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Why Financial Services Need Security Testing Financial institutions and fintech organizations operate technology environments that can include online banking platforms, payment systems, customer portals, APIs, cloud infrastructure, internal networks, and systems containing sensitive financial information. Security requirements vary according to the organization’s activities, regulator, jurisdiction, contractual obligations, and technology environment. For financial institutions subject to … Read more

Learn how to hire an ethical hacker for authorized security testing, what to verify before an engagement, how to define scope, and how to reduce legal and security risks. What Does “Hire a Hacker” Mean? The phrase “hire a hacker” can refer to very different types of services. In legitimate cybersecurity work, an organization hires … Read more

Learn practical ways to prevent cyber attacks through stronger access controls, security updates, employee awareness, backups, monitoring, incident response, and regular security testing. How to Prevent Cyber Attacks Preventing cyber attacks is not about relying on a single security product or one-time security review. Effective cybersecurity combines people, processes, technology, and ongoing risk management. NIST’s … Read more

Understanding common cyber attacks helps businesses recognize security risks and build appropriate defenses across people, applications, networks, and data. What Are the Common Types of Cyber Attacks? Cyber attacks can target people, software, networks, accounts, data, and other digital resources. Attack techniques vary considerably, and attackers may combine multiple methods during a single incident. CISA … Read more

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, applications, and information from unauthorized access, attacks, disruption, damage, and other security threats. What Is Cybersecurity? Cybersecurity focuses on protecting digital systems, networks, applications, devices, and information from cyber threats. NIST defines cybersecurity in several related ways, including the ability to protect or defend the use of … Read more

Vulnerability assessments and penetration testing both help identify security weaknesses, but they answer different questions and use different testing approaches. What Is the Difference Between a Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing? A vulnerability assessment is a systematic examination used to identify security deficiencies and provide information that helps an organization understand and address vulnerabilities. Penetration … Read more

Different types of penetration testing assess different parts of an organization’s technology environment, including networks, web applications, APIs, cloud infrastructure, and other security controls. What Are the Different Types of Penetration Testing? Penetration testing can be tailored to the technology, architecture, and security objectives being assessed. NIST describes penetration testing as security testing that mimics … Read more

Penetration testing is an authorized security assessment that evaluates whether vulnerabilities in applications, systems, networks, or other technology can be exploited under defined conditions. What Is Penetration Testing? Penetration testing, often called pen testing, is a form of authorized security testing designed to identify and validate security weaknesses in systems, applications, networks, and other technology. … Read more

White hat hackers perform authorized security work to identify and address weaknesses, while black hat hackers operate without authorization and may seek to exploit systems for malicious or personal gain. White Hat vs. Black Hat vs. Gray Hat: Quick Comparison Hacker Type Main Purpose Authorization White Hat Security improvement and authorized testing Authorized Black Hat … Read more

Ethical hackers perform authorized security testing to identify vulnerabilities, evaluate security controls, validate potential attack paths, and provide practical recommendations for improving security. What Does an Ethical Hacker Do? An ethical hacker is a cybersecurity professional who evaluates systems, applications, networks, and other technology for security weaknesses with the permission of the organization responsible for … Read more