External Network Testing

Network security is paramount in today's increasingly connected world, where data is vital to every business. What's more, new vulnerabilities emerge every day, making external network penetration testing a fundamental tool. External network penetration tests are designed to discover and exploit vulnerabilities in your external-facing network infrastructure, systems, and applications; in other words, everything that is accessible to the internet. By doing this, you can identify and mitigate vulnerabilities, update your security measures and build greater cyber resilience. 

What is External Network Testing?

External network testing is a proactive cybersecurity approach that involves assessing the security of your business’s external-facing network infrastructure, systems, and applications. The aim of the penetration tests is to mimic the tools, techniques and procedures of cybercriminals who may target your business and, in doing so, identify vulnerabilities and security holes.

During an external network test, our testing team acts like a cyber attacker on the internet and attempts to breach any accessible web-facing assets. We'll use a range of different techniques, including port scans and vulnerability scans that look for vulnerabilities and misconfigurations that will allow us to access your infrastructure or applications. If we do gain access, we won’t do anything malicious; your important data will remain safe. However, we will present the findings from the test along with remediation advice to give you a valuable opportunity to reduce the risk of attack and improve your cybersecurity posture. 

When Do You Need External Network Testing?

As hacking techniques and network vulnerabilities continually evolve, staying vigilant against potential security gaps is vital. To effectively safeguard your organisation's digital assets and sensitive data, as a minimum, you should conduct annual external network penetration tests. These tests are a proactive measure aimed at keeping you ahead of the ever-changing threat landscape. Moreover, it's crucial to consider external network testing whenever you implement significant alterations to your external network infrastructure, such as the introduction of a new corporate website. By doing so, you can ensure that your security measures remain robust and resilient in the face of emerging threats, providing a strong defence against cyberattacks and unauthorised access.

The Business Benefits of External Network Testing

External network penetration testing allows you to assess your organisation's security measures through the lens of a potential threat actor, without any of the risk. By performing external network tests on your public-facing infrastructure and systems, you can realise several benefits:

• Detecting Security Weaknesses - identify and resolve security issues and vulnerabilities with the appropriate safeguards.
• Enhance Security Framework - evaluate your current procedures and security controls to establish a benchmark for improvement.
• Uncover Vulnerabilities - gain insight into software bugs and ensure timely patching to bolster your security.
• Ensure Business Continuity - safeguard against disruptions caused by cyberattacks to maintain seamless business operations.
• Meet Regulatory Compliance - fulfil regulatory mandates and demonstrate your commitment to data protection.
• Provide Assurance - offer confidence to senior management, stakeholders, partners, and most importantly, maintain trust with customers by assuring them that their data remains safe

External network testing is a proactive and strategic approach to identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities within your business’s external network environment; it not only helps protect sensitive data but also enhances compliance, customer trust, and overall business resilience.