"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." A famous phrase known to all indicates that our perceptions influence our definitions. The same can be said about penetration testing. Often when clients approach us for what they believe to be a penetration test, their definition and needs do not necessarily meet the accepted approach of those within the security field.

Hundreds of thousands of websites and applications are targeted and attacked every day. SANS institute finds that 60% of cyber attacks have targeted web apps. Most web applications have urgent and critical vulnerabilities. Automatic vulnerability scanners are geared toward evaluating the security posture of the organization. Do you think your automatic scanner alone can cover all aspects of security assessment?

Odds are, you are already in the cloud. According to the Flexera 2021 State of the Cloud Report, 99% of people surveyed are using at least one cloud service in their business, and 97% of respondents are using at least one public cloud. The rewards of moving into the cloud are significant. In the cloud, you can build and launch new services and add computing capacity more easily than you can on premises, and in a more cost-effective manner.

It is hard to believe, but ransomware is more than three decades old. While many would think that the ransomware mayhem started with the WannaCry attack of 2017, that is simply the most publicized example. Since then, dozens of ransomware strains have been utilized in a variety of cyberattacks.

The goal of a SOC 2 audit is to evaluate and verify how a service provider, whether an IT provider, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, or other outsourced solution, handles sensitive customer data. Companies are pursuing SOC 2 certification because it is an industry-recognized way to show customers that their security program is worthy of their trust. When thinking about how to prepare for a SOC 2 audit, cyber risk assessment and penetration testing should be on your list.