Penetration testing vs vulnerability scanning: What’s the difference?
Vulnerability scanning and penetration testing are vital pieces of the security puzzle, and it’s important to understand the difference between the two. Both vulnerability scanning and penetration testing can be used to assess the entire IT infrastructure, but in this article, we will limit the scope to web applications.
Vulnerability scanning is an automated process. The tool scans a web application for known weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Vulnerability scanners generate a list of the issues detected, listing the severity of each issue and its potential implications. What to do with this information is up to you.
Penetration testing, on the other hand, is not a tool but an approach. A penetration tester uses various methods to penetrate a web application from the outside in. Penetration testers often use automated tools, but the real value comes from their expertise and expert understanding of the threat landscape. This type of testing is comprehensive and looks beyond known vulnerabilities, helping organizations identify zero-day exploits.
What is a vulnerability scan?
A vulnerability scan compares its findings against a database of known security threats. Vulnerability scanning focuses on common issues like SQL injection or cross-site scripting attacks, and provides an overall picture of the application’s security posture.
Vulnerability scans are an important part of maintaining security and compliance, and help organizations protect themselves against known threats and amateur hackers. However, since scans focus on known vulnerabilities, they are not enough to withstand a targeted attack by an advanced persistent threat.
What are the benefits of vulnerability scanning?
There are several benefits of vulnerability scanning for business applications, including:
- Identifying vulnerabilities: Discover known vulnerabilities in an organization’s applications.
- Prioritizing remediation efforts: Identify the severity of identified vulnerabilities, enabling them to focus on high-risk areas first.
- Automating scans: Vulnerability scanning can be automated and conducted on a regular basis to provide ongoing monitoring of security vulnerabilities, ensuring that any new vulnerabilities are detected as soon as possible.
- Integration with other tools: Vulnerability scanners can be integrated with other security tools to provide a complete picture of an organization’s security posture.
Overall, vulnerability scanning is an important component of any business’s cybersecurity strategy. This is especially important for business applications that handle sensitive information, such as personal or financial data. A breach of this information can lead to significant financial losses, damage to reputation, and legal liabilities.
Outpost24 offers a comprehensive vulnerability management solution, with risk-based prioritization that focuses on the likelihood of an actual attack, to help business better focus their remediation efforts.
What is a penetration test?
There are many different types of penetration tests, including network penetration tests, external penetration tests, internal penetration tests, social engineering penetration tests, and wireless penetration tests, and of course web application penetration tests, which is the primary example for this blog.
In the traditional approach, penetration tests are conducted annually by trained professionals who use various tools and techniques, such as exploiting known vulnerabilities, social engineering, and password cracking, to gain access. Pen testers attempt to mimic the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of threat actors to imitate real attacks to identify potential vulnerabilities and misconfigurations and provide actionable insights on how to remediate identified issues.
What are the benefits of penetration testing?
There are several benefits of penetration testing for business applications. It can help organizations to:
- Identify potential vulnerabilities and misconfigurations
- Demonstrate compliance with various regulations and requirements
- Maintain their security posture
Additionally, penetration testing can also provide organizations with peace of mind that their web applications are secure and help them develop a better understanding of potential threats and how to respond to them in the event of an attack.
What are the drawbacks of the traditional pen testing model?
The major drawback of traditional penetration testing is that it is time-consuming and costly. It also requires skilled and highly specialized resources to conduct the tests and produce reports, which can be difficult for some organizations to use.
Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) is an alternative approach to traditional penetration testing that offers several advantages. Here are some reasons PTaaS may be a better fit for today’s threat landscape:
- Continuous testing: With PTaaS, organizations can conduct continuous testing of their web applications rather than relying on point-in-time assessments. This allows for ongoing monitoring of security vulnerabilities and faster detection and remediation of any issues.
- Scalability: PTaaS can easily scale to meet the needs of organizations when multiple applications require testing.
- Flexibility: PTaaS can be customized to meet the specific needs of each organization, including the scope of the test, frequency of testing, and level of reporting.
- Cost-effectiveness: By offering a subscription-based model, PTaaS can be more cost-effective than traditional penetration testing, particularly for small or mid-sized businesses that may not have the budget for regular assessments.
- Expertise: With PTaaS, organizations have access to a team of experienced security professionals who can provide guidance and support throughout the testing process.
Penetration testing vs vulnerability scanning comparison: Which is best?
Both vulnerability scanning and penetration testing are essential tools in assessing and improving the security of your web applications and reducing the chance of incidents. They help identify potential vulnerabilities and misconfigurations that could be exploited by malicious actors, enabling organizations to address them before they become a problem.
| Vulnerability Scanning | Penetration Testing |
|---|---|
| Identifies known vulnerabilities in an application. | Simulates an attack against an organization’s applications to identify potential weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers. |
| Can be automated and conducted regularly to provide ongoing monitoring of security vulnerabilities. | A more targeted approach that involves manual testing techniques and can take longer to complete than vulnerability scanning. |
| Identifies low-hanging fruit vulnerabilities that can be easily remediated. | Provides a more comprehensive view of an organization’s security posture by identifying potential weaknesses that may not have been identified through vulnerability scanning alone. |
| Helps organizations prioritize their remediation efforts based on the severity of the identified vulnerabilities. | Helps organizations understand how attackers could potentially exploit their applications, providing valuable insights into specific areas that require attention. |
| May produce false positives or miss certain types of vulnerabilities depending on the scanning tool used. | Can identify both technical and business logic flaws in web applications, providing a more holistic view of an organization’s security posture. |
Penetration testing and vulnerability scanning help organizations maintain their security posture by identifying areas for improvement, and providing actionable insights on how to remediate any potential threats.
What compliance regulations require penetration testing vs vulnerability scanning?
Several mandates and regulations require vulnerability scanning and/or penetration testing as a part of their compliance requirements. Regular scans and pen testing provide organizations with evidence of a strong security posture, which can be used to demonstrate compliance with various regulations:
| Vulnerability Scanning | Penetration Testing | |
|---|---|---|
| PCI DSS | Requires quarterly external and internal vulnerability scans for compliance. | Requires annual penetration testing by an authorized third-party provider or an internal team qualified to perform the testing. |
| HIPPA | Regular vulnerability assessments to identify potential risks or vulnerabilities to electronically protected health information. | Recommends conducting periodic penetration testing to assess the effectiveness of security controls in place, although it is not explicitly required. |
| ISO 27001 | Requires regular vulnerability assessments as part of its risk management process. | Recommends conducting periodic penetration tests as part of a risk management process, although it is not explicitly required. |
How does EASM differ from vulnerability scanning & penetration testing?
Many people wonder how an External Attack Surface Management (EASM) solution is different from a traditional vulnerability scanner or a penetration testing exercise.
EASM differs from vulnerability scanning and penetration testing in that it focuses on continuously discovering and monitoring an organization’s exposed assets from an attacker’s perspective, often identifying unknown or unmanaged systems. While vulnerability scanning and penetration testing assess known assets for weaknesses and exploitability, EASM helps ensure that nothing is overlooked in the first place. These approaches are not in competition; rather, they complement each other. EASM enhances the effectiveness of scanning and testing by ensuring a complete and current inventory of assets to secure.
Here’s a breakdown of all three, highlighting the differences in scope, input, timing and results:
| External Attack Surface Management | Vulnerability scanning | Penetration testing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scan scope | All internet-facing assets. A strong focus on discovering knowns & unknowns. | Only known IPs, internal & external. | Specialized: Specific app or break-in assignment. |
| Scanner installation | Create account in online platform. | Deploy one or more scanner instances based on locations & size of IP scope. | Hire a pentester. |
| Input needs (seeds) | Minimal: Email domain, primary domains (optionally IPs). | Known IPs. | Assignment specific: IPs, URLs, apps, etc. |
| Timing | Continuous (daily/weekly/monthly updates) | Configurable and scan-based. | Usually one-off missions or yearly exercises. |
| Scan aggressiveness | Passive: Human-like & safe, normal traffic. | Configurable. | Aggressive: Break-in style. |
| Results representation | Holistic & continuous reporting. | Scan-based reports. | Assignment-based report. |
Interested in how EASM could enhance your overall security posture? Map your attack surface for free today.
The bottom line: combine vulnerability scanning and penetration testing
Both vulnerability scanning and penetration testing are important components of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, and each serve a different purpose.
Vulnerability scanning helps to identify known vulnerabilities in web applications, such as outdated software or configuration errors. Regular scanning can ensure that known vulnerabilities are identified and remediated quickly before they can be exploited by attackers.
Penetration testing takes a more targeted approach, simulating an attack against the web application to identify potential weaknesses that could not have been detected through vulnerability scanning alone. This provides a deeper understanding of the organization’s security posture and can help identify specific areas that require attention.
Together, vulnerability scanning and penetration testing offer a layered approach: scanning ensures continuous visibility and timely remediation of known risks, while penetration testing provides deeper insight into how those risks could be exploited in the real world. Used in tandem, they significantly strengthen an organization’s ability to detect, understand, and defend against both common and advanced threats.
Strengthen your security posture with Outpost24’s PTaaS
Outpost24 offers continuous monitoring and automated testing to ensure your organization remains aware of vulnerabilities and weaknesses across your web applications. Our Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) combines human-led penetration testing with automated scanning, enabling continuous monitoring and proactive vulnerability detection to make sure your applications stay secure while minimizing delays in your development cycle.
By switching to a PTaaS solution like Outpost24’s, you can achieve a comprehensive, proactive approach to cybersecurity — enhancing visibility, prioritizing risks effectively, and strengthening your overall security posture against evolving threats.
Ready to level up your security posture? Request a free live demo today.
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