Qualysec

Contact Us
Contact Us

Network Security

AWS Penetration Testing - Qualysec
AWS Pentesting, Cyber Crime

AWS Penetration Testing: A Comprehensive Guide

/

Millions of businesses worldwide use Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build and deploy different types of applications. Being a leading cloud platform, AWS provides various cloud computing services including cloud storage, databases, and various data analytics and AI applications, along with multiple deployment and automation services. As a result, the security of AWS services is now a top priority and AWS penetration testing is leading the way. The most recent AWS breach occurred in May 2022 when a security company discovered over 6.5 terabytes of exposed data on servers belonging to Pegasus Airlines. According to an official report by Amazon, cybercrime damage costs are expected to reach $10.5 trillion in 2025. In this blog, we will learn about AWS penetration testing, why it is important for businesses, and its different aspects. Because AWS is a third-party data center, penetration testers need to follow specific instructions and comply with AWS restrictions. What is AWS Penetration Testing? AWS penetration testing is the process of simulating real-world cyberattacks on an AWS infrastructure to find vulnerabilities in its security measures. Penetration testers or pentesters use techniques that real hackers use to exploit security flaws present in the AWS platform. The result of AWS pretesting is a report that includes the vulnerabilities found during the process, their severity of impact, and steps to fix them. Penetration testing on AWS should be performed regularly to ensure your security measures are strong enough to protect the sensitive data and information stored in it. Why AWS Penetration Testing is Important for Businesses Cloud environments are quite complex, and several security issues can be difficult to detect using standard cloud security measures. Here are a few reasons why AWS penetration testing matters and why every business should perform it: Neglecting Client’s Share of Responsibility Model AWS uses a shared responsibility model where the cloud customers are responsible for securing their workloads and data. In most cases, organizations have poor security measures over their security responsibilities in the cloud. Hence, penetration testing is needed to find any weaknesses present and take necessary steps to prevent unauthorized access. Missing Authentication, Permissions, or Network Segmentation Many AWS resources do not have multi-factor authentication, proper network segmentation (using AWS security groups), or provide excessive permissions. Penetration testing helps to identify these security gaps in a large cloud deployment. In addition to that, it also helps to categorize and remediate these security gaps. Compliance Requirements Organizations that are under compliance standards like PCI DSS, HIPPA, SOC 2, etc. must ensure that their AWS resources meet these requirements. For this, it is mandatory to perform internal audits of cloud assets, including penetration testing. Looking for a top penetration testing provider for your AWS environment? Qualysec has the best testers who use the latest tools and techniques to find different ways that can hamper your business. Contact us now! Talk to our Cybersecurity Expert to discuss your specific needs and how we can help your business. Schedule a Call AWS Shared Responsibility Model AWS security testing follows a shared responsibility model. Amazon distinguishes between two types of security: Security of the Cloud (Amazon’s Responsibility) This refers to the security of the AWS cloud platform itself, including all AWS services and the cloud platform. Amazon is responsible for securing the cloud platform and regularly conducts tests with internal or external security engineers. Customers are not allowed to perform penetration testing on this aspect of cloud security. Security in the Cloud (Customer’s Responsibility) This refers to the security of resources or assets deployed by an organization on the AWS platform. These responsibilities lie with the company or resource owner, who must ensure that applications, assets, and systems are securely configured. Generally, organizations are allowed to conduct penetration testing to verify these aspects of a secure deployment. What is Allowed to Test in AWS? Amazon allows customers to perform penetration testing on AWS assets. However, there are certain terms and conditions on what you can and cannot test across the platforms.   Here’s what is allowed in AWS penetration testing: A Detailed Summary: You can conduct these security tests remotely on AWS assets, locally on virtualized assets, or between AWS assets. What is Not Allowed to Test in AWS? AWS allows you to conduct security assessments like penetration testing to check your security measures. However, AWS also ensures that these tests do not affect other AWS users or the quality of the AWS services.   Here’s what is NOT allowed in AWS penetration testing: Customers are responsible for verifying and validating that any security test performed by the customer or someone on their behalf follows these policies. Those who violate this policy will be held responsible for any damages to AWS or AWS customers caused by their security testing activities. Prerequisites for AWS Penetration Testing Define the following aspects before you conduct penetration testing on AWS assets: How to Perform AWS Penetration Testing Performing AWS penetration testing requires careful planning and execution. However, it is equally important to ensure thorough security assessments with minimal disruptions. Here are the basic steps of performing penetration testing on AWS: Step 1: Get Appropriate Authorization Before conducting any security testing, get written permission from the AWS account owner or organization. This may require you to contact AWS support (if you are seeking to test non-approved services) or follow your organization’s specific security policies. Step 2: Define Scope and Goals Define which systems, applications, and AWS services you need to test. Consider any compliance rules or confidential data that needs protection. In addition to that, learn more about how to prepare for a penetration test. Step 3: Set Up Testing Environment Make a separate testing environment in AWS, which is different from the production environment to prevent accidental disruptions. This may include setting up virtual machines, networks, and security groups exclusively for the pen test. Step 4: Understand the Attack Surface Gather as much information as you can about the AWS environment you are going to test. This involves identifying services, subnets, instances,

Cyber Crime, VAPT, VAPT for Cybersecurity

What is VAPT Testing? Types, Benefits, and Process in the USA

/

Last year, a data breach of an organization cost $4.45 million on average, with over 2,365 cyberattacks globally. This is a 72% increase since 2021. If you are running a business that operates digitally, you might be the next victim of a cyberattack. To prevent this, you need to conduct a vulnerability assessment and penetration testing (VAPT) on your IT infrastructure. Performing VAPT testing on your network, applications, and other digital assets will help you identify potential vulnerabilities and enhance your current security measures. In this blog, you will learn about VAPT testing, why businesses need it, and what are its processes. If you want to continue your business operations smoothly, this blog is going to help you! What is VAPT Testing? Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing (VAPT) is the process of finding and exploiting all possible vulnerabilities in your IT infrastructure, with a final goal to mitigate them. VAPT is done by cybersecurity specialists or ethical hackers who are experts in offensive exploitation. Simply put, businesses hire VAPT companies to hack their own systems in order to find security flaws before real hackers do. It also helps organizations to comply with various industry standards throughout the year. The VA in VAPT – vulnerability assessment involves specialists using automated tools to find potential vulnerabilities on the surface level. Followed by PT – penetration testing is a comprehensive testing process that involves ethical hackers manually trying to find vulnerabilities that real hackers could exploit for unauthorized access and data breaches. Together, they offer an in-depth analysis of your current security strengths and suggest methods to improve them. Why do you Need VAPT Testing? Conducting VAPT testing regularly has tons of benefits for your business. Here are some important ones: 1. Complete Security Evaluation Combining vulnerability assessment and penetration testing offers a multifaceted approach that helps you evaluate the current security measures of your IT structure. It shows how resilient your network and applications are against cyberattacks and where the security flaws lie. 2. Identify Potential Vulnerabilities VAPT involves using automated tools and manual penetration testing methods whose sole purpose is to find where the vulnerabilities are present. Additionally, VAPT service providers also provide methods to fix those vulnerabilities. As a result, businesses can secure their sensitive data and digital assets before real hackers breach them. 3. Comply with Industry Standards Many industry regulations and compliance standards require organizations to perform regular security testing on their applications to keep customer information safe. Not complying with these standards would result in legal penalties and fines. VAPT reports help ensure you meet these requirements with ease. Some of the most popular compliances are GDPR, PCI DSS, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, etc. 4. Prevent Multiple Business Losses Cybercriminals attack businesses for mainly two purposes – steal data or steal finances. Sometimes also to disrupt business operations. Hackers will easily infiltrate your systems and get what they want if there are any weak points. As a result, the losses could be huge amounts of sensitive data and millions of dollars. 5. Maintain Trust with Customers and Stakeholders Even a small breach in your business can break the trust of your customers and stakeholders. By conducting VAPT testing, you can show your commitment to data and asset security. As a result, it builds confidence among your customers and vendors that their data is safe from online dangers.   Do you also want to test your business applications and network for vulnerabilities? Qualysec Technologies provides process-based VAPT services that will keep your organization secure from evolving cyber threats Contact now and get amazing offers! Talk to our Cybersecurity Expert to discuss your specific needs and how we can help your business. Schedule a Call What is the VAPT Testing Process While different VAPT service providers have their specific ways of conducting, the basic process remains the same. The VAPT process starts with gathering information about the test environment and ends with report submission. Here is the entire process: 1. Information Gathering The 1st step of VAPT testing involves gathering as much information about the application or system being tested, either from the client itself or publicly available web pages. 2. Planning In the 2nd step, the VAPT service provider defines the test’s scope, goal, and strategy. The cybersecurity specialists will then tailor their approach to target specific vulnerabilities and cyber threats to find security weaknesses. 3. Automated Vulnerability Scans Here the VAPT provider will use automated tools to scan the application to find vulnerabilities on the surface level. This is a quick process of finding vulnerabilities. However, since automated tools follow a specific scanning script, this method may not provide you with all the vulnerabilities present. 4. Manual Penetration Testing This is the stage where in-depth security testing happens. In this stage, cybersecurity specialists or ethical hackers use manual techniques to simulate real cyber attacks on the test environment, to find potential vulnerabilities. Since it uses the human touch, it helps discover hidden vulnerabilities and security flaws. 5. Reporting The report is the only thing the organization’s developers want, to secure the digital assets. The VAPT provider then documents all the vulnerabilities found in the process and even steps to fix them. Want to see what an actual VAPT report looks like? Just click the link below and download one right now! Latest Penetration Testing Report Download 6. Remediation If needed, the VAPT provider can assist the developers with the remediation process online or through consultation calls. 7. Retest This is something that organizations look for when choosing the best VAPT testing provider. After the organization has completed remediation, the testers retest the application to confirm whether the vulnerabilities are successfully eliminated. 8. LOA and Security Certificate After the elimination of the vulnerabilities, the service provider, provides a letter of attestation (LOA) and security certificate. This proves that you have successfully conducted VAPT testing on your application, and it is now absolutely safe. 6 Common Types of VAPT Testing 1. Organizational Penetration Testing Organization penetration testing

Cyber Crime, Penetration Testing

Choose the Right Penetration Testing Service Provider for Your Business in the USA

/

With data breaches costing $4.45 million on average and around 343 million victims of cyberattacks in 2023, cybersecurity is more important than ever before. Businesses must ensure that their sensitive data is safe and protected from various cyberattacks. Within cybersecurity services, penetration testing is the top choice for securing organizations from data breaches and reputational damage. However, with so many penetration testing service providers available, how can you be sure you’re choosing the right one to fulfill your security testing requirements? In this blog, we will provide the right direction that will help you choose the right penetration testing vendor. In addition to that a list of top penetration testing companies in the USA. Understanding Penetration Testing Penetration Testing or pen testing is a security measure where a cybersecurity expert uses real-world attacks to find vulnerabilities in a digital environment such as applications, networks, etc. The purpose of penetration testing is to identify security flaws or weak points in the defense system that hackers could take advantage of. Some organizations may have a dedicated security team. However, a third-party cybersecurity firm should conduct penetration testing. This is because they have almost no knowledge of your internal security system and can mimic the techniques real hackers use. Additionally, their pentesting reports are also necessary to meet regulatory compliance. Importance of Penetration Testing Service Providers By identifying vulnerabilities before hackers do, penetration testing enhances your overall security. Here are a few reasons to hire the right penetration testing service provider: Identify Vulnerabilities Unauthorized access and data breaches happen through vulnerabilities present in security measures. Penetration testing detects and fixes these vulnerabilities before cybercriminals do and saves you from great loss. Meet Compliance Requirements Many industry regulations and data protection laws like GDPR, SOC 2, HIPAA, and PCI DSS mandate regular security assessments. Penetration testing helps ensure these compliances, avoiding hefty fines and legal consequences. Preserve Customer Trust and Reputation Customers trust organizations with their data and a data breach can break this trust. However, regular penetration testing showcases your commitment to keeping the customer data safe and maintaining your reputation. Understand the Current Security Posture Penetration tests provide vital information about your organization’s current security posture. It helps you assess the ability of your security to defend against real-world cyber threats and understand where you need to improve. Test New Systems and Applications Whenever your organization develops a new application or joins a new network, penetration testing can help ensure they are safe right from the start. As a result, it reduces the risk of launching insecure products. How to Choose the Right Penetration Testing Service Provider Choosing the right penetration testing service provider is like choosing a skilled guardian to secure your castle. They help you stand strong against evolving cyber threats and provide peace of mind in an increasingly vulnerable digital landscape. Ensure they Provide Manual Penetration Testing, Not Just Automated Vulnerability Scanning Some cybersecurity companies might provide automated vulnerability scanning under the disguise of penetration testing. You need to understand that there is a huge difference between automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing. Manual penetration testing requires a skilled tester to find and exploit vulnerabilities effectively. However, automated vulnerability scanning involves automated scanners that operate with a fixed pattern to identify potential weaknesses, providing mostly false narratives. Manual testing is far superior to its automated counterpart. So, even if they offer automated vulnerability scanning, make sure the provider you choose also offers manual penetration testing. Certifications of the Penetration Testers There are multiple penetration testing certifications that cybersecurity professionals can possess. Some are well-respected in the industry as they focus on practical and hands-on assessments. At the same time, others do not truly measure a candidate’s ability to perform penetration tests and security audits effectively. Here are some common certifications that ensure a penetration tester is skilled enough to conduct penetration tests. Methodologies Employed by the Penetration Testing Service Provider When choosing the best penetration testing service provider, it is important to ensure they follow the best practices and proven methodologies. Some of the popular methodologies include: Request to Review Sample Reports and Other Deliverables Ask the penetration testing company to provide sample reports, letters of attestation, and other deliverables they might have. These documents are needed to see how good their findings are and how in-depth their testing is. Check for clear and actionable suggestions on fixing vulnerabilities. The quality of the report is very important, as it is the main thing you’ll get from your penetration testing service. Wondering what a real penetration testing report looks like? Well, now you can with just a click! Latest Penetration Testing Report Download Check for Data Protection Measures Surprisingly many cybersecurity service providers do not have strong data protection measures in place and lack the necessary certifications to prove that they can handle data without any risk. When choosing a penetration testing vendor, it’s important to make sure they follow strict data protection and security rules. Look for service providers with certifications like ISO 27001 or SOC 2, which ensure they safely handle sensitive data. Ask About Remediation and Retesting Options While all penetration testing reports mention remediation steps, you can ask the service provider whether they are willing to help with fixing the found vulnerabilities. Penetration testing service provider like Qualysec offers remediation help online or over consultation calls. This extra step can save time and fix the security gaps effectively. In addition, make sure the service provider has the option of retesting after the initial pen test has been performed. Retesting validates if the remediation steps have worked and whether the vulnerabilities were fixed or not. Any penetration testing company who are willing to establish a long-term partnership will most likely include the option of retesting. Top Penetration Testing Service Providers in the USA Here are the top five companies that provide the best penetration testing services in the USA. Qualysec Technologies Despite having headquarters in India, Qualysec Technologies leads in providing robust penetration testing services

Scroll to Top
Pabitra Kumar Sahoo

Pabitra Kumar Sahoo

COO & Cybersecurity Expert

“By filling out this form, you can take the first step towards securing your business, During the call, we will discuss your specific security needs and whether our services are a good fit for your business”

Get In Touch

Get a quote

For Free Consultation

Pabitra Kumar Sahoo

COO & Cybersecurity Expert