Penetration test also known as a pen test is an attack that is simulated on your computer and cyber security systems to check for vulnerabilities that can be exploited. It is used to check on the capabilities of the system to hold out against intrusive attacks on systems and web application software from outside sources.
Ethical hackers are employed to attack the system and notify security experts of any paths and exploits that can be performed.
Continuous Penetration Testing
Instead of carrying out penetration testing once or twice a year, offensive security experts have established a way to make this a regular occurrence to continuously fight against exploits. Continuous penetration testing is a pen testing approach that lets you simulate active attacks regularly on your systems and infrastructure to determine any new vulnerabilities that may arise.
The old pen tests may find a few vulnerable lines of code, but some may occur after the test and may take a long time to be identified. A pen tester might also overlook regions that were tested before in a bid to check other parts of the system.
This is assuming that they are still functioning and free of exploits. The manual penetration method was also expensive and missed many errors. This is because penetration testers would try and find the easiest way to access sensitive data without alerting web application security protocols or the firewall.
In this method of continuous penetration, the security posture of the system is checked regularly as programmed. This ensures that any new changes that occur can trigger penetration tests. If a line of code changes, or the same credentials are reused multiple times, the program is activated and vulnerabilities are identified.
Why Use Continuous Pen Tests
Integrating the CI/CD pipeline with a pen test tool allows for new lines of code that are pushed to be scanned immediately. This provides secure launch of mobile or web applications with few or no vulnerabilities.
Continuous security is of maximum importance with any false positives that occur requiring a retest or refund on the part of the pen testers.
The IT infrastructure becomes secure with any changes being recorded and reported in time. Hackers continue to find new and innovative ways of web application penetration and this also means that security experts must always be on the lookout for any weaknesses.
The dynamic nature of threats also means that any attack surface must be well secured especially those with outside connections to the system.
Benefits of Continuous Penetration Testing
Unlimited Testing Capabilities
The ability to test codes and applications multiple times over a long time is undeniably good for the system’s security posture. Correction of vulnerabilities, removing exploits, checking later to see progress, and not getting it right the first time is not the end.
Normal Penetration tests can overlook multiple factors, but continuous testing provides more insight and time to go through everything.
Cost Effective
Commissioning a penetration test every other month can be very expensive and still miss a lot of vulnerabilities. More errors occur as more code gets pushed through the CI/CD pipeline.
Discovering such vulnerabilities close to the point they occur means that plans can be made to mitigate them and save more costs later down the production line.
Security Readiness
The security team, developers, and users of the system get to experience what real threats might be, and how to deal with them. Social engineering provides a buffer in human security to reduce threats to the system.
As the firewall protects the web application and system information, users of the system are trained to minimize any risk of exposure by using security credentials.
Defence Evaluation
Ideally, the system defenses should be able to perform as designed and detect any vulnerabilities on time. The defenses need to be constantly updated and evaluated in order to prevent exploits from happening and provide information about potential vulnerabilities.
Compliance
Long-term testing ensures the system meets compliance regulations. Attestations for meeting the required standards can be obtained by the generation of test reports.
Ryan Goose, a seasoned PHP developer and tech enthusiast, brings a wealth of knowledge in web technologies. With a passion for coding and a knack for simplifying complex concepts, Ryan’s articles are a treasure trove for both budding and experienced PHP developers.
