Source URL: https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/articles/aligning-security-testing-with-it-infrastructure-changes
Source: CSA
Title: Why Should Security Checks Align with IT Changes?
Feedly Summary:
AI Summary and Description: Yes
Summary: The text discusses the findings from Pentera’s State of Pentesting Report, highlighting crucial gaps between IT changes and corresponding security adaptations. It emphasizes the growing importance of continuous security validation, board involvement, and the strategic use of pentesting, particularly in mergers and acquisitions.
Detailed Description:
The Pentera report reveals several significant trends and insights into the evolving landscape of cybersecurity practices, specifically focusing on penetration testing (pentesting) and security validation.
Key Insights Include:
– **Frequency of IT Changes vs. Security Alignment**:
– 73% of organizations modify their IT setups quarterly, yet only 40% align their security checks accordingly.
– This discrepancy indicates potential vulnerabilities that organizations face due to inadequate security measures that do not evolve in step with IT changes.
– **Shift in Pentesting Motivations**:
– The primary drivers for pentesting have shifted from merely fulfilling compliance requirements to securing IT environments and evaluating the consequences of successful cyberattacks.
– There is a stronger emphasis on obtaining continuous security validation as part of proactive cybersecurity measures.
– **Board Involvement in Cybersecurity**:
– Over 50% of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) are now sharing pentest outcomes with their executive teams and boards.
– This trend signifies a heightened awareness and involvement of top management in cybersecurity, aligning security practices with broader business objectives.
– **Challenges with Internal Remediation**:
– Respondents highlighted internal remediation capabilities as a growing concern, with 36% identifying it as a barrier in 2024, up from 21% in 2023.
– This points to difficulties in efficiently patching vulnerabilities while maintaining operational continuity.
– **Barriers to Effective Pentesting**:
– A shortage of skilled pentesters remains a crucial barrier to effective pentesting efforts.
– Organizations also express concerns regarding business continuity and potential downtime as deterrents to initiating pentests.
– **Pentesting in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)**:
– Pentesting is increasingly leveraged as a strategic tool during M&A activities to unearth and understand cybersecurity risks associated with acquired companies.
– Recognizing vulnerabilities during these phases helps prevent the inheritance of latent cyber risks.
– **Importance of Security Testing Alignment**:
– The report underscores the necessity for CISOs to synchronize the frequency of security testing with changes in IT infrastructure.
– Regular security testing can significantly diminish exposure to threats, thereby protecting organizational assets from evolving cybersecurity challenges.
This analysis signifies urgent action points for security professionals to enhance organizational resilience and proactively safeguard digital assets against potential threats. Key recommendations include increasing security checks’ alignment with IT changes and fostering greater engagement between cybersecurity teams and executive leadership.