What is VAPT?
Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) is a comprehensive security testing process designed to identify, analyse, and address the vulnerabilities and threats in a given network or application. This dual testing mechanism involves two main components: vulnerability assessment, which identifies known vulnerabilities in the system, and penetration testing, which explores the potential for exploiting vulnerabilities to assess the system’s defence capabilities.
Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing is crucial in the cyber security realm, providing an in-depth view of the potential risks an organisation might face, thereby enabling them to mitigate these risks before a malicious actor exploits them.
When is VAPT required?
VAPT becomes imperative in various scenarios, particularly when organisations are looking to safeguard their digital assets, networks, and data from cyber threats. It is essential:
- When launching a new website or application to ensure it is secure from known vulnerabilities.
- Prior to implementing a new network infrastructure.
- To comply with regulatory mandates related to data protection and privacy, such as GDPR or HIPAA.
- When the organisation has faced a recent cyber attack to identify and rectify vulnerabilities.
- To safeguard customer data and uphold organisational reputation by ensuring robust cybersecurity practices.
How is VAPT conducted?
VAPT is conducted in a systematic manner to ensure that all potential vulnerabilities are identified, and the system’s security is comprehensively evaluated. The process typically involves:
Planning: Defining the scope of the attack, including the systems to be tested and testing methods to be used.
Discovery: Identifying and creating an inventory of all the systems, networks, and applications to be tested.
Identifying Vulnerabilities: Utilising various tools and methodologies to identify vulnerabilities within the systems.
Exploiting Vulnerabilities: Attempting to exploit the identified vulnerabilities to understand the potential impact of a breach.
Reporting: Documenting the findings, including the vulnerabilities found, data that was accessed, and the successful exploits.
Mitigation: Providing recommendations for securing the system and mitigating the identified vulnerabilities.
Our commitment to the environment
We believe all companies should be taking the climate crisis seriously, this is why we make a donation every time someone purchases some services from us (10 Tonnes – Carbon Offsetting for your Business).
More information on MakeItWild can be found here.
Is VAPT required for compliance?
Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing is conducted in a systematic manner to ensure that all potential vulnerabilities are identified, and the system’s security is comprehensively evaluated. The process typically involves:
- Planning: Defining the scope of the attack, including the systems to be tested and testing methods to be used.
- Discovery: Identifying and creating an inventory of all the systems, networks, and applications to be tested.
- Identifying Vulnerabilities: Utilising various tools and methodologies to identify vulnerabilities within the systems.
- Exploiting Vulnerabilities: Attempting to exploit the identified vulnerabilities to understand the potential impact of a breach.
- Reporting: Documenting the findings, including the vulnerabilities found, data that was accessed, and the successful exploits.
- Mitigation: Providing recommendations for securing the system and mitigating the identified vulnerabilities.
What are the types of VAPT?
VAPT encompasses several domains, each crucial for safeguarding different aspects of an organisation’s digital infrastructure. Here’s a deeper dive into the various types of VAPT that can be conducted
Web Penetration Testing
This testing type zeroes in on identifying vulnerabilities within web applications to shield them from web-based attacks. The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is pivotal in this domain, providing a framework and resources like the OWASP Testing Guide, which offers a comprehensive methodology for web application penetration testing, ensuring a thorough and standardised approach to securing web applications.
Network Penetration Testing
Network testing scrutinises the organisation’s network, probing for vulnerabilities within its infrastructure that could be exploited (External, Interal or Cloud/Hybrid envonments). The Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES) is often referenced in this context, providing a foundational structure and guidelines that ensure a systematic and comprehensive approach to network penetration testing.
Mobile Penetration Testing
Mobile Application Penetration Testing is meticulously structured and adheres to established standards to ensure a thorough examination of mobile applications. The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) provides a robust foundation for mobile testing methodologies through its Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS), Mobile Security Testing Guide (MSTG), and Mobile App Security Checklist. These resources ensure that mobile applications are tested against established benchmarks, ensuring their resilience against potential cyber threats.
API Penetration Testing
API testing focuses on evaluating APIs for vulnerabilities, ensuring secure data transmission between systems. In this context, OWASP also provides valuable resources, such as the OWASP API Security Project, which identifies and mitigates the risks associated with APIs. The project provides a top 10 list of API security concerns, offering a structured approach to identifying and mitigating potential vulnerabilities within APIs, ensuring that data transmission remains secure.
What are the benefits of VAPT?
VAPT offers a multitude of benefits to organisations, including:
- Identifying and Mitigating Vulnerabilities: Before they can be exploited by malicious actors.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring that the organisation adheres to various data protection and privacy regulations.
- Protecting Reputation: Safeguarding customer trust by ensuring that their data is secure.
- Financial Safeguard: Preventing potential financial losses associated with data breaches and cyberattacks.
- Enhanced Security Posture: Providing a comprehensive view of the organisation’s security posture, enabling them to make informed decisions regarding their cybersecurity strategy.
What are the next steps?
Contact us
Contact a member of our consulting team either by phone, email, or pigeon post. We will then discuss whether we can help you and arrange a scoping meeting to discuss your requirements.
Proposal
In the scoping meeting, our expert consultants will discuss and finalise which digital assets you need testing. We will then put together a project proposal and quote based on the requirements and agree on a schedule for conducting the security assessment.
Penetration Testing
The testing starts. A member of our penetration testing team will liaise with a member of your company throughout the entire testing process. If we have any questions or concerns, you will be the first to know.
Report & Remediate
A penetration test is useless without a well-written report. Our reports are written in plain English, concise and thoroughly documented. Each report will detail an executive summary, risk ratings, a business risk summary and all of the issues we found throughout the engagement.
Book your retest.
Here at Sencode we offer free retesting with every penetration test we conduct.
You fix the issues, then we will verify they can no longer be exploited by an attacker.
Get a security certificate for your business.
Just a PDF document with a list of issues? No thank you.
Our clients receive a testing certificate that can be shared with partners and customers alike. Showing that your company takes security seriously.
What is the OWASP Top 10: Download our flash cards to find out.
Inside you will find a description of the most common web vulnerabilities.
Contact us
Get a free, no obligation quote from one of our expert staff.