What cyber security service do I need?

Penetration Testing

Penetration testing is a method of testing and evaluating the security of a computer system or network by simulating an attack from malicious parties to identify attack vectors, vulnerabilities and control weaknesses.  It involves the use of a variety of manual techniques supported by automated tools and looks to exploit known vulnerabilities and uses the expertise of the tester to identify specific weaknesses in an organisation’s security arrangements.  

Intelligence-led Penetration Testing

Intelligence-Led Penetration Testing is the assurance of critical functions that are likely to be subject to sophisticated and persistent attack.

CREST Simulated Target Attack and Response (STAR) intelligence-led penetration tests use threat intelligence to deliver these attack simulations to provide assurance that organisations have appropriate countermeasures and responses to detect and prevent cyber-attack. The tests are carried out by experienced penetration testing providers on all types of organisations and are considered to be the most realistic form of assurance service within the sector. This is combined with a review of the company’s ability to recognise and react to cyber security related attacks.  

Threat Intelligence

Threat Intelligence is defined as contextualised output of a strategically driven process of collection and analysis of information pertaining to the identities, goals, motivations, tools and tactics of malicious entities intending to harm or undermine a targeted organisation’s operations, ICT systems or the information flowing through them. Threat Intelligence can often be used to enrich penetration testing services to simulate sophisticated threat actors.  

Cyber Security Incident Response

Cyber Incident Response is the term used to describe actions undertaken when a computer network or system is compromised or believed to be compromised. Cyber Security Incident Response (CSIR) organisations can evaluate the situation and undertake the most appropriate actions to allow recovery from, and prevent reoccurrence of, the incident.

Security Operations Centre (SOC)

A Security Operations Centre (SOC) is a facility where enterprise information systems (e.g. web sites, databases, data centres and servers, networks, etc) are monitored, assessed, and defended.  Depending on the nature of the SOC, organisations may offer a variety of services including monitoring, detection, threat hunting, incident management, log analysis, forensic imaging, malware analysis, reverse engineering, mitigation advice and general good practice guidance.

Vulnerability Assessment

Vulnerability Assessment (VA) is the examination of an information system or product to determine the adequacy of security measures; the identification of security deficiencies; to predict the effectiveness of the proposed security measures; and to confirm the adequacy of such measures after implementation.

CREST OVS is a new quality assurance standard for the web security industry. CREST OVS is aligned to both OWASP’s Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) and its Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS).

STAR-FS

STAR-FS is a framework for intelligence-led penetration testing of the financial sector.

The framework has been developed to meet the needs of the regulators by ensuring the same level of rigour is applied to them whilst reducing resourcing implications on regulators.

STAR-FS promotes an intelligence-led penetration testing approach that mimics the actions of cyber threat actors’ intent on compromising an organisation’s important business services and the technology assets and people supporting those services. Collaboration, evidence and improvement lie at the heart of STAR-FS as well as a close liaison with key stake holders.

The STAR-FS process utilises commercially available threat intelligence services in order to define realistic and current threat scenarios that will be utilised by the penetration testing teams to replicate real world attacks to operational systems. Risks to these systems are mitigated through the establishment of an internal control group, risk assessment, the accredited policies and processes utilised by the service provider and the skill and competence of the threat intelligence and penetration testing providers.