How to do security vulnerability testing?

If your corporate network is connected to the Internet, you are doing business on the Internet, you manage web applications that keep confidential information or you are a provider of financial services, healthcare services; security vulnerability testing should be your first concern, although maintaining today’s computer networks is like a betting game. From the point of view of security vulnerability testing specialists, companies are dependent on technology to drive their business operations, but these companies must take steps to assess vulnerabilities and secure themselves.

Vulnerability is considered a risk and is a characteristic of an information asset. IT vulnerabilities can be detected with security vulnerability testing. When an IT risk materializes and there is a vulnerability that can be exploited, there is a possibility of loss of confidentiality, integrity, availability and authenticity of business data.

According to an IT vulnerability assessment company reports, vulnerability assessment experts around the world discover hundreds of new vulnerabilities every year and release new security patches every month. For these reasons, it is necessary for any company or organization to do security vulnerability testing that will allow them to know their IT systems vulnerabilities. Security vulnerability testing services must identify all the security risks and ensure peace of mind for all the company’s ejecutives. Internal vulnerability assessment and external vulnerability assessment services form an integral part of security vulnerability testing services. Security vulnerability testing services provide much valuable information about the company’s exposure to the risks. These risks and vulnerabilities enable a company or organization to deal with an eventual materialization of IT risks.

With the clear identification of IT risks, organization can implement preventive and corrective solutions with the help of a professional IT vulnerability assessment company. Preventive and corrective solutions must maintain a balance between the cost that the resolution of vulnerability has, the value of the information asset for the company and the level of criticality of the vulnerability. Implementing internal vulnerability assessment, external vulnerability assessment along with corrective measures gives confidence to your customers about their data and gives your company a competitive advantage.

IT Vulnerability assessment company services ensure compliance with national or international standards for each industry. In some industries, it is necessary to have a proper vulnerability assessment and security vulnerability testing plan. Industries such as healthcare & finance that handle critical and high-risk equipment, periodic vulnerability assessment and security vulnerability testing helps to strengthen the technology environment by proactively addressing potential threats.

Security vulnerability testing services can be classified as internal vulnerability assessment services and external vulnerability assessment services.

 

External vulnerability assessment service

The external vulnerability assessment service assesses technology infrastructure of the company from the perspective of a hacker through the Internet. The service only requires IP address of network, business applications and nothing needs to be installed. IT Vulnerability Assessment Company professionals should focus on new types of external attacks, zero-day vulnerabilities and their methodology to do IT vulnerability assessment of known vulnerabilities.

 

Internal vulnerability assessment service

The internal vulnerability assessment service assesses the security profile of the company from the perspective of an insider, employee or someone with access to corporate systems and networks. Normally the service is personalized as per company’s requirements because each company has different types of networks and internal applications. IT Vulnerability Assessment Company professionals must simulate an external hacker via the Internet or an insider with normal privileges. They should also focus on new types of internal attacks, zero-day vulnerabilities and methodology to do IT vulnerability assessment of known vulnerabilities.

 

How to select vulnerability assessment/security vulnerability testing services?

If you are a large corporation or a small business, you should find services very easy and efficient. IT vulnerability assessment services ensure that complete IT infrastructure (networks, applications and mobile) meets the objectives of security. They should have specialized information security experts along with the best techniques and strategies of IT risk assessment. As per experts from International Institute of Cyber Security, they should not use traditional methodology used by many IT vulnerability assessment companies. It is important to apply methodical and innovative approach for doing security testing. They must use our own scripts and do code review, along with manual security vulnerability testing and use proprietary, commercial, open source tools. The deliverables of vulnerability assessment services are reports and corrective recommendations. Vulnerabilities and corrective actions are classified based on the priority of the risks. It is also important to do vulnerability and risk assessment as per the international standards. IT vulnerability assessment service can be performed once or can be recurring service, to protect IT assets (networks, applications and mobile) against loss and unauthorized access. Furthermore they must teach how to do vulnerability assessment to your technical team in real time via security vulnerability testing course and IT vulnerability assessment training. These trainings would help you to maximize your ability to respond and protect your network against attacks.

 

IT Security Vulnerability Testing Methodology (PESA)

The security vulnerability testing methodology is focused on full protection of resources (networks, applications, mobile devices), which are subjected to internal or external attack. The methodology is an iterative process, because the technology never stops evolving and with new technology new risks for businesses are generated. The security vulnerability testing (PESA) has been structured in different modules.

 

Module: Plan

Much of the successful delivery of our methodology begins to develop in the planning module. In this module you should establish the requirements, plans, priorities and implement the methodology.

Module: Evaluate

In this module you must perform analysis of data, networks, applications, databases and mobile devices with vulnerability assessment service. Following are some of the processes in the evaluation module:

• Analysis of potential risks at business level and identify physical & logical threats.
• Review the configuration of operating systems, enterprise applications; log files and devices that are part of the network architecture.
• Authentication of users and access control along with monitoring of user activities.
• Analysis of services provided by the company or by third party to the company.
• Review of security plans, security policies and contingency plans already in place.
• Use of proprietary scripts, manual security vulnerability testing, and make use of proprietary, commercial and open source tools for vulnerability assessment of network, network equipment and mobile devices.
• Use of proprietary scripts, do code review manual security vulnerability testing, and make use of proprietary, commercial and open source tools for vulnerability assessment of applications and databases. Also should cover black box and white box testing to find security vulnerabilities.

Module: Secure 

In this module you must deliver the security plan, contingency plan and implement security policies with an effective cost-benefit ratio. Also it is important to work with the client’s team to secure the network architecture, network devices, mobile devices & business applications. You must also train client’s employees with security vulnerability testing course and IT vulnerability assessment training.

Module: Audit

The purpose of this module is to verify the implementation and performance of security systems. The audit determines whether the security systems safeguard assets and maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.

 

Source:https://www.iicybersecurity.com/internal-external-vulnerability-assessment-services.html