According to a recent report released by Cobalt, the State of Penetration Testing 2023, companies face increasing risks associated with data breaches and cyber attacks. As new technologies emerge, the prevalence of threats continues to expand. In response, businesses must stay current with the latest security trends and implement preventive measures to safeguard against such hazards.
One significant finding from the report is the prevalence of web application vulnerabilities. Despite experiencing a significant increase in the past year, organizations are still slow to prioritize their web application security efforts. Such vulnerabilities, which include things like SQL injection and cross-site scripting, accounted for over 40% of all vulnerabilities discovered in 2022.
Insecure protocols are another critical vulnerability that businesses experience. The report found that many organizations still use outdated and insecure protocols such as FTP and Telnet, despite known associated risks. Such protocols are easily exploited by attackers and may result in significant data breaches. Although the necessary solutions exist, the dominance of such issues remains.
Moreover, social engineering attacks represent a significant threat for all businesses. Social engineering comprises techniques such as phishing and spear-phishing, which rely on psychological manipulation to trick individuals into divulging sensitive information or performing actions that could compromise security. Social engineering accounted for 20% of all reported security incidents in 2022.
Organizations can implement proactive security measures, such as regular vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and robust security protocols and procedures, to guard against potential vulnerabilities. Regular scanning and testing are essential for locating possible vulnerabilities within an organization’s network and applications. This way, organizations can detect and remediate security risks before attackers can exploit them. Penetration testing can help businesses to understand their overall security posture and detect potential weaknesses before malicious actors exploit them.
Aside from regular scanning and testing, organizations must prioritize implementing robust security protocols and procedures. Such protocols include using strong passwords and two-factor authentication, as well as secure protocols such as SSH and HTTPS. Moreover, businesses should have a comprehensive security policy outlining how employees should take measures to protect sensitive data and systems.
Finally, organizations must remain vigilant against social engineering attacks, providing regular employee training to identify and avoid such attacks. They must maintain robust security protocols to protect employees from phishing and other social engineering tactics before they reach them.
The State of Penetration Testing 2023 report highlights the need for companies to remain vigilant, given the risks associated with data breaches and cyber attacks. Organizations can protect themselves from these threats and ensure the security of their sensitive data and systems by proactively implementing security measures and staying current with the latest security trends. Companies must prioritize their security efforts and adopt a proactive approach towards guarding against vulnerabilities and potential threats in response to evolving technology and increasingly sophisticated attackers.
Andrew Obadiaru, Chief Information Security Officer at Cobalt, emphasizes that it is essential to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems and data to mitigate risk across changing technologies, software, and diverse platforms. Cobalt offers a modernized approach to the traditional pen-testing model to provide a pen-test-as-a-service (PtaaS) platform.