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Data is widely accepted as one of the most valuable assets of a modern business. A company’s reputation is thus closely tied to how secure it keeps sensitive information. Regardless of your industry, your IT channels serve as the nerve center of your organization, making their security paramount. Malicious attacks and data breaches are unfortunate risks in the digital age, and this article will reveal how you can ensure data security through Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT).
What is VAPT?
VAPT is a method that helps your organization to identify and fix security weaknesses before attackers discover them.
By making weaknesses visible, systems operators can then best determine how to fix them. Penetration tests also give organizations a general overview of their network’s overall strength.
Why are VAPT tools important?
VAPT is an important check on the security level of your network and is often a mandatory process to allow organizations to meet regulatory compliance requirements. It also bolsters your business’ reputation and protects against fines, lawsuits and loss of business in the form of reduced sales and tarnished reputation.
Intensive and regular VAPT exercises can also be insurance against major infrastructure overhauls. Effective VAPT tools preemptively minimize disruptions of key business operations due to IT outages from data breaches. If your business deals in sensitive data, or is subject to stringent regulations, a VAPT scan should be a priority.
How does a VAPT audit work?
Vulnerability Assessments determine weaknesses in information security processes in a computer system or network. The process can be performed manually, with a technician following an assessment procedure to spot vulnerabilities, or if time is limited, the process can be automated.
A Penetration Test is an authorized “pretend” attack on a computer system to check how secure it is. The test helps find and fix any security problems before hackers can take advantage of them.
A VAPT audit can be conducted in many ways, but typically, it consists of three main phases: Discovery, Assessment and Remediation. The tests begin with scoping to discover any open ports on devices that could provide access to networks and systems. After this, a vulnerability assessment is conducted. Once potential weaknesses are identified, a penetration test is then launched to exploit these vulnerabilities and determine the robustness of the system. Finally, a plan is formed and executed to remediate these discovered risks and restore data security.
How often should you employ VAPT tools?
Cybercriminals continuously modify the tools that they use to breach networks, making regular and robust cyber safety assessments necessary.
The frequency of VAPT exercises in your organization can be influenced by factors such as costs, the duration of the assessment, and the type of data being secured. Your VAPT schedule can also be determined by industry regulations. Health Care providers, for example, can be legally bound to conduct vulnerability and penetration tests every three years to protect sensitive data such as patient identities, health reports and social security numbers.
Although requirements vary across industries, it is generally recommended that vulnerability tests should be conducted across your network and applications at minimum twice a year, quarterly if your budget allows it and immediately after any new tech product update is released, to ensure the entire application stack is free of weaknesses.
Regular VAPT assessments also help to maintain compliance with industry regulations and standards, reducing the risk of fines and legal issues. They also enhance the company's security posture by uncovering hidden weaknesses and providing actionable insights for improvement. Ultimately, frequent VAPT assessments enhance a business’ reputation by demonstrating a commitment to protecting sensitive data and maintaining a secure environment.
As cyber attacks grow in frequency and sophistication, businesses must constantly evaluate the cyber security tools that best suit their size, industry and capabilities. VAPT assessment tools are an effective and thorough solution to modern security constraints. By working with an experienced VAPT solutions provider to systematically discover, assess and correct network vulnerabilities, companies can ensure round-the-clock consumer confidence and uninterrupted business functions.
Interested in how VAPT tools can enhance your operations? Contact Rewterz for expertly-led VAPT assessments to secure your organization!