security in mind?” Unfortunately, annual penetration tests do not provide a comprehensive answer to this question, especially in light of the swift advancements in development practices today.
When Should You Consider Continuous Penetration Testing?
The evaluation by an organization of its overall security posture and risk profile will help determine the need for continuous penetration testing. High value assets in risks indicate that it is time for such testing. Continuous penetration testing can help identify and remediate vulnerabilities that would be the first point of attack for a malicious actor when the organization is tasked with protecting significant assets such as (sensitive data or critical infrastructure).
- Regulatory Compliance: Regulated entities, including healthcare and finance, may be required to continuously test penetration to abide by the principles.
- Dynamic Network Environment: Continuous penetration testing is essential to identify and rectify vulnerabilities that could arise from continuous modifications in the network.
- Past Security Events: In the case of organizations that have suffered past security breaches, continuous penetration testing is one way to find and solve any vulnerabilities that could have led to those events.
- Risk Management Strategy: For organizations with a high potential for risk, continuous penetration testing allows organizations to gain greater visibility into their security posture, reducing the risk that an organization may be compromised.
Best Practices For Implementing Continuous Penetration Testing
Here are the best practices for implementing continuous penetration testing:
Before initiating a continuous penetration testing program, it is essential to outline several best practices for its effective implementation within your organization.
- Establishing the Frequency
- Defining Clear Objectives and Goals
- Employing a Combination of Manual and Automated Techniques
- Conducting Regular Reviews of Testing Procedures.
1. Employ a Combination of Manual and Automated Approaches
Gain insight into the methodologies and techniques that will be employed during the penetration testing process. Seek a service that integrates both manual and automated testing strategies.
For instance, automated penetration testing can effectively scan for and attempt to exploit vulnerabilities within the network or application. Nevertheless, manual techniques are essential for uncovering unconventional security policies established in systems such as Microsoft or for identifying potential security misconfigurations.
2. Continuous assessment of Testing Methodologies
The client’s environment is subject to change, necessitating corresponding adjustments in the testing process. Consider engaging penetration testing services that replicate Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) through the Mitre ATT&CK framework. To ensure comprehensive feedback from both offensive and defensive teams, establishing a cooperative framework for threat modeling is imperative.
How Often Do You Need to Perform CPT?
The applicability of this matter is heavily influenced by the scale of your enterprise, its distinct requirements, and the stipulations of the industry. It is crucial to understand that the system’s susceptibility escalates whenever development teams make significant alterations to the application. As a result, it is imperative to engage in continuous penetration testing. Conducting such tests annually is merely the minimum expectation.
How to Use Continuous Penetration Testing?
Continuous Penetration testing represents a structured and, importantly, controlled technique for assessing the security of your applications, networks, and infrastructure. As a result, you will be provided with an in-depth report outlining discovered vulnerabilities, their attributes, possible attack vectors, and additional relevant information. Furthermore, you will gain accurate insights into the consequences of successful attacks on your system, accompanied by suggestions for rectifying deficiencies and bolstering security measures.
Real-Life Examples of Pentesting
Here are some of the real-life examples of continuous penetration testing:
1. eCommerce sites
Many of the leading sites in the eCommerce domain have embraced continuous penetration testing as an essential part of their security practice. By regularly scanning for weaknesses and threats in web as well as mobile applications, these sites can identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities in a real-time environment.
2. Bank
In banks, there is a necessity for security testing to be implemented continuously, where sensitive financial data can be protected against cyber attacks. Financial institutions can guarantee that any update in codes will pass through rigorous security evaluations before its deployment by adding security testing within their continuous integration and deployment pipeline. It allows the detection of vulnerabilities earlier on and prevents the incidence of financial fraud while achieving regulatory compliance standards.
3. Healthsectors
Organizations in the health industry deal with large amounts of sensitive patient information, like medical histories and personal health data. These organizations need continuous penetration testing because it helps identify and address security breaches, protect patient privacy, maintain compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, and prevent data breaches. This is a necessary process for all healthcare applications.
4. Cloud Service Providers
Cloud service providers frequently engage security teams to conduct penetration testing. They deliver infrastructure and platform services to businesses, managing extensive data storage in the cloud.
Conclusion
Applying continuous penetration testing is mandatory for securing organizations and protecting customer data from unauthorized access and data breaches as well as from various kinds of security threats.
Cybercrime is growing rapidly, and there’s no getting away from it. It is essential to have a complex penetration testing strategy to mitigate effectively these threats.
With the increasing stringency of data privacy laws, it is already becoming imperative to go thorough with penetration testing. Doing this type of testing not only gives some bang for the buck to a company’s security but it also helps organizations meet regulatory compliance requirements.
The continuous penetration testing market has been on the rise. The increasing advance of cybercrime, mounting regulatory pressures, and the criticality of more resilient security frameworks are powering this growth. Protecting businesses from the ever-changing cyber threat landscape will require the use of continuous penetration testing services.
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