What To Choose For In A Penetration Testing Company
Cyber Security
Setting up a robust cyber-security framework is one of the most important things you can do to improve safety and security in your organization. This is why you need to make sure that your system is hack-proof and impenetrable. And how do you go about doing this? By calling in a penetration testing company, of course!
Penetration testing or ‘pentest’ companies, as they are popularly known, help you investigate and assess cracks and holes in your security system with the help of authorized hackers. Since this is a crucial step in maintaining a high standard of security in your organization, you need to hire a penetration testing company that can provide you with high-quality security testing.
So, what are some things you need to look for in a penetration company?
Table of Contents
Proper Certification
Before you even check what kind of pentest services the company offers, you need to see whether the company’s professionals have been properly certified or not. Here are some of the certifications you can keep an eye out for:
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
- Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
- GIAC Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration Tester (GXPN)
- Licensed Penetration Tester (LPT)
- EC Council Certified Security Analyst (ECSA)
You can also check t whether your penetration testing company lives up to CREST standards or not. CREST is the Council of Registered Ethical Security Testers, an organization globally recognized for enforcing strict security testing policies, processes, and methodologies.
It is also important for you to check what kind of pentest hacker you might require for your company. Is your company too small for a junior tester to complete the task? If so, you might want to ask for either a senior or a specialist to do the job. However, whichever consultant you wish to hire, make sure to check the certification of the actual tester who is coming to your site to do the testing
A Good Amount Of Experience
Of course, it is not enough for your penetration testing company to have the right certification but zero experience. It goes without saying that the more a tester has worked in the field of security testing, the more exposure they would have received to different kinds of security threats.
This is why your tester needs to have a wide range of experiences regarding penetration testing. It will be ideal if the consultant you are working with has experience in application testing, network infrastructure, and compliance auditing across varied environments and diverse industries.
Of course, you also need to make sure that the company has experience dealing with the particular technology that your organization works with as well.
The Right Skillset
Your penetration testing company should come with a diverse range of technical skill sets. This skill set includes expertise in various operating systems, networks, network protocols, security administration and system administration, and database systems and scripting.
Your pentest company should also possess the right skills in wireless networks, password management, programming and software development, forensics (the analysis and investigation of systems and information) as well as cryptography (ciphering and protecting sensitive data and information).
The consultants you hire should be capable of performing manual testing in addition to automated testing so that you are ensured of well-rounded completeness of the test. Manual testing should also be done to eradicate false positives to get accurate and precise reports. Keep in mind that your pentest company should be perfectly capable of protecting your data and sensitive information during the testing period. It should also offer you a re-test option to check whether you have been able to remedy the holes in your security system successfully or not.
Finally, it is vital that your pentest company also possesses the right soft skills to communicate with you effectively and deliver the right services for your organization.
A Well-Defined Documentation Process
The methodology that your penetration testing company follows should involve various progressive steps, and you must be kept in the loop at all times.
It is, therefore, essential for your testing company to keep well-documented reports throughout the whole process. These reports should be well-labeled and categorized according to identified vulnerabilities, sensitive information, cracked passwords, and so on.
It is also important for the reports to be clear, simple, and concise. However, detailed reports with screenshots must also be provide the testers to your tech team. Your pentest company should ideally tell you what risks you need to prioritize, along with detailed recommendations on eliminating the various risks and security threats. Your tech team should easily implement the necessary measures based on the report given to you by your testers.
It can be difficult to find a penetration testing company capable of fulfilling all of the criteria you need. However, if they can fulfill at least the above requirements, you know that your security system is in safe hands.
Also Read: Hard Skills That Will Shape Your Career In Cybersecurity
