When it comes to cybersecurity, one of the most important things you can do is test your system for vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity testing ensures you have all the necessary security measures in place and that they are functioning correctly. There are many ways to test the security of a system. Some are more thorough than others, and some take longer to complete.
Below we explore the five most common types of cybersecurity testing.
Types of Cybersecurity Testing
1. Cybersecurity Audit
If you're responsible for the security of your organisation’s information, you know that a cybersecurity audit is an important part of protecting your data. Manual audits are typically conducted by security experts who analyse an organisation's system architecture, configurations, and code to look for weaknesses. Cybersecurity audits can also be used to assess compliance with internal policies and industry standards.
Cybersecurity audits are important for all organisations, but they are especially critical for businesses that handle sensitive data or operate in highly regulated industries.
2. Vulnerability Scan
A vulnerability assessment uses automated tools to search for typical flaws in your systems, such as a web server that hasn't been patched or cloud storage that has been misconfigured, exposing client data. By identifying these weaknesses, you can then take steps to mitigate them and reduce the risk of a successful attack.
Depending on the scanning program, it may just compare your software to a list of known vulnerabilities or go further, such as guessing usernames and passwords to see if they're safe. You can scan anything that connects to the internet, including company web servers, VPN endpoints, and office internet connections, for vulnerabilities. Vulnerability assessments can be performed ad hoc or regularly depending on the size of your business and the threat to your industry.
3. Penetration Test
Penetration testing, often known as pen testing, combines automatic and human ways to examine your organisation’s security posture for flaws. A security penetration testing team imitates the tactics used by real-world attackers.
They might use the same tools as attackers or only their approaches, such as attempting SQL injections using web interfaces. A penetration testing team may conduct a more cost-effective and informative audit with the assistance of system administrators, developers, and the project team. Note that penetration testing must be conducted by experienced professionals to avoid introducing new risks into the system.
4. Risk Assessment
Cybersecurity risk assessments are similar to an audit, but they go a step further by analysing the efficacy of security safeguards. Risk assessments are used to detect, evaluate, and prioritise the risks to your organisation’s operations, organisational assets, and personnel. They can identify how vulnerable your systems are and how compromised your sensitive information is. They also determine the risks to your organisation regarding attacks based on overdue patches and common misconfigurations.
5. Posture Assessment
A cybersecurity posture assessment reveals how durable a business's data security environment is and how well the organisation can protect itself against assaults. A posture assessment aims to get a broad picture of an organisation's security posture, identify any gaps, and determine what activities need to be undertaken to enhance it.
Secure your organisation with LRQA
No organisation is too small for a cybersecurity attack. The best approach to mitigate cybersecurity risk is to be proactive with testing. Regular testing can help to build a culture of security within your organisation, raising awareness and ensuring that everyone takes responsibility for protecting data.
Testing your overall cybersecurity posture in advance allows you to see where your weaknesses are and how to address them. For specialist advice and peace of mind on vulnerability assessment and penetration testing services, reach out to LRQA for more information today.