What is Crowdsourced Penetration Testing? the only guide you need.
Nowadays, crowdsourced security penetration testing is a new testing approach. As the traditional penetration test is nearly pushed away from what was previously a lucrative sector, crowdsourced security has become increasingly popular and moved into the mainstream. Crowdsourced testing is becoming the choice for security-conscious enterprises, especially when combined with a financially-driven ‘pay for results’ billing method. Crowdsourced options make use of a huge pool of pay-per-project testers who operate remotely.
Advantages:
- Real-time results and SDLC integration
- Quick setup and time to value
- The option to ‘pay for results instead of time.
Disadvantages:
- The ‘bounty’ method may not fit into buying cycles
- A new business case may be needed
- Not optimized for very sensitive or physically large targets that cannot be shipped
Crowdsourced testing finds more critical vulnerabilities
When it comes to results, crowdsourced testing comes out on top. 76% of crowdsourced testers discover at least 10 vulnerabilities in a two-week test, compared to 57% of traditional penetration testing services. The quality of results is also higher. A small percentage of crowdsourced testers received less than 5% of critical high-value vulnerabilities, whereas traditional penetration testing services were twice as likely to produce a poor result.
All in all, users of crowdsourced security programs report a higher number of higher-quality vulnerabilities than those provided by traditional penetration testing services.
What does the future hold for security testing?
Traditional penetration testing isn’t adequate for today’s businesses. A new solution is required. Crowdsourced testing approaches, like bug bounty programs, have solved many of the limitations of traditional penetration tests. These programs use the power of the global hacking community to provide on-demand access to the expertise needed for each engagement by functioning on a pay-for-findings premise.
Bug bounty programs, however, have not completely Eliminated the need for standardized testing. Compliance is still an important aspect of security, and most frameworks require that testing conforms to a recognized methodology.
We can say traditional penetration testing services are becoming less popular, while more companies are implementing or turning to crowdsourced methods.
In 2021, crowdsourced pen testing will have replaced traditional penetration testing services in the enterprise market, and it is rapidly closing the gap with small companies. Maybe in the coming years, this trend will still grow as more companies understand the inadequacies of traditional penetration testing services and begin to evaluate their choices.
What is crowdsourced ethical hacking?
Companies usually commission specialist IT service providers for web applications and networks to undertake penetration tests. These service providers look similar to doctors’ clinics. An appointment is set, and the project is taken care of by the assigned professionals a few weeks later. Companies have the potential to explore new ground and rely on swarm intelligence when conducting penetration testing for several years.
It is made possible by crowdsourced penetration testing platforms. You have a global network of pen testers on call who can search for vulnerabilities at any time of day or night and that’s so interesting.
What are the benefits of using crowdsourced ethical hacking?
Penetration testing platforms have various advantages compared to traditional pen testing, including:
- Access to a wide variety of skills: It is extremely hard to find qualified pen testers during a skills shortage. Companies can access a global pool of ethical hackers with different skills through the use of crowdsourced ethical hacking platforms. Users can keep up with the rapid pace of cyberattack developments.
- Enhanced technology: Crowdsourced ethical hacking platforms are frequently more than just a middleman; in fact, they offer technologies to the table that an individual pentester or small service provider cannot. These technologies focus on making the job of ethical hackers on the platform as simple as possible and can automate specific parts of penetration testing.
- Continuous testing and instant accessibility: Crowdsourced pen testing enable users to have their apps and systems tested continually. This continuous technique is very similar to how modern software is developed today. Furthermore, the lead time is quite short. Typically, you can begin your project within a few days.
- Better incentives: The ethical hackers on the platforms are paid depending on their performance as well as the discovery and verification of vulnerabilities. Besides the platform’s basic expenses, you, as a customer, pay for the results of the testing activities instead of the time spent.
Choosing the best crowdsourced penetration testing partner
Crowdsourced penetration testing is the best way to have real visibility into how you are protected against external hackers. Before choosing your partner, first decide what kind of services you want, how frequently you need them, and how much you are ready to spend. Determine whether crowdsourcing fits into your risk model. If it does, consider a crowdsourcing firm that can manage the process and eliminate much of the risk.
Here at SecureBug’s crowdsourcing platform, we can uncover and fix problems that are missed by traditional approaches. Our platform assists you in reducing risks and increasing control over your organization’s cybersecurity. We are the team that you’re looking for.
Take action and discover your vulnerabilities with SecureBug.
