True or false? Your organization should conduct penetration testing with your current audit partner.
If you ask us, true.
Penetration testing has never been more important: bad actors are emerging every day with new strategies to access your organization’s sensitive information.
As compliance teams gear up to add additional testing to their overall compliance strategy, evaluating all possible options is essential. But many organizations have misconceptions about conducting these tests with their existing IT audit partner.
Read on to uncover myths about penetration testing with an audit firm so you can choose the right partner for your organization.
Myth #1: There is no separation between audit and pen test teams
Many organizations resist pen testing with their audit firm because they think there’s no separation between the firm’s audit and pen test teams, making their penetration tests less effective.
Like any professional service organization, audit firms are organized by specialty: SOC, ISO, HITRUST, etc. One of those specialties may be penetration testing. That means there is a dedicated team of experts whose sole job is to identify weak spots in a system’s defenses that attackers could take advantage of. This specialty is run like its own business. Information isn’t shared from one lane to another, meaning the systems and information of customers earning certifications on the ISO or SOC side aren’t shared with experts conducting pen tests.
Myth #2: Auditors can’t give the same level of dedication as a pen test shop
Specialized pen testing teams at audit firms are using the same tools, tactics, and methodologies as teams working at boutique pen testing firms. Plus, these experts hold the same certifications and levels of experience as their counterparts.
High-quality audit firms hold themselves to the same standards across the board that they would for an IT audit cycle for a framework such as SOC 2, ISO 270001 or HITRUST. A dedicated, customer focus on your compliance audit from a high-quality IT auditor indicates the same level of dedication and specialty on the pen testing side.
Myth #3: There is a lack of quality in pen tests from audit firms
If you’ve selected a high-quality auditor to conduct your IT audits, you should expect the same high-caliber rigor in conducting your penetration test.
At A-LIGN, our pen testing teams perform 80% manual and 20% automated processes. Our team is made up of highly certified, highly specialized experts who perform tests that are very manual in nature. This means that our customers can expect the high-quality final report and testing experience they’re accustomed to on the audit side of the house.
A-LIGN holds its teams to the highest possible standard to ensure the success of its customers along their compliance journey. Are you ready to get started? Contact A-LIGN today.
