Penetration testing tools try to exploit vulnerabilities using proven attack methods, allowing you to see how your defenses perform and to identify any gaps or misconfigurations. A robust security program can't operate on good practices and faith alone—you need to test and exercise your defenses to ensure they're up to the task. The best way to do this is by simulating real-world attacks.
的可用性 渗透测试工具, 既开源又付费, lowers the barrier for testing and means you can find the best in-house tool for your abilities without having to rely on pricey, infrequent third-party tests to assess the strength of your security programs.
Adding 渗透测试工具 to your arsenal can serve many purposes, including:
Validating which vulnerabilities pose an actual risk to your environment
Good 脆弱性管理 practices help prioritize which vulnerabilities you should mitigate; 渗透测试工具, 反过来, validate whether these vulnerabilities pose a threat, 为您节省更多的时间和资源. Pen testing tools will try to exploit identified vulnerabilities using real-world attack methods, providing a useful proof point regarding whether a vulnerability is exploitable in your environment or not.
Verifying that your controls, tools, and teams are working effectively to stop attacks
Considering the time that goes into installing, configuring, and maintaining 安全工具 以及公司环境下的项目, you want to be sure that everything you've put in place—from password security measures and policies to intrusion detection/intrusion prevention systems—will hold up in an attack scenario. 这是人为因素, too; better to run your security team through a fire drill simulation than to test them for the first time during a real attack.
证明符合行业法规
Chances are there are several mandated security compliance regulations in your industry, 还有许多重要的法规，包括 PCI DSS-需要经常进行渗透测试. Different compliance measures may have different requirements around how the test should be conducted and how frequently, so do your diligence to understand what’s required for the regulations that impact you.
当评估 渗透测试解决方案, consider the following tips to get the most out of your investment.
通过自动化节省时间
A lot of 渗透测试 tasks can be successfully automated without losing effectiveness. 您正在考虑的工具是否提供 强大的自动化功能? 您可以自动化更琐碎的步骤, the more your team can focus on tasks requiring their skill and attention. This is especially key if weighing the benefit of purchasing a paid solution against an open source or free tool; time is money, and automation is where you'll see the greatest efficiency and cost savings over time.
在需要时进行细化
如上所述, automation is a key time-saving feature that can free up teams to focus on more skilled work. It's crucial that your team can take over and do a technical deep dive when needed. A veteran pen tester doesn't need wizards or automated tests, and they may want to get right into the code and get working. Be sure to evaluate whether your 渗透测试 tool will give them the leeway to do this.
通过镜像真实世界的攻击进行有效测试
Not all 渗透测试工具 simulate the same attacks that real-world attacks do. 听起来有点不合逻辑，但是你 do want to make sure your pen testing tool will test your defenses the same way an attacker might, and not "go easy" on them using simulations that aren't realistic. 您的渗透测试工具应该利用 exploits and techniques used in the real world by actual attackers to be sure you're putting your defenses through their paces.
Maximize results with data sharing and robust reporting
If you have more than one staff member using a 渗透测试 tool, you'll want to allow for easy collaboration and data sharing. Any data sets (like credentials) that one tester gains access to should be shared with other testers easily within the pen testing tool to make sure the test is as effective as possible.
In addition to the insights gathered during the pen test, 还将产生大量的数据. 这对您的技术团队来说都是好事, but often the results need to be read and understood by security stakeholders who may not have technical expertise. A robust pen testing tool should also provide reporting capabilities to translate important details into easily understandable trends and key takeaways.
Properly testing your defenses is critical for a strong security program. 通过使用 渗透测试 模拟真实世界攻击的工具, you’ll better understand any potential weaknesses you may have and how to fix them proactively.