The development of software applications is time-consuming and cost-intensive. To prevent companies from wasting resources, prototypes are created and tested. We explain how prototyping works and what advantages it offers.
Pentest
It can no longer be overlooked - the advancing digitization . It can be seen in almost every industry. From small carpentry businesses to large companies, operations are becoming more and more digitalized and various systems are being interconnected.
But unfortunately, technical progress also brings dangers. Cybercrime is also becoming increasingly widespread. Data has an immensely high value and is therefore also highly relevant for criminals.
It is therefore important to protect your company as best you can. Among other things, a penetration test is available to you for this purpose.
What is an IT penetration test?
The penetration test, abbreviated as pentest, is a procedure to test the security of your EDP in the context of the IT landscape or any applications. In general, the pentest is relevant and useful for companies of all sizes.
The test uses penetration test software to simulate the attacks of a hacker. This means that attempts are made to penetrate the company network in different ways. Experts refer to this as penetration. In this way, it is possible to test how much the system reacts to the alleged attacks.
Since the consequences of a simulated attack can be just as far-reaching as those of a real attack, an IT penetration test should only be performed by trained personnel.
Performing the pentest
As a rule, a penetration test follows a certain pattern:
Initial interview and preparation of a needs analysis
At the beginning of each test, a extensive consultation takes place. The content is the regular recording of a status quo, with the aim of determining the necessary scope of the pentest.
Information collection
As part of the information gathering process, all company information relevant to a hacker is collected. Likewise, an examination of the company from the point of view of a potential attacker is carried out as part of the inventory.
Identifying vulnerabilities
After an extensive inventory, the actual pentest is carried out. By means of targeted manual and automatic tests, the vulnerabilities are attacked. The methods are similar in essence to those of a criminal hacker, so that as realistic a picture as possible can be presented.
Exploit potential vulnerabilities
By consciously exploiting vulnerabilities in corporate IT, these are detected in a simple but effective way. The tester attempts to access your company and customer data by means of targeted attacks.
Compiling the results
In a final step, there is a summary of the results that the penetration test has brought with it. Both the vulnerabilities found and possible recommendations for action are included in the report.
Conclusion
Currently, pentests are already part of the requirement profile in various industries. These include the automotive industry and the financial services sector. Due to the steady advance of digitalization and the ever-increasing skill of criminal hackers, it can be assumed that other industries will have to follow suit in the future in order to be able to comprehensively meet data protection requirements.
With this in mind, regular checks of the company's IT and comprehensive protective measures are indispensable for businesses. In this context, IT security training for all employees and a managed antivirus solution are also useful to prevent hackers from gaining access.