4 Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Penetration Test

As we’ve previously highlighted, penetration tests are fundamental in maintaining and improving your business’ cybersecurity infrastructure. They help your business identify potential vulnerabilities in your systems, providing an action plan to mitigate any future risks.

For those who don’t know what a penetration test is, it’s a security investigation carried out by an authorised specialist who attempts to gain unauthorised access to your computer systems, applications or data. It is often referred to as a ‘pen test’ or ‘ethical hacking’. The test involves imitating strategies that hackers often use to identify where a system may be vulnerable. To learn more about why your business needs a penetration test, continue reading.

1: Investigate and Manage Risk

The primary objective of a penetration test is to investigate, mitigate and manage risks associated with your cyber infrastructure. The test is carried out in a way that mimics the actions of a potential hacker, allowing you to pinpoint any vulnerabilities that could endanger your data and systems. The test needs to be conducted by an authorised specialist, before any cybercriminals attempt a real hack. If your business is using third-party applications, cloud-based services or outsourced services, then it’s crucial to conduct a pen test in order to manage external risk factors.

2: Save Costs in the Long Term

In conducting a penetration test, you will undoubtably be saving on your business’ security costs in the long term. There are major costs associated with recovery and remediation after a cyber-attack or data breach, costs which can be avoided with the preparation and planning provided by a pen test. While the cost of a penetration test is not particularly high, it may seem like a chunk out of your security budget - however, the cost of a pen test pales in comparison to the costs associated with a hack. It’s important to spend wisely in order to prevent the costly ramifications induced by a lack of planning or inadequate security policy. According to the UK government, medium sized enterprises in the UK lose an average of £19,400 per cyber-attack - this cost can be totally avoided with the comparatively cheap initial investment in a pen test.

3: Adhere to Legal and Regulatory Compliance Standards

Numerous regulatory bodies require organisations to carry out mandatory penetration testing; with regular testing your business is more likely to gain accreditation with major security regulators such as PCI-DSS, GDPR and ISO 27001. In certain circumstances, if a business isn’t to comply with the need for regular pen testing, they will face significant fines and punitive action. While fine amounts vary, if an enterprise is to break GDPR regulations, they’ll be fined 4% of their worldwide annual revenue for the previous financial year.

4: Maintain Reputation Client Trust

A final major point of consideration is your businesses desire to maintain its reputation and client relations. Cyberattacks may result in the theft and dissemination of sensitive data, which can have serious reputational consequences and impact upon client partnerships. Regular penetration testing will give you the tools needed to prevent the possibility of a data breach or attack. Only a full penetration test can provide your IT team with the necessary insight to prioritise security investment and future policy, protecting your interests for the future. Reputational damage can be hard to return from for many businesses, it’s essential to take the initial steps needed to keep your business future proofed.

Engaging your MSP

If you feel your business would gain from the outlined benefits of a penetration test, then it’s essential to engage the services of an experienced MSP to conduct the test. At Fitzrovia IT we provide comprehensive penetration testing services for our clients; our security experts help clients discover potential vulnerabilities in their systems, providing comprehensive reports and follow up security guidance.

In the coming weeks we’ll be further delving into the intricacies and benefits of penetration testing, highlighting the importance of this necessary security measure. If you want to further discuss penetration testing or arrange for our expert security team to vet your systems, then contact us today.