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So, you’ve decided you need a pen test – and you have your requirements in mind. Now comes the process of finding your team to perform the test. As with any service or product, there are large variances in quality between vendors and individuals – so you’ll need to perform a balancing act. Below, we’ll walk through questions designed to help you assess the capabilities, experience, and ability of any prospective provider to meet your specific requirements.

Maybe it’s time for your yearly pen test. Or, maybe you’re building up your very own internal pen test team. Navigating this journey can be challenging, but we’re committed to making it easy for you. Fortunately, we bring a wealth of insight from our “other side of the table” perspective. This multipart series will prepare you for concerns on both sides of the table, so you can be certain you’re ready for your next engagement.

You’ve got a system that needs to be tested, but you’re not really certain about which environment the testing should occur in. Or, maybe you’re feeling uneasy about testing within production. Many have been in your exact same shoes in the past -- below, we’ll help assist you in making this important decision.

A question we receive frequently during scoping calls is “What tools does your team use during a penetration test?” The answer can depend on the scope, services, and situations we come across during the engagement. Additionally, there is constant industry and threat pressure to stay ahead of the curve. Our toolkit is constantly evolving to reflect the latest threats and techniques, ensuring we can simulate real-world attacks effectively.

When FedRAMP issued Revision 5 in May 2023, the changes included a new requirement for a red team exercise in addition to the already-mandated penetration test. Now that Rev 5 is officially being enforced as of 2024, organizations pursuing FedRAMP Authorization must get this new obligation right.

As cybersecurity practices go, you have a lot of options, with penetration testing being just one of them. However, a penetration test has more value than many may initially recognize—in addition to how they serve your compliance initiatives.

You know the phrase, “hindsight is 20/20.” It’s a well-trodden lament that can apply to almost everything—a failed job interview, an embarrassing misstep during a conversation, an insistence that the professor won’t include information from his footnotes in the final exam while studying.

When it comes to cybersecurity, you can never be too careful—especially when it comes to placing your trust in those who help you understand and secure your environment.