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Why Innovative CISOs Are Turning to Continuous Pen Testing to Stay Ahead Of Adversaries - All Articles - CISO Platform
Why Innovative CISOs Are Turning to Continuous Pen Testing to Stay Ahead Of Adversaries

In the high-stakes cybersecurity arena, enterprises continually seek innovative strategies to safeguard their digital assets against evolving threats. Traditionally, security assessments have relied on periodic penetration testing and red team exercises to identify vulnerabilities and shore up defenses. However, these methods often fall short in the face of today's dynamic threat landscape. Continuous Automated Red Teaming (CART), a game-changing approach that leverages automation and machine learning to simulate cyberattacks continuously, helps solve the above challenges.

 

Addressing the Challenges of Security Teaming in Enterprises

Despite their critical roles, security teams encounter several challenges in their effort to safeguard organizational assets:

  • Shadow IT & Incomplete Asset Inventory: Organizations are testing partial assets that miss Shadow IT assets like the Preprod systems, Cloud buckets ..etc. The current testing typically tests 20% of the assets or crown jewels, whereas the peripheral assets are missed.

  • “Testing Point-In-Time vs Continuous Attacks From Hackers”: Organizations test “some” of their assets “some of the time,” whereas hackers attack all of the assets all of the time. Currently, the pen test or red team test reports generated are only for a point in time, while continuous alerts are required.

  • Silos and Communication Barriers: Lack of collaboration between red, blue, and purple teams can lead to disjointed efforts and missed opportunities to address vulnerabilities comprehensively.

  • Skill Shortages and Training Needs: The rapidly evolving threat landscape necessitates continuous upskilling and training for security professionals, yet many organizations need help attracting and retaining top talent with the requisite expertise.

  • Tool Integration Complexity: The proliferation of security tools and technologies can result in integration challenges, making it difficult for teams to streamline workflows and effectively leverage available resources.


The Future of Offensive Attack Simulation: Continuous Pen testing

Continuous Pen Testing operates on the principle of persistent threat emulation, constantly testing existing defenses and applications to uncover weaknesses and blind spots. By automating the execution of red team exercises, organizations can gain real-time insights into their security posture, enabling proactive risk mitigation and rapid response to emerging threats. This paradigm shift from point-in-time testing to continuous testing marks a significant leap forward in cybersecurity resilience.

CISO Platform Fireside Chat - Future of Offensive Attack Simulation Strategies, Tools & Techniques



 

Why Innovative CISOs Are Turning to Continuous Pen Testing to Stay Ahead Of Adversaries

In the relentless battle against cyber threats, organizations are turning to innovative solutions like Continuous Testing to fortify their defenses and stay one step ahead of adversaries. New solutions have emerged for Continuous Pen Testing and External Attack Surface Management (EASM), enabling organizations to map out their digital attack surface, including shadow IT blind spots and automatically launch safe multi-stage attacks, mimicking an actual attacker, to help identify attack paths before hackers do:

  • Continuous Pen Testing: enables organizations to emulate real-world cyberattacks through safe multi-stage attacks. By mimicking the tactics of actual threat actors, CART helps identify and prioritize vulnerabilities before hackers exploit them.

  • External Attack Surface Management (EASM): EASM solution provides organizations with comprehensive visibility into their digital attack surface. By continuously discovering and monitoring the deep, dark, and surface webs, EASM helps uncover shadow IT blind spots and proactively identify potential attack paths.

Learn Why EASM Is Foundational For Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) & Penetration Testing

 

New Trends From Gartner Hype Cycle Including External Attack Surface Management (EASM), Automated Pentesting & Red Teaming 

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Matthew Ireland
Matthew Ireland is the CISO at NTT Research, where he focuses on aligning security with business innovation. With extensive experience in cybersecurity leadership, Ireland emphasizes the importance of understanding organizational culture and adapting security strategies to meet evolving business needs. His insights have been shared in various forums, including a recent fireside chat on strategic security management.

Bikash Barai
Bikash Barai is the co-founder of CISOPlatform and FireCompass, platforms dedicated to empowering cybersecurity leaders with actionable insights and community-driven solutions. As a seasoned cybersecurity expert, Barai advocates for leveraging peer networks and innovative tools to enhance security postures. His work supports CISOs in navigating complex security challenges and staying ahead of emerging threats.

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