Manual Pentesting Beats Automated Solutions

The Importance of Expertise: Why Manual Pentesting Beats Automated Solutions

TABLE OF CONTENT

• Introduction
• The Power of Manual Penetration Testing
• What is Automated Penetration Testing?
• Dynamic Application Security Testing
• Interactive Application Security Testing
• Automation Versus Aided Manual Penetration Testing
• What is Manual Penetration Testing?
• Infrastructure Penetration Testing
• Key Points For Effective Penetration Testing
• Prioritizing Information Security Budget
• Conclusion

Introduction

When it comes to Cyber Security, Penetration Testing (Pentesting) is a critical component of any organization’s defense strategy. It is the process of simulating a Cyber Attack to identify vulnerabilities in an organization’s network and systems,so that appropriate countermeasures can be taken.Choosing the right Pentesting provider is a crucial decision that can make the difference between a successful and an ineffective Pentesting project. While the type of Pentesting offered is important, the expertise and experience of the provider can often be an even more critical factor.

The Power of Manual  Penetration Testing

Manual Pentesting, which is performed by skilled security experts who have a vast experience in this specific field, is often more effective than automated solutions. Automated solutions may be easy to use, but they lack the human touch and intuition that goes into a manual Pentesting process. It requires more planning, more recon, and real humans that will be studying your business engaging in critical thinking while performing targeted attacks that will accurately and reliably find more than just issues that you get from automation.

This human touch is particularly important when it comes Penetration Testing. They can use the information provided based on client’s needs, and create a simulation of the target environment including mapping the complete infrastructure relation. They can model potential attack points and develop custom attacks for each organization. This is very important aspect in contrast with automated solutions. Automated solutions may be able to launch basic and known attacks, but a targeted, manual attack that takes into consideration OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) and recon are much more likely to succeed and much harder for the target to detect. Also, Automated Solutions are not designed to assess the different types of devices such as IoT and so on. For Example, you use a Web Application Scanners to conduct assessments on websites, what happens when you want to test a sophisticated EDR, XDR or WAF? Which Automated tool can identify the type of device, and according to the type run the specific recon and attacks? – Only Manual Expertise can do this, and false positives with pre-configured one size fit all tools are always there and cannot even exploit the vulnerabilities.

What is Automated Penetration Testing?

Automated Penetration Testing involves using various tools and software to simulate an attack on a company's systems. Various automated tools exist. Two of the most prevalent are Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) and Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST).

Dynamic Application Security Testing

DAST analyzes running applications to detect vulnerabilities. DAST tools, often referred to as web application scanners or web vulnerability scanners, analyze applications from the outside in, simulating attacks from a hacker's perspective. These tools are often used to test web applications, APIs, and mobile applications. DAST tools can identify common vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and others, making them an important part of an organization's security toolset.

Interactive Application Security Testing

IAST also analyzes running applications, but unlike DAST, IAST tools analyze the application from the inside out, injecting sensors into the application to gather data on how it behaves and interacts with the wider system.

IAST tools can detect vulnerabilities in real time as the application is running and provide detailed information on the cause of vulnerabilities. This can help developers quickly identify and remediate vulnerabilities during the development process. IAST tools can be integrated into DevOps workflows, making them a valuable resource for organizations looking to improve their security posture while maintaining development agility.

Automation Versus Aided Manual Penetration Testing

It’s important to understand the distinction between truly automated penetration testing and tests where pentesters use tools to assist them. The latter is still manual testing, even if it’s made more efficient by aids such as web application testing suites and network protocol analyzers.

True automated testing is a fast and efficient way to test for vulnerabilities and can protect against a variety of threats, but poorly configured automation may not catch everything, and you may face compatibility problems with some tools. This is why an expert pentest partner is so important when it comes to getting automated pentesting right and balancing it with human expertise.

What is Manual Penetration Testing?

On the other hand, manual penetration testing is a human-led approach to testing for vulnerabilities. In manual testing, experienced pentesters will attempt to attack the system with various tools and methods to find vulnerabilities.

Manual penetration testing can provide valuable benefits that automated testing cannot. While automated tools are useful in detecting common vulnerabilities, they often can't match the comprehensiveness and flexibility of human-led manual testing. Skilled testers can analyze a given system from different angles and evaluate its security posture from multiple perspectives, providing more nuanced insight into potential vulnerabilities.

Scanning tools often include false positives. So, while they offer ease of use to review a target system, they do not provide as much of an in-depth review as a manual pentest provides. Further, scanners will often miss complex business logic exploits, logic flaws, or other security flaws that a manual pentest can reveal.

However, manual testing requires a significant amount of time, resources, and expertise. Because of this, it can be quite expensive to conduct effectively. A proficient team of penetration testers can be difficult to find, and the rigorous nature of manual testing means that it often takes much longer to complete than automated testing. As such, not all organizations have the means to conduct manual testing at the level required for optimal security. Thankfully, Cobalt's PtaaS solution offers customers the ability to tap into a network of over 400 qualified testers.

The solution is to supplement manual testing with automated testing, creating a blended approach that combines the strengths of both methods. Automated testing can quickly detect simple, common vulnerabilities while manual testing can dig deeper and provide comprehensive coverage against more sophisticated threats.

Infrastructure Penetration Testing

Infrastructure Pentesting is another area where manual expertise is critical. Automated vulnerability scanners may be able to identify certain vulnerabilities, but they cannot always identify the underlying hardware and software systems in place. This requires manual Pentesting and a deep understanding of the target environment. Furthermore, experience in bug bounty hunting and red teaming can be a strong indicator of a provider’s expertise and capabilities.

It is important to note that not all Pentesting providers are created equal. Internal Pentesting, which focuses on the vulnerabilities within an organization’s internal network, requires a different approach than external Pentesting, which focuses on the vulnerabilities in an organization’s internet-facing systems. Furthermore, organizations that handle sensitive information, such as financial or personal data, may require specialized Pentesting solutions that focus specifically on those areas.

Key Points For Effective Penetration Testing:

Here are several key points to consider to ensure a successful and effective Pentesting project:

Independence

A provider that is independent of the organization being tested provides a more objective and unbiased assessment of the organization’s vulnerabilities.

Expertise and experience

To identify and assess potential attacks, it’s crucial to choose a provider with deep knowledge of the latest attack methods, technologies, and trends, as well as experience in various aspects of Offensive Security. A provider who creates their own tools and actively participates in Bug Bounty Programs and other Red Teaming techniques demonstrates a high level of expertise, which is vital to detect and mitigate complex threats. Paying attention to these details can help you choose a reliable and competent provider.

Methodology

A structured and systematic approach to penetration testing also ensures that the testing is consistent and repeatable. This allows for accurate comparison of results over time and across different systems. It also helps to avoid missing critical areas or overlooking important vulnerabilities. By using a well-defined methodology, the provider can produce reliable and meaningful results that are useful for improving your organization’s security posture.

Real-world simulation

To provide an accurate assessment of an organization’s vulnerabilities and the potential impact of an attack, it’s important to choose a provider that conducts real-world simulations.A provider that simulates real-world attacks, instead of asking the organization to whitelist their IP address, can identify vulnerabilities that may not be apparent otherwise, in the real world hackers will not book an appointment with you or ask you to whitelist anything. This approach also allows the provider to assess the organization’s ability to detect and respond to attacks in real-time.

Communication and Scalability

A provider that delivers a comprehensive and actionable report is important. The report should clearly identify vulnerabilities, their impact, and recommendations for remediation. An intuitive PTaaS remediation platform can further enhance the value of the report.

With such platforms, experienced pentesters can provide scalable solutions tailored to organizations of varying sizes, adapting methodologies to meet client needs and providing modern remediation solutions that elegantly visualize vulnerabilities. This approach facilitates real-time collaboration between pentesters and the Blue Team (Defensive Team) responsible for remediation, enabling swift risk management and minimizing the impact of security threats by easily creating a better plan based on important and criticality. With instant access to comprehensive results, progress tracking, and seamless team collaboration, this integrated approach enhances system security more effectively than traditional lengthy reports, ensuring timely action and continuous protection.

Compliance

Many industries are subject to regulatory standards governing the protection of sensitive data, such as GDPR for personal data or PCI DSS for payment card information. Experienced pentesters are well-versed in these regulatory requirements and can ensure that pentesting activities align with these standards. Their expertise is a valuable asset in helping the organization ensure that its systems are compliant.

Prioritizing Information Security Budget

Unfortunately, creating a budget for Information Security Solutions is often an afterthought for many organizations. The focus is often on hardware and software expenses, leaving little room for investment in comprehensive security assessments and mitigation strategies. However, it is important to prioritize information security, even when launching a new business.

Regular Pentesting can help organizations identify vulnerabilities and plan for mitigation, reducing the risk of a potential cyber attack. Choosing a pentesting provider that offers tailored solutions based on a budget is crucial in this regard. Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, organizations should opt for providers that offer customized solutions to meet their specific needs and budget constraints. This ensures that security measures are not only effective but also aligned with the unique circumstances of the organization. By customizing solutions, businesses can optimize their investments in security, allocating resources where they will provide the greatest value in mitigating risks and reducing the risks of a security breach.

Conclusion

In conclusion, choosing the right Pentesting provider is crucial for the success of any Pentesting project. A provider with expertise in manual, targeted attacks and experience in various aspects of Offensive Security and Red Teaming can ensure that a comprehensive and effective Pentesting project is carried out. The right provider can help an organization identify vulnerabilities, assess the impact of potential attacks, and implement appropriate countermeasures to improve overall its Cyber Security posture