Testing security implications and vulnerabilities of network infrastructure is inevitable for every organization. Most authorities opt for ethical hacking measures to check the strength of their security implications. Penetration testing is the most common and effective ethical hacking measure you can implement successfully.
Penetration testing can be done manually or automatically. Manual testing means thoroughly implementing tests and techniques to check network security. While it may seem more reliable, it has some inherent flaws which can limit progress and success.
Give an in-depth read to this article to get your hands on manual penetration testing drawbacks and look for the measures you can implement to minimize your loss.
Top 6 Drawbacks of Manual Penetration Testing
Manual penetration testing is often believed to be more authentic, as human testers manually check every single aspect. However, it is not free of risks and challenges. It has some typical drawbacks which may restrict overall success. So you must explore them and make a wise choice.
Here are the major drawbacks of manual penetration testing you must be aware of before investing your time and effort in it.
1. Miss More Vulnerabilities
Missing more vulnerabilities is the basic drawback of manual pen testing. The purpose of pen testing is to identify as many vulnerabilities in a network or device security as possible. Manual testing means the assigned authority will apply ethical hacking measures and look for vulnerabilities.
It does not involve the use of some tool or technology but is restricted to manual measures. Due to this, it is quite easy for authorities to miss vulnerabilities in the network, which cybercriminals can exploit to hack into the system. Considering this, organizations often hire penetration testing companies in UAE and let experts use specific tools to identify all vulnerabilities.
2. Slow Process
A slow process is the next notable drawback of manual penetration testing, and you should never ignore it. Manual testing means that ethical hackers have to design approaches and attacks to assess every link and connection in the network. Conducting tests on all devices and network systems can take too much time.
On top of this, the duration of a single test or attack can extend to a few days. According to this pattern, conducting manual pen tests on a whole organization may take up to months. In the meantime, the authorities will not have a solid overview of their security measures. So, manual testing is a flop idea if you want robust security measures.
3. Unauthentic Results
Unauthentic results are the next major drawback of opting for manual penetration testing for your setup. The success of manual testing measures highly depends on the skills and expertise of the testers. There can be a difference in test reports depending on the skills and expertise of the testers.
If you allow an experienced and inexperienced tester to explore a certain area, you will be more inclined toward the report shared by the experienced tester. Regardless of positive or negative outcomes, you will be biased towards experienced ones, which can be a mistake. So, opting for automatic testing is a better pick as it will offer you authentic and effective results.
4. Costly Procedure
The costly procedure is another typical drawback of manual pen testing you must be aware of. Organizations opting for manual testing need to arrange the tools, testers, and other basic essentials. Looking for ethical hackers and signing a one-time contract with them also spikes the cost.
The authorities might have to repeat the same process for every single test, which can lead to a high overall expense. On the other hand, outsourcing automatic pen testing to cybersecurity experts can limit the expense and promise quality results and progress.
5. Time Constraints
Time constraint is another notable drawback of manual pen testing. A single pen test can take a day, a week, or even a month. There is no specific timeframe for it to end and offer the desired results. Due to the uncertain duration, organizations might only be able to conduct the testing quarterly or annually.
In the meantime, the network infrastructure might be exposed to bigger risks due to the open vulnerabilities. Instead of supporting optimized security, it will give rise to more challenges. Therefore, you must consider the time constraints and make the right choice.
Also Read : Cyber Crime in Corporate World
6. Requires Complex Setup
Manual penetration testing requires a complex setup, which is the last drawback you must watch out for. The organizations need to onboard ethical hackers, sign confidentiality agreements, define the scope of testing, and take care of numerous other details.
All of this must be done before every manual test, which can put a lot of pressure on the concerned authorities. Even after that, the individual hackers may pose some risk or threat to the organization or prolong the testing. Instead, you can onboard penetration testing companies in UAE and let experts define and manage the setup to conduct testing and optimize your overall cybersecurity.
Are you looking for reliable pen testing support?
Most organizations today are the target of random and deliberate attacks, to ensure that the protection of the organization’s critical information/assets is adequate, a high-quality level of penetration testing is needed.
Penetration testing or pen testing is the practice of testing computer systems, corporate networks, and web applications to find vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit.
The information assets located in a company’s network should be tested on a regular basis using real and realistic scenarios that mimic the actions of an external and internal attacker.
The number of entry points to corporate networks is always increasing due to the widespread use of emerging technologies. Therefore, those who will try to harm the organization’s sensitive information, duplicate it, disrupt or destroy it, will usually look for the easy and convenient way, the open loophole in the IT network, the most vulnerable, weak and hackable area.
Manual pen testing may do more harm than good due to time constraints, unauthentic results, and opening more vulnerabilities. Turning to professional experts to conduct the testing using the latest techniques is a more reliable approach. Consult professional cybersecurity experts and opt for the measures that are more profitable for your setup.
