What is Penetration Testing, and Why Does Your Business Need It?

You shudder when you imagine experiencing a data breach in your business. What would happen to your relationships with your clients? Your reputation?

Research shows that more than 9,000 public data breaches have occurred since 2005, with 10 billion–plus records being exposed.

Fortunately, penetration testing is a powerful tool that helps with identifying network vulnerabilities. Here’s a rundown on what penetration testing is and why your business needs it.

Let’s jump in! 

What Is Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing, also called pen testing, is a simulated and authorized attack on a business’s information technology, or IT, systems. This test allows you to uncover any vulnerabilities that you previously did not know about.

Verified IT experts perform pen tests using the same tools and techniques that hackers often use to access IT systems.

Benefits of Penetration Testing

A big reason to invest in penetration testing is because it will provide you with a detailed report. This report will outline your hardware or software weaknesses. You can then use these data to strengthen and improve your business’s IT defenses.

Your business also needs penetration testing because the report produced can show you how well you’re protecting your business data from a breach. These data may include passport copies and even business analysis data.

A report is especially important if you operate in a sector that is compliance heavy.

A pen testing report can additionally help you to make your case for a larger IT budget. You can use this larger budget to beef up your company’s security measures.

Penetration testing will also help you to feel more confident about your business’s continuity. That’s because you’ll be less likely to experience unexpected downtime or disruptions.

Finally, pen testing may boost your reputation in the marketplace. That’s because it will show your company’s stakeholders how committed you are to your business’s cybersecurity.

When to Do Penetration Testing

You should schedule a pen test at least once per year. This will give you plenty of opportunities to implement security improvements. You can do this based on your most recent pen testing report.

You might also want to conduct a penetration test whenever you plan to launch new systems. Likewise, consider conducting a pen test if you have drastically modified your company’s network infrastructure.

Performing pen testing also makes sense if you are opening a brand-new office for your business. 

How We Can Help

Penetration testing can be an efficient way to detect unknown vulnerabilities. Through this process, you can take steps to improve your security and thus minimize your downtime risks. You may also enhance your business’s image in the eyes of the clients who have trusted you with their information.

At Inception Network Strategies, we offer quality penetration testing services for businesses. With our help, you can protect your employees’ and clients’ information long term.

Contact us to learn more about our penetration testing services and how we can help you to manage your risks today!