Cybersecurity isn’t a one-time, set-it-and-forget-it process. Instead, organizations that are serious about preventing attacks will need to be diligent in keeping their defenses up and running. When it comes to assessing and testing the security of a network to determine the existence of weaknesses in defenses, prudent organizations will work towards finding immediate solutions. For many, this means developing and deploying more sophisticated time-tested approaches: vulnerability assessments and penetration tests.
So, what are vulnerability assessments and penetration tests?
Vulnerability Assessment: “A vulnerability assessment is the process of defining, identifying, classifying and prioritizing vulnerabilities in computer systems, applications, and network infrastructures.” (Rosencrance, 2021)
Penetration Test: “A penetration test, also called a pen test or ethical hacking, is a cybersecurity technique organizations use to identify, test and highlight vulnerabilities in their security posture.” (Contributor & Mehta, 2021)
Vulnerability Assessments vs Penetration Testing
In the simplest terms, vulnerability assessments are designed to show where weaknesses are whereas penetration tests are designed to show how well defenses hold up.
Purpose of a Vulnerability Assessment
New vulnerabilities are found every day, and this really is a continual and ongoing process of security maintenance. Efficient organizations will run scans on a reoccurring basis to determine the current state of their security posture according to the latest signatures. If vulnerability assessments are characterized as security maintenance, then the intent is to uncover and discover as many weaknesses as possible and provide solutions with the goal of remediation.
Purpose of a Penetration Test
Organizations will either use their in-house staff or hire third-party consultants to act out methods and approaches of attackers for the sake of testing strengths and weaknesses in existing systems. Penetration testing will attempt to leverage one or more identified weaknesses with the end objective of determining the degree of success an attacker might have in gaining unauthorized access to organizational assets. This is much more of a focused test and may not include the testing of every asset.
Timing: Penetration Testing vs Vulnerability Assessment
Penetration testing takes more time than vulnerability assessments. Assessment results from a vulnerability assessment can be available within hours or days as compared to penetration testing, which may take days, weeks or longer to complete.
Deciding factors determining when to administer these tests might be based on regulatory requirements which may outline the rate and scope of testing. Another factor could be changes in infrastructure. Organizational change introduces the potential for new or missed vulnerabilities which need to be addressed for true cybersecurity.
Another reason leaders may choose to run a penetration test or vulnerability assessment might be related to a security incident. For example, if an organization is breached, it will need to determine how attackers were able to get in and work to remediate the findings.
How often should a business conduct a vulnerability assessment or penetration test?
Many organizations will adopt a timeline where vulnerability assessments are performed on a monthly or quarterly basis and then have a penetration test performed on a semi-annual or annual basis. The usage between the two will vary based upon business requirements and purpose. Organizations at greater risk, or those with more strict compliance requirements may choose a more frequent testing and assessment schedule.
Differences in Evaluating Cyber Risk
Both of these processes use different methods to assess the threat posed to an organization. Vulnerability assessments are often conducted with automated scanning technology. These automated results are then reviewed by a live expert who can help to interpret the data and remove the noise, illuminating the weaknesses that may be present
Manual penetration testing incorporates the human aspect in not only evaluating the risk rating of the identified vulnerability, but the likelihood of exploitation. Here, the risk rating may be increased or decreased based upon the success or failure of the consultant to exploit the findings from the testing.
Why you need both penetration test and vulnerability assessments
Some industry numbers state only a small percentage of security vulnerabilities are identified from scanning alone. By using a combination of the two approaches, vulnerability assessments and penetration testing, organizations will have a more accurate and encompassing view of their security posture.