When Hiring a Pen Testing Company Consider These Top 5 Things

Here are the top five things you should consider when searching for pen testing companies for your business.

With more than half of all small- and medium-sized businesses experiencing cyberattacks, having a secure defense system is more important than ever.

Penetration testing companies help fortify your networks through exposing vulnerabilities and making recommendations to fix them. Since you can’t fix what you aren’t aware of, investing in penetration testing with a reputable company goes a long way towards securing your defenses.

 

Pen Testing Companies & Relevant Experience

When evaluating pen testing companies, you can look for credentials such as Licensed Penetration Tester (LPT) or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH).

However, certifications aren’t everything. The company’s testers should have experience working with different industries and have established best practices for their work.

An experienced penetration tester should also include a verification step once your team or their team has taken steps to fix the vulnerabilities. You certainly don’t want to spend time and money fixing a problem without ensuring that the solution actually works.

 

Testing Methods

Any good penetration tester knows that both manual and automated methods of testing are needed to provide a comprehensive picture of your security.

Although automated tools have their benefits, they aren’t yet sophisticated enough to detect every vulnerability. Even worse, automated tools may give false positives, which can waste your time and efforts to fix if they aren’t eliminated.

Skilled pen testing companies use manual methods in conjunction with automated methods to conduct thorough testing and eliminate false positives to ensure you have the most accurate results.

 

Report Clarity

When you receive the report of your penetration tests, it should be comprehensible and include both summarized and detailed data. After all, this report is going to be the foundation for your efforts to secure your network, so it needs to be both detailed and clear.

The best pen testing companies will include a list of findings that are prioritized by risk level with specific recommendations to fix these problems.

If your penetration

testing company provides confusing reports or ones without recommendations for solutions, they may not be your best choice.

 

Documented Processes

Having a documented process for testing methods is essential when working with pen testing companies. Established methods help ensure an accurate test and keep your data safe.

Through detailing rules of engagement, your potential pen testing company sets e

xpectations for the testing and their role in the resolution of issues. Having documented procedures in the event of an unexpected problem protects your company during the testing.

Since penetration testing and its reports involve very sensitive information—including how the tester gained access to your passwords or networks—these established processes are important.

 

Reliable Communication

Effective and frequent communication is the trademark of any reputable penetration testing company.

Communication can be evaluated early on in the process, and if you choose to move forward with the company, set expectations for communication. The testers should communicate information such as when the testing is expected to start and end, the findings, and any issues the tester may be having during the test.

Clear communication is going to be vital to your work with pen testing companies, so ensure they have this essential skill before deciding to hire.

 

 

Invest in Your Security

With the average cost of a security breach for small businesses costing more than $38k, you can invest just a fraction of that money into a penetration testing company to help prevent such a breach.

A pen testing company is the partner in your security that you can’t afford to ignore. Consider these top five things when searching for the right penetration testers!