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Threat-Led
Penetration Testing
Discover comprehensive Threat Led Penetration Testing services
to safeguard your organisation against cyber threats.
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An Introduction toThreat-Led
Penetration Testing
A Real-Life Threat Simulation
Traditional testing methods often fall short in identifying and mitigating sophisticated threats. This is where Threat-led Penetration Testing (TLPT) comes in. TLPT is an advanced approach to security testing that simulates real-world attack scenarios tailored to the specific threats faced by an organisation. This method not only identifies vulnerabilities but also assesses the effectiveness of existing security measures against targeted attacks.
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What is Threat-Led
Penetration Testing?
Threat-led Penetration Testing, also known as a form of Red Teaming, is a proactive cyber security measure designed to evaluate the resilience of an organisation’s security posture against sophisticated cyber threats. Unlike conventional penetration testing, TLPT focuses on mimicking the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by advanced persistent threats (APTs) and cybercriminals.
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TLPT Methodology
The Phases of Threat-Led Penetration Testing
1. Threat Intelligence Gathering
The first phase of TLPT involves gathering threat intelligence specific to the organization. This includes identifying the types of adversaries likely to target the organization, their motivations, and their TTPs. Sources of threat intelligence can include:
Open-source Intelligence (OSINT): Publicly available information that provides insights into potential threats.
Commercial Threat Intelligence Feeds: Paid services that offer detailed threat reports and analysis.
Internal Threat Data: Historical security incidents and logs within the organisation.
2. Scenario Planning and Attack Simulation
Based on the gathered intelligence, tailored attack scenarios are developed. These scenarios are designed to mimic the actions of real-world attackers. The simulation phase includes:
Initial Compromise: Using techniques such as phishing, social engineering, or exploiting vulnerabilities to gain initial access.
Lateral Movement: Moving within the network to identify and access critical systems and data.
Privilege Escalation: Gaining higher levels of access to increase control over the network.
Data Exfiltration: Simulating the theft of sensitive data to assess the impact of a potential breach.
3. Execution and Monitoring
During the execution phase, the red team conducts the simulated attacks while being closely monitored by a blue team (defenders). This phase includes:
Continuous Monitoring: Tracking the red team’s activities to evaluate the detection and response capabilities.
Detection and Response Assessment: Analysing how quickly and effectively the security team can detect and respond to the simulated attacks.
Reporting: Documenting the actions taken, vulnerabilities exploited, and the overall effectiveness of the security measures.
4. Analysis and Reporting
After the simulation, a detailed report is generated that includes:
Vulnerabilities Identified: Comprehensive list of security weaknesses discovered during the test.
Attack Pathways: Detailed explanation of how the red team exploited vulnerabilities and moved within the network.
Impact Analysis: Assessment of the potential damage and business impact of each vulnerability.
Recommendations: Actionable steps to remediate identified vulnerabilities and strengthen overall security posture.
5. Remediation and Retesting
The final phase involves addressing the identified vulnerabilities and retesting to ensure that the remediation efforts are effective. This phase includes:
Implementing Fixes: Applying patches, updating security configurations, and enhancing security policies.
Retesting: Conducting follow-up tests to verify that vulnerabilities have been successfully mitigated.
Continuous Improvement: Establishing ongoing threat-led testing practices to adapt to evolving threats.
How Threat Led Penetration Testing Supports DORA Compliance
The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), introduced by the European Union, mandates stringent cyber security measures for financial entities to ensure the stability and integrity of the financial system. One of the critical components of DORA is the implementation of Threat-led Penetration Testing (TLPT).
DORA emphasises the need for a holistic and proactive approach to cybersecurity. TLPT aligns with DORA's objectives by:
- Identifying Vulnerabilities: TLPT uncovers weaknesses in systems, applications, and processes that could be exploited by cyber adversaries.
- Testing Incident Response: TLPT evaluates the readiness of financial institutions to detect, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents, a key aspect of DORA's operational resilience requirements.
- Continuous Improvement: Regular TLPT exercises foster a culture of continuous improvement, enabling financial institutions to adapt to the evolving threat landscape and enhance their security posture over time.
Key Benefits of Threat-led Penetration Testing
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Real-world Simulation
TLPT simulates actual attack scenarios, providing a realistic assessment of your organisation's defences.
Comprehensive Risk Assessment
Identifies vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers and assesses the impact of potential breaches.
Improved Security Posture
Helps in strengthening security controls and policies based on
real-world threat data.
Regulatory Compliance
Assists in meeting compliance requirements and standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
Need More Info on Threat-Led Penetration Testing?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Threat-led Penetration Testing and traditional Penetration Testing?
Threat-led Penetration Testing focuses on simulating advanced threat scenarios tailored to specific threats faced by the organisation, whereas traditional penetration testing often involves generic vulnerability assessments.
How often should Threat-led Penetration Testing be conducted?
It is recommended to conduct TLPT at least annually or whenever there are significant changes to the IT infrastructure, such as new systems or major upgrades. Its also required annually to meet DORA requirements.
How long does a Threat-led Penetration Test take?
The duration of a TLPT can vary depending on the scope and complexity of the organization’s IT environment, but it typically ranges from a few weeks to several months.
Experienced Consultant Team
Our Penetration Testing Team are CREST Accredited & Includes CHECK Team Leaders
Experienced & Accredited Testing Team For All Our Services
Penetration testing is a key component of any effective cybersecurity strategy, and it requires well-trained professionals to execute. Our consultant team needs are highly trained in order to test your business for vulnerabilities and identify potential threats before they cause harm. Our team have a deep understanding of the systems and protocols involved in protecting against hackers, malware, and data breaches.
- CHECK Team Leaders
- CREST Accredited consultant teams
- Experts in all areas of cybersecurity
See What Our Clients Have to Say About our Professional Services
“Pentest People stand out in the field of penetration testing due to the skillset of people they have working there. We undertook a complex bespoke pentest with them which required a lot of pre-work in order to make sure it was scoped correctly and they took the time to come onsite to make sure all was correct prior to commencing. From my experience with them, they are very intelligent people with a deep understanding of the security landscape and we will continue to use them for future testing requirements”.
"Pentest People has been a trusted partner in our Information Security audits, helping us achieve ISO27001:2013 and Cyber Essentials certifications. Their expertise, professionalism, and
customer-focused solutions have greatly improved our ICT infrastructure.
I highly recommend Pentest People to any potential client."
“Pentest People were efficient, knowledgeable and very supportive of our organisation making the jump from Cyber Essentials to accreditation to the ‘Plus’ upgrade. They were great to communicate with, delivered as promised and we will certainly use again when re-certification comes round."
“The SecureGateway allowed Pentest People to perform a quality penetration test while the tester worked remotely. The results and data collected by the consultant were at the level we would expect from a standard test, showing no real difference other than allowing us to proceed as normal”
“Pentest People have provided us with a very streamlined testing service, that can be easily reviewed using their SecurePortal. I’m pleased with the quality of the testing report and it has enabled us to feel more confident in our network security”.
“We used Pentest People to assist us with our security testing. They truly understand this area extremely well and gave us great reassurance on areas that we needed to improve.
Pentest People are truly experts in the security field and we would highly recommend them. They have great depth of knowledge and breadth of experience”
"Pentest People perform Web Application and Infrastructure Penetration Testing for Pharmacy2U. They are always professional to engage with, provide an excellent level of service and the addition of the SecurePortal makes receiving and interrogating the results of the service very easy indeed.We look forward to working with them in the future and trust the work they deliver."
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