Although software and penetration testing have gained more importance in 2019, firms started shifting their focus on these types of testing to ensure that apps and software do not collapse under the increased load. These cyber security practices are adopted to cover the increasing number of vulnerabilites and potential threats introduced by accelerated remote working trends. This year businesses are moving towards adopting this further to ensure quality and security practices to deliver and secure IT networks that have changed beyond imagination.
We saw companies being reluctant about remot working and completely shifting to cloud solutions. Whereas in 2020, these trends have been adopted to survive their businesses in the new normal. So in 2021, the use of cloud-based systems has increased becoming new normal for many businesses. Businesses tend to hire more penetration testing companies as new networks, systems and processes need to be assessed for vulnerabilities, especially before threat actors can take advantage of these solutions that enable remote working and social distancing.
With the COVID-19 outbreak, many enterprises implemented disaster recovery and business continuity plans. Offices were closed for extended durations due to the lockdown orders. Many businesses required adding new equipment, software subscriptions and increased cloud capacity to their working capacity. Some of these firms make decisions in a haste, mostly temporary, risking the solutions to enable remote work from the start of the lockdown. This was done to replace them with more robust and long-term solutions. They further adopt cloud with the help of firewall or VPN solution upgrades as companies aim to become more flexible. As a result, the scope of testing is expected to change.
For many businesses shifting to DevOps was helpful, this approach will be widely seen is businesses of various size in the coming years. Project managers will be accpeting more risks and adopting new ways of working. Migration to cloud technology will see DevOps methodogoy utilizing to integrate, manage and improve new cloud-based systems and processes. IT departments, and managers should adopt systems and their management to IT networks that are different and the end-point devices are more widely distributed. Employees working remotely will need greater cyber awareness to protect themselves against attakcs that could occur from their home or work equipment.
Additional IoT devices, with effective security perimeters
Thi change in the current era, the working practices have seen and continue to see, a more wider use of mobile devices, systems and laptops used for work advantage and IoT devices used to enable social distancing and replacing human interaction. This change presents security parameters that businesses need to encompass entirely in the security and security testing efforts. Each element of a business system and each device that accesses business data and creates a network vulnerability should be tested for weakness and protected against threat actors and data breaches.
Remote working continues in this year and probably beyond, forcing security functions to move away from the traditional security approach and acknowledge that the user is being affected. Enterprises are expected to see a great use of encryption technologies, cloud computing and enpoint security, and they recognize their responsibilities extended to the security of their employees’ homes. In addition, these security programs focus on the risks of working away from the office. While traditional risks such as phishing will increase, firms face an increasing new wave of attacks aimed at smart IoT devices. Just from home lighting to cameras and security, all these are included. Against tihis background, firms need to ensure that devices are robustly secure before being launched into production and penetration testing companeies need to have a proof of compliance with security standards.
Cyber attackers have almost certainly taken the year to amp up their efforts as new business systems and networks become more distributed and cloud-based. People are using technology to work in various ways, presenting new opportunity for hackers and security attackers. Employers need to be aware of the cyber attacks they could be vulnerable to at home. The isolated working practices may make emplpyees more vulnerable to social engineering attacks or bad practices without colleagues to consult with, and get more opportunitues to secure the onpremises work habits. Software and security testers experience a rise in the enquiries and predict that businesses that have adapted more stringent cyber security practices will be considering better penetration testing companies for their software projects. So it is important for businesses to ensure best penetration testing practices to earn their business goals.
Penetration Testing Techniques in 2021 