In this blog post we will discuss what a penetration test is, cyber crime statistics, why you need a pen test and finally how much does a pen test cost.
What is a pen test?
A pen test will help find the weak links in your network perimeter and web applications. Simply put, penetration testing is where an ethical hacker takes their big bag of “keys” (these are tools, techniques, and procedures) and attempts to open each one of the locks (access points in your network) with every single “key”, hoping to open the door.
Why do you need a pen test
$1 trillion will be spent on cyber security between 2017 and 2021. Only 38% of the companies claim they are prepared for a cyber attack. Pen test will protect not only your network server data but also your company credibility, trust and overall brand.
What type of pen test do you need?
In general, there are two categories of penetration testing or “pen test” that customers usually want: customer-driven / compliance-driven, OR penetration tests that attempt to exploit people, process or technology with the objective of breaking into the network and gaining access to digital assets.
Cyber crime is growing 10x faster than cyber security companies can keep up with. Enterprise and small businesses alike will be affected.
- 43 percent of cyber attacks target small business.
- Only 14 percent of small businesses rate their ability to mitigate cyber risks, vulnerabilities and attacks as highly effective.
- 60 percent of small companies go out of business within six months of a cyber attack.
- 48 percent of data security breaches are caused by acts of malicious intent. Human error or system failure account for the rest.
Where is cyber crime happening most?
The United States is No. 1 target for targeted attacks. Targeted attacks are often state-sponsored, though some have been by private groups. A nation might try to spy, disrupt, sabotage, or rob from another entity. The U.S. is the No. 1 target. Canada and western Europe are also heavily hit.
How much does a pen test cost?
Application testing. Web applications can be quite complex. There are many possibilities for vulnerability analysis including internal and external testing. The difference from a regular vulnerability test is the exploitation of possible weak spots in the network. The final decision on cost will depend on the number of roles in the application.
Network testing. Network also includes multiple options. Network pen testing incorporates firewall bypass tests, DNS attacks testing. Overall, it is a crash test of your network environment. Depending on how intricate your network is, network pen tests can vary in depth and cost. Some companies provide a fixed price whiles others charge per diem. At the end the cyber firm you use should provide a robust report showing any concerns by priority and will usually perform a followup pen test after any remediation has taken place. The network testing can include IPS and routing issues scans, port scanning, services like FTP, MySQL, SSH, etc. The penetration test cost and techniques may differ by the number and types of services to be tested and the tools used in the process.
The pricing for a network pen test starts around $4,000 CAN. Anything below the price is very unlikely to be a quality testing. The testing is divided into internal and external components as well as automated and manual (real person). If your system is complex, the price will vary.
