How to build a sustainable pentesting strategy for continuous compliance.
Pentesting best practices are your secret weapon in the fight for continuous compliance.
Why?
Because regular penetration testing helps you find those hidden weaknesses in your systems before someone else does – and trust us, you don’t want to be caught off guard regarding data protection.
A solid pentesting strategy helps you tick those compliance boxes and builds a strong security foundation that keeps your data safe and sound.
Let’s break down how to make your pentesting strategy truly audit-ready.
Essential Steps for Compliance Through Pentesting
1. Define Your Scope
Think of your pentest scope as a roadmap. It guides the testers and tells them exactly where to look for hidden vulnerabilities.
But don’t just point at your entire IT landscape and say, “Go!”.
You need to be specific — think about your:
- Risk Assessment. What are your biggest security risks? Focus your pentest on those areas.
- Compliance Requirements. Are you subject to GDPR, PCI DSS, or other regulations? Your pentest needs to address those specific requirements.
- Business Objectives. What are your security goals? Align your pentest with those objectives.
A clearly defined scope ensures your pentest is laser-focused and delivers maximum value.
2. Choose the Right Pentest Type
Just like any tool, different pentests are designed for different jobs.
Understanding the differences can help you make a quality choice.
The best ongoing compliance strategies for you will depend on your compliance goals and the systems you want to test.
Black Box Testing
Imagine we’re trying to break into a house we’ve never seen before. We’ll try the doors, check the windows, and look for any obvious weaknesses.
This simulates an external attack and helps identify vulnerabilities exposed to the public.
White Box Testing
Now, imagine we have the blueprints of the house and know exactly how everything works.
We can go room by room, checking every nook and cranny for potential security flaws.
This in-depth approach gives you a comprehensive view of your security posture.
Grey Box Testing
This is like having a floor plan but not knowing all the secret passages.
We have some information about your systems, simulating a scenario where an attacker has gained partial internal access.
Threat-led Penetration Testing
This approach takes things a step further.
Instead of just looking for any vulnerability, we focus on specific threats relevant to your industry and organisation. To do this, we analyse current threat intelligence and actor tactics.
It’s like knowing that burglars in your area always target back doors, so we pay extra attention to reinforcing those.
This targeted approach helps you prioritise your security efforts and focus on the most likely attack scenarios.
3. Ask a Professional
Pentesting isn’t a DIY project.
However, you can’t just hire anyone. Pentesters have access to your IT system and confidential information.
You need skilled professionals who know what they’re doing.
Look for certified pentesters with a proven track record and an in-depth understanding of compliance requirements.
They’ll not only uncover vulnerabilities but also provide actionable advice on how to fix them.
4. Prioritise Remediation
Security testing for compliance is just the first step. What you do with the findings is what really matters.
Think of it this way: If you find cracks in your walls, you wouldn’t just leave them to become a bigger problem, would you?
The same goes for pentesting.
Prioritise fixing weaknesses found based on how serious they are and how much damage they could cause.
Create a plan, track your progress, and make sure everything gets fixed promptly.
Think of it as patching up holes in your defences before anyone can exploit them.
5. Document Everything
Keep a detailed record of everything – your scope, the testing process, what you found, and how you fixed it.
Good documentation is essential for compliance audits.
Besides keeping you organised, it shows you’re taking security seriously and doing everything possible to protect your data.
6. Continuous Improvement
Compliance is a marathon, not a sprint.
You need to constantly improve your security posture to stay ahead of adverse characters.
This means ongoing monitoring, regular vulnerability checks, and keeping your team up-to-date on the latest security threats.Regular security awareness training is a great way to keep your employees informed and vigilant.
7ASecurity: Your Pentesting Best Practices Experts
We don’t just tick the boxes; we build robust security foundations.
Our experienced cybersecurity team will guide you through every step of the pentesting process, ensuring your systems are secure and your business compliant.
We’ve helped numerous organisations with their ongoing compliance strategies.
