Pen Testing as a Service: What You Need to Know

• By Ankit Pahuja
• 01-09-2022
• Misc

Businesses are increasingly turning to pen testing as a service (PTaaS) in order to identify and mitigate cybersecurity risks. In this article, we will explore what pen testing as a service is, how it works, the benefits of using PTaaS, and some of the challenges associated with it. We will also take a look at some of the top pen testing providers and what you should look for when choosing a PTaaS supplier.

What is Pen Testing As A Service?
Continuous penetration testing is a form of software testing in which multiple simultaneous tests are run against a system. Penetration testing as a Service (PTaaS) is a cloud service that provides IT staff with the tools they need to conduct point-in-time and continuous penetration tests. The objective of PTaaS is to assist businesses in developing successful vulnerability management strategies that can discover, evaluate, and repair security vulnerabilities rapidly and effectively.

It's typical in IT security for enterprises to employ reputable white-hat testers who come in and scan their networks, servers, or applications proactively looking for attack avenues that may be exploited. Hiring an outsider to attempt to breach a network, server, or application may appear counterintuitive, yet it is also one of the most effective strategies to discover and repair difficult-to-spot security problems.

How Does Pen Testing As A Service Work?
PTaaS works by providing a cloud-based platform that gives IT professionals the ability to conduct and manage penetration tests. The platform includes all of the tools and resources needed to carry out pen tests, as well as a dashboard for tracking progress and results.

In order to use PTaaS, businesses first need to identify which systems they would like to test. Once this has been decided, businesses can then select from a variety of different pen testing services offered by providers. These services can be customized based on the specific needs of the business, such as the type of system being tested and the level of detail required.

Once a service has been selected, businesses will need to provide access to their systems so that the provider can carry out the tests. This can be done via a secure connection, such as VPN, or by providing the provider with temporary credentials.

After the pen tests have been completed, the provider will prepare a report that summarizes all of the findings. This report will include an overview of any vulnerabilities that were discovered, as well as recommendations for remediation.

Benefits of Pen Testing As A Service
There are many benefits to using PTaaS, including:

Reduced costs: PTaaS can be more cost-effective than traditional pen testing methods since it eliminates the need to hire in-house staff or consultants.

Increased efficiency: PTaaS is a cloud-based service that can be conducted quickly and easily without the need for on-site visits.

Greater flexibility: PTaaS can be customized to meet the specific needs of a business, such as the type of system being tested and the level of detail required.

Improved security: Businesses may benefit from PTaaS by providing them with the ability to identify and minimize risks quickly and effectively.

Flexible purchasing options: A monthly, quarterly, or annual subscription, as well as on-demand servicing, is available.

Flexible reporting options: Several PTAaS platforms may combine and correlate data from various sources to provide result sets that are appropriate for many stakeholders.

Automation: External network vulnerability scan and unauthenticated web applications are easier with automated processes.

Challenges of Using Pen Testing As A Service
Despite the many benefits of using PTaaS, there are also some challenges associated with it. These challenges include:

Lack of control: When using PTaaS, businesses cede some control over their systems to the provider. This might be an issue for firms concerned about data privacy or who desire to have complete control over their systems.

Limited visibility: PTaaS can only test the systems that are made available to the provider. This implies that companies may not have a completely accurate picture of their security situation.

Vendor lock-in: Once a business has invested in a PTaaS platform, it may be reluctant to switch to another provider due to the costs associated with doing so.

What Should You Look For When Choosing a PTaaS Service Provider?

When picking a PTaaS provider, businesses should think about the following factors:

Security: To secure your data, the supplier should have strong security measures in place
Support: The supplier should offer 24/seven customer support in case of any issues
Pricing: The pricing should be transparent and competitive
Flexibility: The supplier should offer a range of services that can be customized to meet the specific needs of the business
Reporting: The supplier should provide detailed reports that include recommendations for remediation

Top 3 Penetration Testing Providers in The Current Market

Astra Security
Astra's Pentest suite by Astra Security is a flexible solution for businesses wanting automated vulnerability assessments, manual penetration testing, or both. They perform 3000+ tests on your assets and cover all the requirements for ISO 27001, SOC2, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance with a variety of criteria.

Astra's Pentest helps you gauge the risks and prioritize repairs, allocate resources effectively, and maximize ROI by providing accurate risk assessment, zero false positives, and comprehensive remediation instructions.

Key Features:
Integration of the PCI/CD Standard: Helps you automate vulnerability scans before releasing new code.
Slack Integration: It saves you a lot of time by providing security issues in relevant slack channels.

Intruder
Intruder is a cybersecurity firm that makes penetration testing easier for clients by providing an automated SaaS solution. Their powerful scanning tool is particularly constructed to give highly actionable findings, allowing busy organizations to concentrate on what matters most.

Intruder uses the bank's scan engine, so you can get high-quality security checks without any hassle. Intruder also provides a hybrid penetration testing service that includes manual tests to help locate issues that aren't discovered by automatic scans.

Netsparker
Netsparker is a web application security tool that can detect Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), SQL Injection, and other types of errors without the need for any code from a developer. Netsparker uniquely verifies the confirmed vulnerabilities, demonstrating that they are genuine rather than false positives.

By classifying these flaws, the penetration tester can spend less time verifying them manually after a scan is completed. It's available as a Windows program and an online service.

Conclusion
Penetration testing as a service may be a useful supplement to any company's security arsenal. It can aid businesses in detecting vulnerabilities and proposing remediation measures. However, businesses should be aware of some of the challenges associated with using PTaaS before selecting a provider.

When selecting a PTaaS supplier, businesses should consider the following factors: security, support, pricing, flexibility, and reporting. PTAaS platforms are available from several vendors, but not all of them are made equal. As a result, make your selection carefully!