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Difference between attack surface intelligence vs. pen testing

Security tests serve different needs and have different methodologies. In this article, we go over the differences between attack surface and penetration testing (pen testing).

There are a number of different types of cybersecurity tests. Some offer continuous monitoring, and some are a standard test in time or an audit with a short shelf life. Find out what you need, based on your team's requirement, bandwidth and budgets for cybersecurity activities.

How continuous Attack Surface Intelligence compares with pen-testing?

Understanding the difference between pen testing and attack surface intelligence (ASI) is critical for cybercrime prevention and keeping your overall cybersecurity posture. The following table gives you a quick overview to know the differences between pen tests and ASI. 

 

PEN Testing
ASI
Scope

Find vulnerabilities and configuration issues as possible within a given timeframe.

Find, assess, and address potential attack vectors or risk exposures i.e., brand exposure, domains, vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, continuously.

Insight

Find, assess, and address potential attack vectors or risk exposures i.e., brand exposure, domains, vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, continuously.

“What do adversaries see when they target us? What risk exposure would they exploit first, that'd hit us the worst?”

Coverage

Duration of testing

Testing

Time to Result

~2 weeks

24 hours

Output and Delivery

Automated reporting to high-touch personal engagement

Automated reporting and portal access to high-touch personal engagement

Annual costs of coverage

$150 to 250K

$40K to $120K for a whole year

Netenrich's Resolution Intelligence Cloud features Attack Surface Intelligence (ASI) with multiple advantages over static pen tests: 

  • The start and stop nature of point-in-time penetration testing does not find potential attack vectors in your infrastructure and assets. However, Resolution Intelligence Cloud offers Attack Surface Intelligence with automated round-the-clock scans of your infra, lets you see what hackers see before them, and helps you proactively prevent exploits. 
  • See your overall digital exposure in one unified view and drill-down by risk indicators. Contextualize alerts with our proprietary threat intelligence baked right into ASI. Take strategic calls the minute high-priority risks are found. 
  • ASI allows you to use detailed impact reports and on-call guidance to mitigate threats that mean the most harm. Utilize analyst-vetted remediation recommendations and actionable insights to fix errors faster than ever before.

To learn how you can secure all your digital assets, schedule a demo. 

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