penetration testing in cyber security Archives

A Guide to Cybersecurity Penetration Testing for Financial and Healthcare Firms in Singapore

Chinmay Choudhary / June 12, 2025

Financial and healthcare companies in Singapore manage enormous volumes of extremely sensitive data, ranging from personal identification to medical records and financial transactions, in today’s digital scenario. Cybersecurity penetration testing (pen testing) is now necessary to protect vital systems with the faster-than-ever evolution of cyberthreats. This blog examines the importance of cyber security pen testing, how to approach it, and the best practices adapted to the specific challenges encountered by companies in Singapore’s financial and healthcare industries. Why Cybersecurity Penetration Testing Matters for Singapore’s Financial & Healthcare Firms Let’s find out the best reasons why cybersecurity penetration testing is important for Singapore’s financial & healthcare firms: 1. Regulatory Compliance Under Technology Risk Management Guidelines, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) imposes stringent cybersecurity measures for financial institutions. One major requirement is cybersecurity pen testing. The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) anticipate healthcare professionals to use strong cybersecurity measures that include regular ethical hacking. 2. Protection of Sensitive & Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Exposure of personal identifiable information (PII), medical records, or consumer financial information can result in significant reputational damage, regulatory fines, and erosion of public trust. 3. Rising Cyberthreat Landscape Cyber security threats have become more focused and complex, from sophisticated ransomware attacks aimed at hospitals to financial fraud scams. 4. Defense-in-Depth Strategy By simulating real-world attacks under regulated settings, cybersecurity penetration testing confirms layers of defense ranging from application security to perimeter firewalls. What Is a Cybersecurity Penetration Test? Ethical hackers who try to expose vulnerabilities regularly conduct a cybersecurity penetration test, a simulated cyberattack. Unlike vulnerability scanning, which automatically identifies flaws, penetration testing in cyber security uses a hands-on approach to bypass barriers and gain access to sensitive assets. Cybersecurity Pen tests can evaluate employee susceptibility to phishing, physical security, and other factors, either externally focused (e.g., compromising public-facing systems like web apps and VPN portals) or internally focused (e.g., gaining domain privilege or moving laterally once inside the corporate network). The Five Stages of Cybersecurity Penetration Testing A thorough penetration testing in cybersecurity process has a methodical approach: 1. Planning & Reconnaissance Define the scope (target systems, rules of engagement, timing), clearly outline collaboration with IT/security teams, and evaluate tolerable risks. Reconnaissance: Create a profile of the target environment using publicly accessible data, including DNS records, IP ranges, website footers, subdomains, open ports, email harvests, and others. 2. Scanning & Vulnerability Analysis Search for open ports, incorrectly configured services, out-of-date software, weak encryption, and other flaws using tools like Nmap, Nessus, or OpenVAS. 3. Exploitation Targeted phishing attacks or network protocol exploitation can all be included in exploitation. 4. Post-Exploitation & Privilege Escalation Following compromising a system, like an employee workstation, ethical hackers look at lateral mobility (e.g., exploiting trust relationships, discovering domain credentials) to raise permissions toward high-value assets such as servers storing PII or PHI. 5. Reporting Add a retesting plan and a remediation strategy. Find the right penetration testing companies in Singapore—free quick guide! Latest Penetration Testing Report Download Key Considerations for Singapore’s Financial & Healthcare Sectors Below are the key considerations for Singapore’s Financial & Healthcare Sectors 1. Data Protection & Privacy PDPC mandates “reasonable security plans” for companies to stop unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, alteration, disposal, or other risks to personal information. Cybersecurity Penetration testing guarantees adherence to data protection best practices and helps to satisfy Principle 12 of the PDPA. 2. Supporting MAS & MOH Regulations MAS expects regulated entities to annually perform cybersecurity pen tests or after significant modifications to essential systems. MOH’s cybersecurity advice for healthcare providers also calls for regular evaluations, especially for systems processing patient data and medical equipment. 3. Legacy & Operational Technology (OT) Systems To guarantee system availability and patient safety, healthcare professionals may rely on legacy medical equipment difficult to patch. OT security issues must be included in cybersecurity penetration testing. 4. Cloud & Hybrid Environments Make sure cybersecurity pen testing includes cloud misconfigurations, weak API endpoints, and unsafe storage buckets as businesses move toward hybrid models using AWS, Azure, or GCP. 5. Third‑Party & Vendor Risk Financial and healthcare companies often partner with medical software companies, cloud providers, payment gateways, and fintech platforms. Supply-chain risk assessment must be part of cybersecurity pen testing. Pen‑Testing Methodology: Best Practices for Singaporean Firms 1. Define scope exhaustively Define asset inventory (IP ranges, domains, application endpoints) and surroundings (DEV, QA, PROD). For testing time, communication channels, and impact tolerances, set some rules of engagement. 2. Use Licensed Frameworks Align with international norms like OSSTMM, PTES, or NIST SP 800-115. For the financial and healthcare industries, include local considerations from MAS and PDPC to strengthen Cybersecurity for Financial Services. 3. Combine Manual & Automated Testing Use automated tools for preliminary scanning; however, count on competent ethical hackers to exploit corporate logic bypasses, chained vulnerabilities, or sophisticated scenarios. 4. Simulate Real‑World Threats Incorporate tests for spear‑phishing, password brute force, business email compromise (BEC), and insider threats. Use intelligence on active APT groups targeting healthcare and financial businesses. 5. Ensure Safe Execution Test during low-traffic windows to minimize company interruption. Use segmented settings for thorough exploitation. For healthcare systems, verify with clinical engineering teams to ensure no risks to patients or procedures. 6. Document Evidence & Provide Actionable Reports Each discovery should include screenshots, logs, time stamps, and correction recommendations. Classify according to risk level. Incorporate suggested compensating techniques and mitigating controls. 7. Retesting & Continuous Security Once fixes are implemented, arrange retests to confirm remediation. Harmonize cybersecurity pen testing with CI/CD cycles and significant infrastructure improvements. Think about purple teaming or bug bounty for ongoing awareness. Choosing the Right Pen-Testing Partner Here are the factors that will help you choose the right penetration testing services partner: 1. Deep Sector Expertise Choose a pentesting service provider aware of MAS and PDPC responsibilities. Their advisors ought to be familiar with financial systems, healthcare IT technologies, and medical device risk. 2. Certified Ethical Hackers Seek testers holding accepted certifications such as OSCP,

Penetration Testing

Threat-led Penetration Testing and Its Role in DORA Compliance

Chinmay Choudhary / April 18, 2025

Financial institutions and suppliers of vital infrastructure are facing increasing pressure to strengthen their cyber resilience in the face of growing cyberattacks. In the European Union, where the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) has become a cornerstone of financial cybersecurity, the regulatory landscape is also becoming more stringent. The use of Threat-led Penetration Testing (TLPT) is arguably the most crucial component of achieving and maintaining DORA compliance. Today, Qualysec Technologies will explain Threat-led Penetration Testing (TLPT), its importance in the current cyber era, and how it is central to DORA compliance. We will also go over how companies can strategically use TLPT to improve security posture and meet regulatory requirements. What is Threat-led Penetration Testing? Threat-led Penetration Testing is a type of thorough security testing that replicates tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) of cyber adversaries. Unlike regular penetration testing, which often follows a checklist or scope, Threat-led Penetration Testing is based on intelligence and tailored to the threat universe and risk profile of the organization. The goal of Threat-led Penetration Testing is to imitate an authentic cyberattack so your organization can evaluate the detection, response, and recovery capabilities of an advanced persistent threat (APT). In truth, Threat-led Penetration Testing is not only a technical exercise but a test of your organization’s resilience. This type of testing can also be known as: The Importance of Threat-led Penetration Testing in Cybersecurity In a world with rapidly evolving digital threats, organizations are now faced with a continuum of threats to their security that is becoming more complex. In response to this growing problem, traditional security assessments have become ineffective against advanced, persistent threats. Threat-led penetration testing has undoubtedly become another key part of the solution. Here are the three reasons why it is important in cybersecurity programs – Simulates Real-World Threat Scenarios Identifies Critical Weaknesses Before They Are Exploited Improves Incident Response Readiness Aligns Cybersecurity with Business Risk Strengthens Regulatory Compliance Protects Brand Reputation and Customer Trust Enhances Teamwork and Collaboration Assists Continuous Improvement Latest Penetration Testing Report Download Threat-led Penetration Testing Frameworks within DORA Organizations preparing for DORA compliance are expected to adopt these frameworks or align their TLPT with these frameworks. DORA doesn’t set up a new TLPT framework from scratch. Instead, it draws on the existing frameworks, such as – CBEST (UK) – This framework has been established by the Bank of England and represents a combination of threat intelligence and continuous penetration testing for testing the resilience of financial services. TIBER-EU (EU-Wide) – Threat Intelligence-based Ethical Red Teaming (TIBER-EU) is a well-known TLPT framework in the EU and a de facto framework for TLPT under DORA. iCAST (Asia) – Developed by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, it is representative of TLPT principles for Asia and is similar in scope to TIBER-EU and CBEST. Key Phases of Threat-led Penetration Testing Threat-led Penetration Testing is conducted effective methodology, statistically aligned with capture, basic agreements, and accountable frameworks like TIBER-EU (Threat Intelligence – Based Ethical Red Teaming) or CBEST, and every part of the methodology is methodically structured to test a real cyberattack scenario. Hence, it is a reflection of an organization’s known and unknown security posture. Scoping & Planning Defines the goals, boundaries, and regulatory agreement for the test. Defines the systems, people and processes (known as the “critical functions”) that will be tested. All key stakeholders are aligned, including the legal and compliance teams. Defines how broadly and deeply we are going to take the pen test. Threat Intelligence Gathering Identify the real-world cyber threats against that organization using threat intelligence. Profile the likely adversary, including their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). Use the intelligence collected from OSINT, web, and closed sources. This step is extremely important as it allows the pen test to reflect a current threat landscape. Developing Threat Scenarios Develop threat scenarios based on the intelligence gathered from the previous step. Simulate threat scenarios based on specific attack paths, realistic threat actors may take. Depending on the threat scenario, this could include social engineering, lateral movement, privilege escalation, and exfiltration of data. Ensure that all scenarios are approved and validated to ensure they are relevant and comply with set regulatory boundaries. Red Team Engagement A red team simulates an attack without the knowledge of the organization, effectively mimicking a real attacker. Targets are systems, applications, networks, and humans where exploitable vulnerabilities may arise. In brief, a red team might conduct phishing, network security events, and attempts to bypass physical security. Typically, during an attack against an organization, the blue team (the defenders) will not know about the test so that genuine response capability can be gauged. Detection & Response Review Will assess the organization’s ability to detect, respond to, and contain a simulated attack. Will examine monitoring capabilities, the incident response actions taken, and the communication flow during the attack. It will identify “gaps” in organizational visibility, response time to mitigate a threat, coordination, and decision-making during the threat. Reporting & Remediation The report will detail the information found on noting: Paths of attack Exploitable vulnerabilities Gap in the security posture Detection logs Timeline of events and actions taken. The report will contain recommendations for remediation that identify actionable steps, based on criticality and business risk implications. The red team engagement should provide valuable information to enable an organization to strengthen its security posture, based on real test experiences. Validation & re-testing Once reasonable remediation has occurred, the organization should follow up. This is important to check if the measures were effective and if previously exploited vulnerabilities have been successfully mitigated. The organization will be afforded an opportunity for continuous improvements and future preparedness. TLPT vs Traditional Penetration Testing Feature Traditional Pen Testing Threat-led Penetration Testing Scope Predefined, general Intelligence-led, adaptive Method Checklists, tools Adversary simulation Target Technical vulnerabilities End-to-end security posture Frequency Annual/Biannual Risk-based, strategic Compliance Fit Generic standards Regulatory-grade (e.g., DORA, TIBER-EU) How Qualysec Helps You Achieve TLPT and DORA Compliance At Qualysec Technologies, we focus on assisting financial services and critical infrastructure organizations

What is Cyber Security Penetration Testing?

Chinmay Choudhary / August 13, 2024

Cyber security penetration testing is a security exercise where penetration testers find and exploit vulnerabilities in applications and networks with permission. Organizations appoint a cybersecurity penetration testing company to hack their systems to look for weaknesses that they could use to enhance their security posture. 75% of companies perform penetration tests for security and compliance needs. In this blog, we are going to learn more about cyber security penetration testing, its different types, and how it helps with compliance requirements. Note that, penetration testing is an essential step in cybersecurity and businesses should conduct it regularly if they don’t want their applications to get hacked. What is Cyber Security Penetration Testing? The main goal of cyber security penetration testing is to find weak spots in a system’s defense systems before an attacker finds them and takes advantage of them. It is like hiring a thief to steal from your company’s vault. If the thief succeeds, you will know which areas are the weakest and how to tighten your security. Cybersecurity pen testing is usually done on a company’s digital assets such as web apps, mobile apps, networks, cloud, APIs, etc. The end goal of doing penetration testing is to secure the business from unauthorized access, data breaches, financial loss, and overall cyberattacks. Penetration testers (a.k.a ethical hackers) are skilled and certified professionals who try to break into your system and check whether they can break in. If they succeed, then there is a vulnerability. If not, then the defense is strong. Through this process, the organization gains valuable information on its security defenses. Who Performs Penetration Tests? Usually, penetration tests are conducted by cybersecurity professionals, also called “ethical hackers, ” since they are hired to hack into a system with the organization’s permission. Typically, the task of a penetration test is given to a third-party security company, as it is best to have the test performed by someone who has little to no prior information about the target system. This is because, the testers will behave like actual attackers, following the same steps they would take. Additionally, they may expose weak spots missed by the developers who built the system. Many penetration testers or pen testers are experienced developers with advanced degrees and certifications for ethical hacking. Additionally, some testers are reformed criminal hackers who now use their skills to help fix security issues rather than exploit them. The best team to carry out a pen test is to hire a specialized penetration testing company. How Does Cyber Penetration Testing Work? In cyber security penetration testing, ethical hackers use their skills to find and exploit vulnerabilities in the organization’s systems before real hackers do. They educate themselves on the latest technologies and their potential weaknesses. They mimic cybercriminals by copying their tactics, techniques, and procedures to penetrate systems, to root out IT vulnerabilities effectively. The idea behind cybersecurity pen testing is to find and patch vulnerabilities before attackers find and use them for their gain. Sometimes the pen testers use automated tools that expose the weaknesses in the operating systems, networks, applications, and clouds. But mostly, they use a more manual approach to conduct an in-depth analysis and find vulnerabilities missed by the tools. Penetration Testing Steps: Curious to see what a real cyber penetration test report looks like? Well, here’s your chance. Click the link below and download a sample report in seconds! Latest Penetration Testing Report Download How Often Should You Pen Test? Penetration testing in cyber security should be conducted regularly – at least once a year – for better security and consistent IT operations. Conducting penetration testing once or even twice a year can help organizations keep their applications and networks safe from changing cyber threats. In addition, penetration testing is also done when the business needs to comply with industry regulations like GDPR, ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, etc. Additionally, businesses should conduct penetration testing when: What Should You Do After a Pen Test? Simply conducting a pen test to check it off the list is not enough for the betterment of your security. You also need to spend appropriate time and effort to use the results of the cyber security Penetration Testing. Here are 3 essential things you need to do after a pen test: 1. Review the Details of the Pen Test Report A pen test report generally consists of three things – vulnerabilities detected, the impact of those vulnerabilities, and remediation methods. Additionally, the report shows how the infrastructure was exploited, helping organizations understand and address the root causes of security issues. 2. Create a Remediation Plan and Confirm with Retest The initial pen test report will highlight the security issues along with their remediation measures. Organizations should create a plan to follow those remediation orders based on the severity of the vulnerabilities. When the remediation is over, organizations should validate it by asking the testing team to retest the application. 3. Use the Pen Test Findings in your Long-term Security Strategy Pen tests often reveal the root causes of security issues that may require changes to your overall security strategy. Penetration testing is not a one-time thing, the true value of security pen testing is to perform it regularly to reduce the risk of changing cyber threats. What Is the Difference Between Vulnerability Scans and Pen Tests? A vulnerability scan uses automated tools to find weaknesses in a system, but a pen test uses manual techniques to find weaknesses and attempts to exploit them. Here’s a comparison of vulnerability scans and penetration testing. Aspect Vulnerability Scans Pen Tests Purpose Identify and report known vulnerabilities Simulate real-world attacks to find and exploit security weaknesses Analysis Depth Surface-level identification of vulnerabilities In-depth analysis and exploitation of vulnerabilities Tools Used Mostly uses automated tools Uses both automated tools and manual techniques Frequency Can be done regularly – once or twice a month Usually done once or twice a year Skill Required Requires high-level development and testing skills Requires high level development and

penetration testing in cyber security

A Guide to Cybersecurity Penetration Testing for Financial and Healthcare Firms in Singapore

Threat-led Penetration Testing and Its Role in DORA Compliance

What is Cyber Security Penetration Testing?

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