Cybersecurity is not just about training, certifications, and dedicated hardware, but is also about performing thorough and thorough testing—a critical component for businesses that want to protect their assets, improve their reputation, and stay ahead of the latest security regulations and standards.
This is why it is very important that everyone is aware of the fundamental concepts of Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test. Let's look at them in more detail.
International regulations and standards increasingly explicitly require periodic security assessments. For example, the GDPR requires adequate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data, well supported by consistent accountability for penetration tests and vulnerability assessments.
Then there is the 8ISO/IEC 27001 standard to take into consideration, which talks about vulnerability assessment and testing the effectiveness of controls.
Furthermore, NIS2 (EU): strengthens the obligations for operators of essential services and requires regular security tests, and the DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act), specific to the financial sector, requires periodic operational resilience tests.
For all these regulations, it may be important, with all the relevant specifications, to demonstrate the regular execution of Vulnerability Assessments and Penetration Tests.
Let's now move on to the definitions.
Vulnerability Assessment is a systematic process of scanning, identifying and analyzing vulnerabilities in systems, applications, networks or devices. The purpose is to evaluate the attack surface of the organization and provide a detailed report of the vulnerabilities found, classified by risk level.
Vulnerability Assessment can be performed periodically or continuously using automated tools. However, it is essential that it is supported by manual analysis and contextual assessments.
Penetration testing is a controlled simulation of a cyber attack performed for the purpose of testing the real resistance of a system.
Main differences compared to VA:
A well-conducted Penetration Test is also useful for testing the responsiveness of the security team and incident response processes (Blue Team).
However, Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test are not only a regulatory recommendation, but also a potential investment useful for improving corporate reputation. The choice, for a company, to invest in these tools and to explain the value of this decision demonstrates to potential customers and shareholders a certain proactivity in risk management.
It is in fact demonstrated that VA and PT performed regularly help to concretely reduce the risk of data breach and the related media repercussions, especially when we are talking about large companies or those with a lot of exposure to the media.
VA/PT also support and facilitate certification, audit and due diligence processes.
Finally, let's think about how a security incident can have devastating impacts on image, market value and credibility. With adequate investment in prevention, this scenario can be easily avoided.
The best opportunity to perform a Vulnerability Assessment or Penetration test is certainly before the release of new applications or services, or following significant infrastructure changes.
Alternatively, it is advisable to set up a schedule for these activities, so that they are carried out continuously over time, without procedural “holes”. Depending on the strategic assessments made by your company, it may be appropriate to carry out a penetration test quarterly, or semi-annually.
It is certainly appropriate to devote specific energy to these types of tests following security incidents, although the ideal is always prevention.
To effectively implement Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test activities within the corporate strategy, it is essential to define a structured policy that integrates them as an integral part of the security strategy. It is also useful to maintain an updated register of vulnerabilities, complete with priorities, status and associated responsibilities, to ensure consistent monitoring and management of risk. In particularly critical or complex contexts, performing penetration tests in red team mode allows simulating advanced scenarios and evaluating actual resilience. The involvement of top management is essential to ensure strategic visibility and support for security initiatives. A further important step is the integration of VA and PT in development flows according to DevSecOps logics, so as to make security part of the software life cycle. Finally, the results obtained must also be enhanced from an educational perspective, using them to increase staff awareness and promote a widespread and continuous security culture.
In our cybersecurity experience, we have seen several cases of proven effectiveness of good penetration test and vulnerability assessment planning. For example, an Italian bank integrated quarterly Penetration Tests into its ISO 27001 audit program, achieving a 35% reduction in critical vulnerabilities detected year over year.
Or, an e-commerce discovered, through an Assessment, a RCE vulnerability (Remote Code Execution - a serious vulnerability that can almost always mean serious compromise of the systems) in a third-party module that was not updated. The timely correction avoided a potential data breach.
Last relevant case: a manufacturing SME, before applying for a European tender, performed a Penetration Test that highlighted unprotected access to PLCs. This allowed them to adopt corrective measures and successfully pass the audit.
In conclusion, the advice that is always valid for companies with digital assets, even if minimal, is to leave no stone unturned and turn to a digital consultant able to create an effective cyber threat protection strategy, including periodic Penetration Tests and Vulnerability Assessments.
