How to Move From Discovery to Active Defence to Peace of Mind
Your post-penetration test plan is critical.
Getting your penetration test report can be a real eye-opener. And if the report shows critical vulnerabilities, you must act fast.
Knowing what to do after a pentest finds major security problems helps protect your business, keep people’s trust, and avoid severe financial consequences.
As expert pentesters, we’ve put together a quick guide to help you know what to do. But pentest remediation isn’t simply checking things off a list; it’s about truly reducing your cyber risk.
The Red Flags: Understand Your Post-Penetration Test Report
The first step in any good post-penetration test response is to fully understand what the report says.
A detailed penetration test report, like our 7ASecurity ones, does more than just list security flaws. It explains how they could affect you and gives you the needed background.
Look for:
- Technical Details. How hard is it for an attacker to use this flaw? What could an attacker get access to?
- Business Impact. What could happen to your business operations, data, reputation, or money if someone uses this flaw? This is where a technical problem can become a real business issue.
- How to Repeat the Flaw. Clear steps showing how the flaw was found are fundamental for your technical team to check and fix the problem.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you see a list of critical vulnerabilities.
Take a moment.
The report is your guide to a stronger defence.
Talk about the findings with your team. If you need to, also speak with the company that did the security audit. A follow-up discussion helps make priorities and possible fixes clearer.
The First 48 Hours: Critical Vulnerabilities Demand Quick Action
When you find critical vulnerabilities, acting quickly is vital. What you do in the first 48 hours as part of your vulnerability response can significantly reduce possible harm.
Get Your Team Together
Figure out who needs to be involved. This usually means IT and security teams, developers who work on the affected systems, and maybe managers, based on how serious things are.
Everyone needs to know their part in the pentest remediation.
Quick Fixes (If Needed)
For some severe flaws, you might have to take immediate action to stop attackers while a permanent fix is made. This could mean taking affected systems offline briefly or turning off certain features.
But think carefully about these actions to avoid too much disruption to your business.
Also, a quick fix is never a long-term or permanent solution. So, be sure to work on an actual solution while the quick fix is in place.
Clear Updates
Make sure everyone who needs to know is kept informed.
Who needs updates, what should they know, and when? This is crucial if the problems impact customer data or the systems your customers use.
The Pecking Order: Prioritise Your Pentest Remediation Efforts
Not all critical vulnerabilities carry the same immediate risk. Good pentest remediation means you need to decide what to resolve first.
We suggest looking at risk by thinking about:
- Ease of Attack. How easy is it for an attacker to use this vulnerability? Is there a known tool or method already out there?
- Potential Damage. What’s the worst thing that could happen if this flaw is used? A data leak? Attackers taking over systems? Your services stopping?
- System Importance. Which systems or data are at risk? Flaws in key systems that hold private data or run main business operations should usually be fixed first.
Groups like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have tools like the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). These can help you measure how serious a flaw is.
But always think about these scores in terms of your own specific business and setup. Put your first efforts into fixing security issues that are your biggest and most immediate dangers.
The Road to Resolution: Fixing Security Issues and Checking Patches
Once you know your priorities, it’s time to start fixing security issues. This often means security teams and developers need to work closely together.
- Clear Fixes. Your penetration test report should give clear advice on how to fix things. At 7ASecurity, we make sure our advice is practical because we know how busy development teams are.
- Teamwork. Build a good working relationship. Developers need to understand the risks. Security teams must understand how development works. Regular and meaningful conversations will keep the pentest remediation on track.
- Proper Patching. Make sure the fixes solve the leading cause of the vulnerability, not just the outward signs.
- Checking is Vital. This is a crucial step that some forget. After fixes are applied, they must be tested again. This confirms they work and haven’t created new problems. This ensures the vulnerabilities you’ve worked to fix are truly gone.
Beyond the Fix: Reporting, Compliance, and Ongoing Cyber Risk Mitigation
Okay. Your systems are fixed, patches are in place, and everything is vulnerability-free.
But the job isn’t finished just yet.
Your vulnerability response should also include good record-keeping and learning from the experience.
Write Everything Down
Keep records of:
- The vulnerabilities,
- What you did to fix them,
- When you did it, and
- The results of checking the fixes.
These records are necessary for compliance, internal checks, and showing that you take cybersecurity seriously.
Compliance Needs
Depending on your industry and where you operate, you might have to report the critical vulnerabilities found.
Consider the governing Acts your business must comply with, for example, GDPR, DORA, or NIS2. These regulations will guide you on if, where, and how to report these weaknesses.
Learn and Improve
Every security problem or near-miss is a chance to learn. What can you do better in your security, your development work, or your incident response plan to stop similar problems from happening again?
Use what you learn from your post-penetration test to make your overall cyber risk mitigation stronger.
A penetration test shows your security at one point in time.
Real cybersecurity is something you have to keep working on—testing, fixing, and improving. Then, repeat.
The Partners You Need: Pre- to Post-Pentest Success
Why handle this alone? You’re running a business!
At 7ASecurity, we help you make your systems and apps as safe as possible, no matter the size of your organisation. Our goal is to find and help you fix weaknesses before real attackers can use them against your business.
We take your security seriously, and we stand by our work!
- 100% Quality Guarantee. We promise high-quality work. If we deliver a security audit that’s below our standards, we will keep working on it until it is, at no extra cost to you (terms apply).
- Free Fix Verification Bonus. After you’ve applied the fixes, whether it’s days, weeks, or months later, we will check them for free. We’ll suggest improvements and make sure the fixes can’t be bypassed (terms apply).
- Actionable Advice, Not Just Problems. We don’t just leave you with a list of vulnerabilities. We give you practical mitigation advice that works and will genuinely make your systems and apps safer.
- Tailored to You. Our security audits are designed around your specific needs and the threats you face.
Rest assured, we are committed to providing you with the clarity and support needed to move from discovery to active defence, and ultimately, to peace of mind.
