Why is it Important to Continuously Conduct Penetration Testing?
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 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. 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). 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. 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
