Even a small vulnerability in your cybersecurity strategy could be enough for hackers to infiltrate your systems. Penetration testing helps you find these security weaknesses, so you can address them before an attack happens.
There are two ways to conduct penetration testing. You can conduct tests manually using ethical hackers or automatically using vulnerability scanning software. While both options can be effective, many organizations prefer manual testing as it is more comprehensive.
Let’s take a look at how manual penetration testing works to help you determine if it’s right for your business.
Key Takeaways
- Manual penetration testing uses professional ethical hackers to simulate real-world cyberattacks.
- This process helps identify vulnerabilities in your cybersecurity strategy.
- Manual penetration testing is a very thorough process that can take several weeks to complete and results in extensive documentation.
- Some organizations require manual penetration testing for compliance.
- While manual penetration testing is more thorough than automated penetration testing, it’s also more expensive and may not be ideal for small businesses.
What is Manual Penetration Testing?
Manual penetration testing is a process in which ethical hackers break into your system to test its cybersecurity capabilities. These penetration testers use techniques similar to what cybercriminals would use, simulating what an attack would look like in the real world.
This testing process helps you identify areas for improvement in your cybersecurity systems and can help you prevent future cyberattacks. This approach has proven to be very effective, and the global penetration testing market is set to exceed US$5 billion annually by 2031.
Manual penetration testing differs significantly from automated penetration testing, although they share the same goals. Automated penetration testing uses vulnerability scanning software to identify possible weaknesses in your system, rather than working with professional testers.
Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages—it all depends on factors like your budget and goals.
How Manual Pen Testing Works
Manual penetration testing is conducted in real time by professional ethical hackers. While large organizations may have ethical hackers in-house, most companies hire a third-party service provider to conduct the test.
This approach is effective because it simulates real-world attack methods, providing valuable insights you can use to improve your security posture. While penetration testing methodologies are similar to those used by cybercriminals, they do not cause damage to your systems or expose sensitive data.
Some strategies that penetration testers use include:
- Reconnaissance: Collecting information about the target system and the company in general.
- Web-based attacks: Exploiting website vulnerabilities through SQL injections and cross-site scripting.
- Social engineering: Using phishing and other manipulative tactics to gain access credentials and infiltrate the system.
- Misconfiguration exploits: Identifying areas where security controls have not been set up properly, and using these misconfigurations as a system entry point.
Ethical hackers regularly adjust these strategies as technology changes to better reflect the strategies hackers use in the real world.
There are three primary approaches to penetration testing: black box, white box, and grey box. The difference between these approaches is the amount of information the ethical hacker is given before they start the process.
- Black box: Hacker does not have access to any of the target system’s internal code structure during the test.
- White box: Hacker is given comprehensive information about the target system’s internal structure and verifies its functionality during the testing process.
- Grey box: Hacker receives some information about the system to support targeted testing, but does not receive details about the entire system.
All three approaches can be very effective, depending on the complexity and structure of your systems.
As the ethical hackers work to infiltrate your system, they’ll create detailed reports breaking down all the vulnerabilities they found in your system. With this information, your security team can make improvements to prevent future cyberattacks.
The Pros and Cons of Manual Penetration Testing
Manual penetration is a proven cybersecurity strategy that has both advantages and disadvantages. If you’re considering using manual penetration testing services for your organization, here are the pros and cons to keep in mind when making your decision.
Pros of Manual Penetration Testing
Here are some of the advantages of manual penetration testing:
- Very thorough process: During manual penetration testing, security experts assess every aspect of your system to find possible vulnerabilities and test them using real-world strategies. This means you get very accurate results, without the risk of false positives that you would get with automated tools.
- Professional reporting: Once manual penetration testing is complete, you get a documented vulnerability assessment to reference as you improve your cybersecurity strategies.
- Customization is possible: Every organization has different cybersecurity needs. With manual penetration testing, you can customize your strategy based on the configuration of your systems and your current cybersecurity concerns.
- It may be necessary for compliance: Depending on your industry, your organization may need to meet certain security standards to stay compliant. In some cases, automated penetration testing tools may not be enough to meet these requirements, and you’ll need manual penetration testing instead.
Cons of Manual Penetration Testing
While manual penetration testing is a very effective cybersecurity strategy, it does have some downsides. Some disadvantages of manual penetration testing include:
- Upfront costs: To conduct manual penetration testing, you’ll likely need to hire an outside cybersecurity expert, which costs more than using online vulnerability scanners. If you’re working on a budget, this may not be the best option for your organization. However, manual penetration testing can save money in the long run by helping you avoid expensive cyber threats.
- Time-consuming: A manual penetration test can take several weeks to complete, whereas automated penetration testing can be done in a few hours or less.
- Difficult to scale: Ideally, you should conduct a new test each time you update your systems to identify new vulnerabilities. However, manual penetration testing is difficult to scale for frequent updates because it is so time-consuming.
Manual vs. Automated Pen Testing
| Manual Pen Testing | Automated Pen Testing | |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Conducted by ethical hackers | Conducted with software tools |
| Speed | Takes 2–3 weeks to complete | Takes an hour or less |
| Accuracy | Very accurate, no false positives | Risk of false positives, may overlook vulnerabilities |
| Cost | Higher upfront cost | Affordable options |
When Does Manual Pen Testing Make Sense?
There are many scenarios in which manual penetration testing makes the most sense for your security needs. The first is when you need manual security testing to meet compliance requirements.
In industries like healthcare or finance, which have very strict data privacy standards, automated testing may not be enough to remain compliant.
Manual penetration testing is also ideal if you have high-risk systems with complex configurations and sensitive data. In this case, manual penetration testing ensures you don’t overlook any pressing security issues and can also help you avoid frustrating false positives.
A manual approach is also necessary when testing for business logic security, as this can’t be done with automated scans. To test business logic, you’ll likely need to use white box or grey box methodology. Additionally, automated penetration testing can’t help you catch insider threats, but manual testing can.
There are some instances in which manual penetration testing does not make sense. For example, it might not be the best choice for small businesses checking for common vulnerabilities. In this situation, you’re likely focusing on getting an evaluation done quickly and affordably.
Can a Business Do It In-House?
While it’s possible to conduct manual penetration testing in-house, the process is very difficult. Working as a penetration tester requires a very unique skill set, and even if you have an in-house IT team, there’s a good chance that none of your employees have the necessary skills to conduct the test.
Additionally, it’s impossible to do black box manual testing in-house. This is because your team will already have an understanding of your system’s internal coding structure and security mechanisms. They may also struggle to spot security vulnerabilities that a third-party team would find.
In most cases, external manual penetration services are worth the investment. While this service does come with a high upfront cost, it will also help you find vulnerabilities you would have overlooked in your testing. Fixing these problems can help you avoid costly cybersecurity issues in the future.
How Managed IT Services Can Help
If you’re ready to improve your cybersecurity strategy, a managed IT service provider can help you set up and administer manual penetration tests and implement security recommendations after the test is complete.
At Tech Advisors, we’re here to help you keep your systems safe, so you can focus on your business. Contact us today to learn more and get started.
