What is VAPT Services and Why your Organization Need VAPT Audits?

 What are VAPT Services?

Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) are two types of vulnerability testing. Vulnerability assessment is a passive test that attempts to find weaknesses in a system without actually exploiting them. Penetration testing is an active test that tries to find weaknesses in a system by actually exploiting them. The tests have different strengths and are often combined to achieve a more complete vulnerability analysis.

Vulnerabilities are system flaws that allow an attacker to disrupt the integrity of a system. Vulnerabilities can be weak passwords, software errors, incorrect software settings, viruses, malicious scripts, or SQL injections.

A security risk is classified as a vulnerability if an attack can be carried out as a result of its presence. If there is a security risk, combined with one or more known examples of possible attacks, this is classified as an exploit. Difficult-to-use programming language constructs can be a major source of vulnerabilities.

Vulnerabilities have always been present, but they weren't as exploited in the early days of the internet. There wasn't as much news coverage of hackers being sent to jail for breaking into servers and stealing valuable information. Back then, all nodes on the network were trusted, and secure protocols like SSH, SCP, and SSL didn't exist yet. Instead, telnet, FTP, and plain text HTTP were used to transfer important data. No one thought about sniffing (passive listening on the network) or ARP spoofing back then.

Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) are both security testing services that focus on identifying vulnerabilities in the network, server, and network infrastructure. VAPT can help organizations assess and mitigate risks, and improve their overall security posture.

Vulnerability Assessment Vs Penetration Testing:

There is often confusion in the security industry about the differences between penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. They are often classified as one and the same, although they are actually two different things. Penetration testing sounds more exciting, but most people actually need a vulnerability assessment, not penetration testing. Many projects are marked as penetration tests, although they are actually 100% vulnerability assessments. Penetration testing, as a rule, includes an assessment of vulnerability.

Penetration testing is a method of assessing the security of a computer system or network by simulating an attacker’s attack. The process of penetration testing includes assessing the system for any technical flaws or vulnerabilities from the perspective of a potential intruder. This analysis is carried out by actively exploiting security vulnerabilities. Once any security issues are found, they will be presented to the system owner along with an assessment of their seriousness and often with a risk reduction plan or technical solution.

Who conducts VAPT?

There is a common belief that the best candidate for a VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing) is a security officer from within the organization who knows the system inside out - its strengths and weaknesses. But it's not always that simple. A specialist with only a minimum level of knowledge about the constructed protection system is more likely to find so-called "blind spots" that were missed by the developers when building and organizing the protection levels. That's why it's usually best to hire a third-party contractor specializing in this field to carry out the VAPT.

This job opening is also a great opportunity for hackers - more specifically, "ethical" or white hat hackers. These individuals have a lot of experience with cybersecurity that can be put to good use in order to improve an organization's security infrastructure.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to finding the best candidate for the job, as each situation is unique and will require a different approach. The same goes for pentesting - it all depends on the strategy and type of pentest that representatives of the organization wish to fulfill.

The Types of Pentest (Penetration Tests):

·         Pentest (white box) - A "white box" pentest is a penetration test in which the pentester is given some information about the organization's security structure. This method can be used in conjunction with the organization's IT team and the penetration testing team.

·         Pentest (black box) - A pentest "black box" (or "blind test") simulates the actions of a real attacker by not providing the specialist or team with any relevant information about the company, except for the company's name and some basic data.

·         Hidden Pentest - A hidden pentest, also known as a double-blind test, is when only a small part of an organization's staff, including IT specialists and security specialists, know that a test is taking place. In this situation, the pentester or team must have the appropriate documentation to avoid any legal issues that could arise from the security team's response to an attack.

·         External Pentest - External Pentest is an attack that is carried out against external servers or devices of the organization, such as their website and network servers, by an “ethical” hacker. The goal is to determine if an attacker can penetrate the system remotely and how far he can.

·         Internal Pentest - An internal pentest is a simulation of an attack that is carried out by an authorized user with standard access rights. This test is done in order to determine how much damage an employee could do if they had some personal vendettas against the management.

Why is pentest needed?

Penetration testing is important because it provides an accurate assessment of an organization's vulnerabilities to cyberattacks. By conducting pentests on a regular basis, businesses can identify which areas of their technical resources, infrastructure, physical security, and personnel need improvement. This helps them to allocate the necessary resources to fortify these areas and prevent potential breaches.

Want to get your VAPT done in Bangalore? CyRAACS offers VAPT services in Bangalore for all types of businesses in Bangalore. We have a team of experienced and certified ethical hackers who can help you secure your business from cyber threats. Contact us today to get a free quote.