PEN Testing vs. Vulnerability Scanning
A business would avoid vulnerable networks to safeguard sensitive data, protect against cyberattacks, maintain continuity, comply with regulations, preserve its reputation, and build trust with customers. It ensures business operations run smoothly, avoids financial losses from breaches, and promotes a competitive edge. Avoiding vulnerabilities enhances data security, reduces the risk of intellectual property theft, and fosters employee productivity. Ultimately, prioritizing network security demonstrates a commitment to customer trust, strengthens the brand image, and safeguards the long-term success and stability of the business. When it comes to securing networks, business owners could choose from two options – PEN testing and vulnerability scanning. Continue reading below to learn more about PEN testing vs. vulnerability scanning and how these processes could help secure your business.
What Is a Pen Test?
If you want to learn about vulnerability scan vs. pen test, you are going to need to know what a pen test is. As one of the top hyper-converged data centers in the industry, we know a thing or two about pen testing. Pen testing, short for penetration testing, is a cybersecurity practice where authorized security experts, known as ethical hackers, simulate real-world cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in a computer system, network, or application. The goal of pen testing is to assess the security posture of the target system and find potential entry points that malicious attackers could exploit. Penetration testing involves ethical hackers utilizing various tools and methods to simulate attack situations. Their aim is to assess the system’s vulnerabilities, attempting to gain unauthorized access, extract sensitive data, or compromise its functionality. The test results are carefully analyzed to identify and resolve security flaws, thereby fortifying the overall security of the organization’s digital assets and infrastructure. As a pivotal element of a comprehensive cybersecurity approach, pen testing plays a proactive role in the detection and mitigation of potential security risks.
What Is a Vulnerability Scan?
A vulnerability scan is a cybersecurity technique used to identify and assess potential security weaknesses and vulnerabilities within a computer system, network, or application. It involves automated scanning tools that systematically search for known security issues, misconfigurations, and weaknesses that could be exploited by malicious actors. In a vulnerability scan, the scanning tool conducts a non-intrusive assessment of the target system, searching for typical security weaknesses like outdated software, missing patches, weak passwords, open ports, and configuration errors. The results produce a comprehensive report that outlines the identified vulnerabilities, along with their severity levels. This empowers cybersecurity teams to prioritize and resolve the issues based on their potential impact on the system’s security. Vulnerability scanning is a proactive approach that enhances the overall security of the system by detecting and addressing potential threats before they are exploited.
Pen Test vs. Vulnerability Scan – Which Is Better?
Our Tampa data centers and Charlotte data centers would like to point out that penetration testing is more comprehensive and realistic than vulnerability scanning. Pen Test involves simulated attacks to identify and exploit a system’s weaknesses, providing a deeper understanding of security gaps. Vulnerability scanning detects known vulnerabilities but lacks the depth and human expertise of a Pen Test.
More About LightWave Networks
LightWave Networks is a dedicated Charlotte colocation and Tampa colocation center that is here to assist your business with all aspects of its digital security and data protection needs. Other than detailing pen testing vs. vulnerability scanning, we offer a full range of services. These include colocation, Raspberry Pi hosting, Blended BGP IP transit, Outsourced IT support, dedicated servers, managed networking, and remote backup, among many others. Contact us today to learn more.