Explaining the Pen Test and Its Benefits

Penetration testing is a topic that you might often hear and read about on the Internet, but you might not know exactly what it is without having it explained to you by a professional. Today, we want to clear up any misconceptions or ideas you might have about penetration testing and how it relates to your business’ network security, compliance, and regulatory requirements.

What Is Penetration Testing? 

At its core, penetration testing is a strategy used by your IT department to test the security of your systems. Basically, your team will “hack” your systems themselves to see how they might stand up to hypothetical attacks. All your hardware and software will be tested for flaws in their operating systems, applications, and other parts of your computing infrastructure, all to identify the level of risk involved with your company’s network.

The big takeaway here is that penetration testing is responsible for managing risk for your organization. The more digital tools and resources your business utilizes, the more at risk your company becomes. Therefore, you need to take any and all measures to protect your business—penetration testing included. This type of probing can show you where there are holes or flaws in your security that must be patched up. If you fail to address them, you could be staring down data breaches and the costs associated with them in the near future.

We recommend that you perform a penetration test by working with network security professionals, as they know what to look for and how to conduct the procedure. The less risk you take on with your penetration testing, the better.

Compliance Concerns

When figuring out your risk, you’ll have to undergo an extensive analysis of the worst-case scenario if you don’t comply with regulations and other forms of compliance. If you fail to adhere to compliance laws, it could cost you dearly, and not just monetarily. It could end your business’ operations entirely. Sometimes failing to stick to these regulations could mean facing criminal charges.

Penetration testing ensures that you are adequately protecting this important data. This has never been more important, especially with regulatory bodies and legislators keeping close watch on data privacy issues. If anything, we can expect even more legislation to surface, making your job as a business professional even more difficult. Better to just leave securing your infrastructure to the professionals.

Reputation

Security can forge or destroy your reputation with your customers and prospective clients. If you are negligent with your protections, it could have disastrous consequences for your company’s patrons. People want to work with those who take their security seriously, so failing to do so could put your income source on the line.

Washington Works can help your business improve its security situation through regular penetration testing. To learn more, reach out to us at 301-571-5040.