With the number of data breaches and cyberattacks becoming alarming in the world, organizations cannot afford to forgo the protection of their digital environments. It can be a corporate network or a cloud infrastructure, but all systems are the targets of hackers. It is at that point where network penetration testing and cloud penetration testing come into two critical approaches that would expose vulnerabilities in security before cybercriminals would.
Network Penetration Testing
Network penetration testing is a designed and simulated cyberattack on the network of your organization in order to identify the vulnerabilities, which can be used by malicious attackers. It will entail the evaluation of routers, firewalls, switches, servers and even the connected devices. It is not only aimed at identifying weaknesses, but also knowing how far an attacker can enter the system and what information he/she can get.
Both internal and external network testing methods are used by the professional testers. External testing is done to test on the assets which are publicly visible such as websites and APIs, whereas internal testing is an emulated attack on the organization through an insider, possibly a compromised employee account or an infected workstation.
An effective network penetration test will give a report on:
- Wrong configured firewalls or unclosed ports.
- Poor authentication systems.
- Old systems or software that cannot be patented.
- Poorly segmented networks
- Data exposure risks
Upon detection of vulnerabilities, the IT teams are led by detailed reports on the implementation of corresponding patches, better configurations, and enhanced network architecture to avoid further breaches.
The Need of Network Penetration Testing by Businesses
Most businesses are heavily dependent on online communication, telecommuting, and systems that are interrelated. This opens up numerous points of attack to attackers. One improperly set up router or a poor password can cause massive data loss. Periodic testing of the network penetration assists in:
- Secure confidential customer and company information.
- Adhere to laws like GDPR, HIPAA or PCI DSS.
- Assess the effectiveness of the current firewalls and security measures.
- Train IT teams to react to the real-life attacks.
Briefly, it is a proactive method of identifying and resolving the security issues in time before it develops into an expensive incident.
The Emergence of Cloud Penetration Testing
Since increased organizations are shifting to the cloud to be scalable and convenient, they are confronted with new security challenges. Although there is a powerful built-in security provided by cloud service providers such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, the shared responsibility model implies that the user is expected to utilize his/her own data, applications, and access controls to ensure their security.
Cloud penetration testing is designed to discover areas of weakness within these cloud-based systems. It virtualizes attacks on virtual machines, APIs, storage buckets and cloud-hosted applications to expose vulnerabilities that can result in a leakage of sensitive data.
This form of testing normally looks into:
- Identity and Access Management (IAM) configurations.
- Unsafe APIs and data leakage in storage services.
- Lovey-dovey roles and policies.
- Unsecured or poorly maintained virtual servers.
- Diluted encryption or key management.
Through the simulation of real-world cloud attacks, companies can enhance their security, make sure they comply with the regulations, and gain customer confidence in their data-handling processes.
The pros of Cloud Penetration Testing
1. Improved Visibility: Discovers backdoor risks in cloud setups and access controls that might otherwise be obscure due to automated scanning.
2. Compliance Assurance: Aids organizations in fulfilling security specifications suggested by ISO 27001, SOC 2, and additional models.
3. Continuous Improvement: Offers practical information that enhances cloud governance and operational security.
4. Trust and Reputation: This proves to clients and partners that your organization places data protection seriously.
Cloud environments are dynamic setting change quickly as the teams grow with tools and as teams and permission change. A routine cloud penetration check would help to make sure that these changes do not cause new vulnerabilities.
Integrating Network and Cloud Penetration Testing
In the case of the majority of the businesses, there is no on-premise or full cloud operations. The new standard is hybrid environments, i.e. a combination of both local networks and cloud-based systems. Both environments have weak points that attackers can find and cross network and cloud assets.
Integration of network penetration testing and cloud penetration testing gives you end to end visibility of your whole security environment. In such a way, it is possible to understand how hackers might get into the network of corporations, proceed to the cloud world, and steal information all in the course of a single simulated attack.
In case both tests are carried out simultaneously:
- You can have a cohesive picture regarding the security posture of your organization.
- In both settings, security teams will be able to prioritize remediation according to the risk level.
- It minimizes the risks of finding the weak points that exist behind the integrations among systems.
What Frequency of Conducting Penetration Tests?
Cyber threats develop at a high rate. One-time penetration test is a point in time. It is advised that best practices in the industry prescribe penetration testing:
- In the course of your annual security audit.
- Once a significant network or cloud configuration change has occurred.
- Following new application or infrastructure implementation.
- After major mergers, acquisitions or migrations.
Having the regular testing makes sure that your defences keep up with any new threats and technologies.
Finding the Ideal Penetration Testing Partner
The choice of the appropriate partner is very important. A penetration testing company is supposed to possess licensed professionals (OSCP, CEH, or CREST), apply industry standards (OWASP and NIST) as well as use industry tools. They are not only to provide reports, but elaborate remediation measures and continuous assistance.
When assessing providers, refer to transparency, a solid track record, and comprehensible communications. The finest penetration testing firms are considered to be a part of your group revealing risks, describing their effects, and advising you on how to improve defines.
Conclusion
Network penetration testing and cloud penetration testing are the two vital measures to protect the present-day digital infrastructure. Although the network is the foundation of business activities, the cloud is its development and dynamic nature. Any of them will be a weakness to your whole organization.
You ensure your systems are safeguarded, your customers are trusting your enterprise, and your resiliency to dynamic cyber-attacks by investing in in-depth penetration testing solutions.
To receive professional advice and tests, visit Aardwolf security, a reliable provider of professional penetration tests and cybersecurity.