How to Select a Penetration Testing Service Provider?

March 07 10:39 2017 by Nataliia Vasylyna Print This Article

To have security testing effectively and thoroughly performed is quite a difficult task, especially, if this type of software testing is going to be outsourced. It is important to have pen tests executed under the real world conditions. This requires the defined budget. So, how to choose a proper service provider?

A set of specific aspects should be reviewed and analyzed in order to select the company that will provide the services of a high quality and ensure the high level of system security.

What Factors Will Help to Choose a Team for Pen Testing?

Experience and skills. It is obvious that the testers should be well-skills, have profound knowledge of the field and have got all resources required for thorough penetration testing. While hiring, it is necessary to ask for a detailed description of the whole testing procedure and the evaluation of possible risks.
Test scope. The test team should determine and provide the description of what must be included into the target environment and what should be scoped out. The limited test scope ensures more effective checking of the particular system aspect. But it should not be too broad and too narrow.
The choice between white box testing and black box testing. Both these types have cons as well as pros. White box technique provides the attacker to be more close to the internal environment, while black box method ensures the checking from a real-world perspective.
Test goals and schedule. Before running the tests, the main and additional testing goals should be defined and analyzed. Actually, the test writing should be based on the specified goals. The test team should clearly realize what the company expects to get at the end of testing.

The point is that not only the recommendations and reputation of testing company play role but also the specifics of its work and the vision of testing of both the client and the performer should coincide.