Business’ across Australia are struggling right now, and as a result many are working to cut back on unnecessary expenses. What this means varies from company to company but, in general, we are seeing many organisations working to develop more cost-effective strategies for running their operations, whilst still delivering a high-quality service to their customers. So, many small to medium enterprises may be reluctant to even consider investing in a penetration testing service, viewing it as a cost the business can do without. However, this is a counterproductive view to adopt on pentesting, as small to medium business’ may be more vulnerable to hackers than larger companies, and a successful cyber-attack on their network may be something the business is unable to financially recover from. This article will explain what pentesting is, and why all business’, regardless of their size or industry, should undergo one.
Pen testing gives your business a unique perspective into cyber security
Also known as ethical hacking, penetration testing is a pre-emptive cyber security measure, which gives your business unique insight into the various ways cyber hackers could gain unauthorised access into your IT systems. A team of IT specialists are commissioned to behave as a hacker would, and attempt to instigate a simulated cyber attack on your IT network to test for vulnerabilities, weak spots, and identify the scope of damage that could be caused. They will then provide the business with a comprehensive report outlining their findings, which the business can use to take corrective action, patching their vulnerabilities to ensure their networks are fully secured from a wide range of potential cyber threats.
While large companies, with comprehensive IT networks, may view this process in a positive manner, small to medium business’ may be asking an important question; can my organisation afford to undergo this process? While the answer differs between business’, it is important to consider several crucial factors, when deciding whether to commission a comprehensive penetration testing service:
- Small business’ are often more vulnerable to cyber attacks than larger ones. This is because larger, more established, companies have often spent years refining their IT network security, have a large IT network which is harder to gain unauthorised access to, and have IT specialists working within their organisation, dedicated to keeping their network secure.
- The costs incurred from a successful cyber attack will exceed the costs of maintaining the network. This is an important point, and something that all small to medium business’ need to consider. What would the cost of a successful cyber attack on the business’ networks be? To start with, the company would need to spend time and money mitigating the damage, working to repair it, while also attempting to convince customers and shareholders that the business is still safe to work with. The accumulative cost of all this would be significant, and much more than investing in a pentesting service, which would ensure their networks stay secure.
- A pentest helps the business stay on top of its compliance obligations. That is, penetration testing services have additional benefits of top of keeping the business’ networks secure. Business’ often have information security compliance obligations, and many companies will not even consider working with a particular business unless they have demonstrated that they have taken active steps to keep their networks secure. By undergoing pentesting, an organisation is demonstrating that they are aware of the scope of information security threats that their business may be exposed to, and have taken active steps to protect their networks, and confidential client information, from them. This helps the business meet its compliance obligations, opens the door for potential trading partners, and helps the business maintain its reputation as a safe company to deal with.
What pentest service is right for your business?
There are several different pentesting services available to business’, and which one is right for your company will depend on the size and scope of your operations. It is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach, as different business’ will have vastly different IT networks, with their own unique way of running things.
Therefore, it is recommended that all business’ have a pre-consultation session with penetration testing experts, so they can discuss what information security concerns they have and the particulars of the network they are working to secure. The experts will then be able to make a recommendation about what pentest service is right for the business, how long the pentesting service should take, what the expected budget of the project is, and so on.
If you would like to get the ball rolling on this process, and demonstrate that your business has a commitment to network security, then please contact Anitech’s information security specialists today by filling out this simple contact us form, or by phone on 1300 802 163, for a short consultation session to establish the important details about the project – what information needs to be protected, what are the particulars of your IT network, and so on. Doesn’t that sound like the sort of secure strategy a business could rely upon?
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Please click here to read about the different types of pentesting services, and what each method aims to achieve.
