Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) - closing the vulnerability gap

Penetration testing is a cornerstone of any effective cybersecurity strategy - it reveals critical system weaknesses and vulnerabilities, enabling them to be fixed before they can be exploited. However, as cyberthreats have grown in sophistication, frequency and impact, traditional approaches have begun to fall short and ticking a box annually for compliance purposes will not adequately protect any organisation.

- Nemanja Krstić | Operations Manager | Managed Security Services | Galix | [e-mail]

Following the broader trend in cybersecurity for a more proactive and adaptive approach, penetration testing has evolved into a continuous, intelligence-driven function, but this is difficult for many organisations to manage in-house.

Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) has emerged in response to this challenge. It allows organisations to move beyond static, point-in-time tests and adopt a more dynamic approach that mimics how real attackers behave.

Moving beyond automated scans

Penetration testing has typically been performed once or twice a year, which leaves sizeable gaps during which new vulnerabilities can, and almost certainly do, emerge. Given the impact of a breach in today's world, this is a significant risk.

PTaaS offers an effective solution, adding a crucial layer of real-world attack simulation and leveraging skilled experts and AI-driven platforms to simulate genuine threat actor behaviours.

Not only does PTaaS outsource the function of penetration testing, but it also ensures organisations can leverage continuous testing that integrates into their development cycle. This means that security is always maintained, even as systems evolve.