Internet security tests are valuable tools for increasing the protection and integrity of networks and devices within companies. This type of analysis is essential for companies that have an online presence or need digital tools to maintain their activities.
What ends up generating many doubts is the level of knowledge required to carry out this type of analysis. Due to the complexity of some tools, it may be necessary to enlist the help of a professional in the field. However, there are security tests that can be performed by people outside of cybersecurity .
However, first of all we need to understand that internet security tests have the main objective of identifying possible vulnerabilities or problems that facilitate access by unauthorized users. Such improper access can cause immeasurable losses for companies. Carrying out tests like this will contribute to your digital security strategy and help maintain the confidentiality of your information.
Identifying vulnerabilities on the network: importance of internet security testing
As mentioned previously, internet security testing plays a key role in your company's digital protection strategy . Allowing the identification of gaps and vulnerabilities, these tests will contribute to the protection of data and the integrity of information stored by the business.
Based on the vulnerabilities that may be found during security tests, managers and those responsible will be able to implement efficient solutions to mitigate these threats and maintain cyber protection in the company. Taking into account that many security problems arise from errors made by users of networks and devices, identifying these vulnerabilities is essential to avoid future problems.
The significant increase in the number of cyber attacks applied around the world highlights the constant need to strengthen the security strategy in companies across all segments. This means that your business needs to make use of all the tools and resources available on the market to guarantee differentiated protection.
Alarming statistics and need for investment in cybersecurity
Continuing with what was said above, the world has been seeing very worrying statistics regarding the number of cyber attacks that are carried out. These attacks cause immeasurable impacts on companies, such as data loss, interruption of activities, costs for recovering information, investment in working hours to fully recover damages, damage to the company's reputation, and much more.
In this sense, we can understand investment in cybersecurity as fundamental for all companies. Going against what was widespread until recently, investing in protection tools is no longer an expense for companies, but an essential approach for businesses that want to stay in the market.
This is because, by investing in resources to protect your information and guarantee data security, your company guarantees a differentiated level in the market , establishing a competitive advantage compared to the competition. Consumers will prefer businesses that have a legitimate concern about the confidentiality of their information, as much of their confidential data is stored by companies.
According to recent research, we can see a significant increase in attempted scams and cybercrimes , which has motivated companies in all segments to seek more efficient solutions to protect information. In 2022 alone, there were around 360 billion cyber attacks (not all of them effective) among companies in Latin America and the Caribbean alone.
The report carried out by Fortinet shows that Brazil occupies the second position in the number of cyber attacks with 103.1 billion attempts in 2022. Compared to the period of 2021, there was a 16% increase in the number of attacks.
This research on cybersecurity can clarify the exponential growth in the search for security solutions developed to protect information. In addition to protection features, several vulnerability tests have also been created to help your company stay protected.
Types of internet security tests
With the growing search for solutions and tools that help keep data protected and strengthen companies' security strategy, several tests have been developed to help companies identify network and device vulnerabilities. These tests can help your company identify key vulnerabilities and implement solutions that help increase data protection.
It is important to remember that some of these tests may require specific technical knowledge to execute and evaluate results, and it is necessary to have the help of a specialized professional to understand the available resources and evaluate the reports obtained.
Among the main internet security tests available on the market, we can mention:
Port Test
Port testing is a tool used to check the availability of a specific port within network devices . It only happens through a communication process between devices, in order to determine which ports are open and which are closed.
Through this test, data packets are sent to a device and a response is awaited . If positive, it means that the port is open and can connect and receive data, if not, the port may be closed or blocked.
This test is used to identify network vulnerabilities, port accessibility and connection problems between devices. For this reason, this test is very valuable in analyzing your company's network security.
DNS Test
Although DNS is an extremely valuable resource and brings many facilities to access and browse the internet, it can also present flaws and vulnerabilities. These problems can make network connection within your company difficult or impact the performance of your employees.
Understand how DNS can facilitate access to the internet:
Using a specific tool, you can find the best server to connect to and establish superior performance on your company's devices and networks. How this test works will depend on the tool used, and it is necessary to find a resource that can meet the expectations of your business and be used with practicality.
Lumiun Lumiun DNS is a security and control tool, developed so that companies can implement their digital protection strategy through the DNS layer of the network. It has a free starter plan, so your company can start the journey of security and control through DNS filtering. This way, it is possible to determine whether this is the best solution for your business and whether it meets the needs and expectations of managers.
Malware defense analysis
Malware can cause different types of problems for your organization, from device unavailability to encryption of confidential information. For this reason, it is very important that your company establishes a strategy to defend itself against this type of application and ensure that it does not have access to your devices.
The malware defense analysis will evaluate the level of protection existing on your network to prevent possible and beneficial attacks. Tools that can perform this testing send malware samples and perform response evaluation, deleting the malicious data when the evaluation is complete.
These tests will help identify possible vulnerabilities and contribute to strategic decision-making with the aim of strengthening digital security within your company . Knowing these vulnerabilities and flaws is essential for your company to be able to implement solutions aimed at differentiated protection, adding more value and intelligence to your processes.
Knowing the main internet security tests
As we saw above, there are several vulnerability tests on the internet that can help strengthen your security strategy . To help you choose the correct tool, we have separated the main internet vulnerability tests that can help your company become increasingly secure. See below:
Shield Test: assessment of susceptibility and defense against attacks
Shield Test is a tool developed to measure the susceptibility and vulnerability of your network to possible infection and invasion attempts. Being an excellent alternative to check your company's level of security against the installation of malware and malicious applications, this test should be one of the first to be carried out within your business.
Shield Test performs a security self-assessment by sending malware samples through the tool's servers. Despite using real malware samples that can infect your company's devices and networks, these are deleted at the end of the test, eliminating any risk to your company.
Being a complete tool, this test can analyze several security items:
- Open door testing;
- Virus and malware testing;
- DDoS defense testing ;
- Information theft test.
Port testing: identifying vulnerabilities in TCP and UDP ports
As we saw above, port testing is essential for identifying open and closed ports on your company's network . Testing these ports will help identify communication problems and vulnerabilities that could facilitate cybercriminals' access to your organization's networks.
In a simplified way, ports are responsible for communication between devices and servers, being a fundamental resource for exchanging information on the network. Checking open ports will avoid unnecessary exposure of your company's networks , reducing the risk of access by cybercriminals and malware contamination.
Port testing evaluates ports that are most prone to cyberattacks and helps your company establish security measures to prevent unauthorized access.
It is equally important to test the company's network for exposure of some remote desktop servers, which are acting on TCP port 3389. With a high risk of ransomware-type attacks, an FBI warning about the possible risks that this exposure can cause to your company's networks.
Lumiun Security Test: Analysis of Harmful Website Categories
There are several contents that, in addition to harming the productivity of your workers, can also cause security problems for the company. Pages such as social networks , entertainment sites, gaming and betting platforms and pages with violent or pornographic must be blocked to avoid any type of cyber risk within your business.
Lumiun's security test is based on DNS layer requests, identifying categories of websites that can or cannot be accessed by the company's network. By making access requests to websites within these categories, it is possible to determine which of these contents can be accessed or not.
The main categories that are used by the test are:
- Phishing and online fraud;
- Malware and spyware ;
- Access anonymizers;
- Drugs and alcoholic beverages;
- Games and betting;
- Pornography and nudity;
- Violence, terrorism and racism.
The importance of vulnerability test results
As important as carrying out these internet security tests is accurately evaluating the results obtained. Based on the reports delivered by the assessment tools, it will be necessary to establish a cybersecurity plan that can address the identified vulnerabilities.
With the help of the data delivered by the reports, your company's IT team will be able to evaluate the resources and tools used to establish more efficient and secure solutions for the organization. For this reason, it is necessary to carry out tests based on reliable and consolidated tools, capable of identifying vulnerabilities and contributing to your business's security strategy.
We need to understand that security tests, although extremely important, are not just a solution, but a step on the path towards data protection . This means that, even carrying out all the tests obtaining considerably positive results regarding your security strategy, it is not possible to guarantee a state of absolute protection.
It is essential that your company establishes an organizational culture focused on security that is proactive and adaptable, and that always takes into account the needs of the business and the changes presented by the market. No matter how good the security tools used by the business, new approaches may emerge, favoring the exposure of confidential information within your organization.
Optimizing your digital defense strategy involves a change in organizational culture and the use of resources that can meet the company's demands efficiently.
Implementation of security measures
With the development of a security plan to fix the vulnerabilities found in testing, it is time to implement these new measures. This implementation process must be planned and closely monitored in order to study its evolution and determine whether there has been an improvement.
Establishing constant monitoring of security resources is crucial to ensuring your company remains protected against today's top cyber threats. Due to the growing rates of cyber attacks carried out against companies of all sizes and segments, investing in security has become essential.