How do you align security testing with business goals and risks?

Security testing is a vital part of threat and vulnerability management, but how do you ensure that it aligns with your business goals and risks? In this article, you will learn how to plan, execute, and report on security testing in a way that supports your strategic objectives and risk appetite.

1 Define your security testing scope and objectives

Before you start any security testing, you need to define what you want to achieve and what you want to test. This will help you focus your efforts, avoid wasting time and resources, and align your testing with your business goals and risks. You can use various sources of information, such as threat models, risk assessments, compliance requirements, and stakeholder expectations, to determine your security testing scope and objectives. You should also document your testing methodology, tools, and standards, and communicate them clearly to your team and stakeholders.

Add your perspective

Sangeeth A V

lnformation security analyst @Gallagher | Application Security | Pentest | VAPT | eJPT | AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner | Software Developer
Report contribution
From my understanding, each test must establish its scope. For instance, if it’s a web penetration test, the company should enumerate the vulnerabilities they anticipate from the test. Occasionally, the organizations may deem certain vulnerabilities as not pertinent.

Like
M. Saad A.
Report contribution
The goal is to acquire support and approval from the members of the Senior Leadership Team to proceed with the security testing.

Like
Andre Joseph

Senior Cloud Security SME | CISO Advisor | Cyber Threat Intelligence| FinTech | AI Security | Threat Hunter
Report contribution
The scope and objectives could be qualitative or quantitative, knowing the difference is important. Once we understand the type of measurement we are using then we proceed. The scope is the breath and the objectives should be milestones along the way used to measure attainment of the scope.

Like

2 Choose the right security testing techniques and tools

Depending on your security testing scope and objectives, you may need to use different security testing techniques and tools. For example, you may use static analysis, dynamic analysis, penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, or code review, or a combination of them, to identify and verify security issues in your systems and applications. You should choose the techniques and tools that are appropriate for your testing environment, budget, and skill level, and that can provide reliable and actionable results. You should also update your techniques and tools regularly to keep up with the evolving threat landscape and security best practices.

Add your perspective

Sangeeth A V

lnformation security analyst @Gallagher | Application Security | Pentest | VAPT | eJPT | AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner | Software Developer
Report contribution
When selecting a tool, it’s beneficial to consider one that is widely supported by a large user community. This ensures that you have access to a wealth of knowledge and assistance when needed. Additionally, a tool that offers a variety of plugins and extensions can provide added functionality, enhancing its usability and adaptability to your specific needs. Furthermore, availability of comprehensive tutorials can significantly ease the learning curve associated with the tool, enabling you to quickly understand and effectively utilize its features. In summary, a tool with strong community support, a range of plugins and extensions, and ample tutorials can greatly enhance your productivity and efficiency.

Like

3 Prioritize and classify your security testing findings

Once you have completed your security testing, you will likely have a list of findings that need to be addressed. However, not all findings are equally important or urgent, and you may not have enough resources or time to fix them all. Therefore, you need to prioritize and classify your findings based on their severity, impact, likelihood, and exploitability. You can use a common framework, such as CVSS or DREAD, to assign scores and ratings to your findings, and use a risk matrix or a heat map to visualize and compare them. You should also consider your business goals and risks when prioritizing and classifying your findings, and focus on the ones that pose the most threat to your critical assets and objectives.

Add your perspective

Sangeeth A V

lnformation security analyst @Gallagher | Application Security | Pentest | VAPT | eJPT | AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner | Software Developer
Report contribution
It’s not uncommon for individuals to perceive certain issues or vulnerabilities as critical based on publicly available information. However, this perception may not always align with the actual severity or impact of the vulnerability within a specific system or context. To accurately prioritize and classify vulnerabilities, it’s essential to consider various factors beyond the publicly available information. One such factor to consider is the level of access needed to exploit the vulnerability.

Like

4 Report and communicate your security testing results

After you have prioritized and classified your findings, you need to report and communicate them to your stakeholders, such as management, developers, or customers. Your report should be clear, concise, and relevant, and include the following elements: an executive summary, a detailed description of each finding, a recommendation for remediation, and evidence or screenshots to support your findings. You should also tailor your report to your audience, and use appropriate language, tone, and format. For example, you may use a high-level overview for executives, a technical analysis for developers, or a compliance checklist for customers. You should also deliver your report in a timely manner, and follow up with your stakeholders to ensure that they understand and act on your findings.

Add your perspective

5 Monitor and measure your security testing outcomes

Finally, you need to monitor and measure your security testing outcomes to evaluate their effectiveness and value. You can use various metrics and indicators, such as the number of findings, the time to remediation, the cost of testing, or the return on investment, to quantify and qualify your security testing performance. You should also compare your outcomes with your initial scope and objectives, and identify any gaps, challenges, or opportunities for improvement. You should also collect and analyze feedback from your stakeholders, and use it to improve your security testing process and results. By monitoring and measuring your security testing outcomes, you can demonstrate how your security testing aligns with your business goals and risks, and how it contributes to your threat and vulnerability management.

Add your perspective

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Add your perspective

Andre Joseph

Senior Cloud Security SME | CISO Advisor | Cyber Threat Intelligence| FinTech | AI Security | Threat Hunter
Report contribution
I would make sure the testing is aligned properly strategically. I would also consider how future shifts in technology could null the security environment we defined.

Like

How do you align security testing with business goals and risks?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Define your security testing scope and objectives

2 Choose the right security testing techniques and tools

3 Prioritize and classify your security testing findings

4 Report and communicate your security testing results

5 Monitor and measure your security testing outcomes

6 Here’s what else to consider

Threat & Vulnerability Management

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Threat & Vulnerability Management

More relevant reading