More than eight million records were exposed worldwide through data breaches in 2023 , with 2020 seeing nearly 125 million records due to the pandemic. Though the industry has made big strides toward more secure cloud-based applications and professional services, it never hurts to put those systems to the test to enhance cybersecurity. Penetration testing offers insights into channels or applications at the most risk and gives companies recommendations on the different types of security tools or protocols to invest in.
“If it’s out of sight, out of mind, chances are [the organization] has probably already been hit by an incident or there’s probably something sitting somewhere on their network that is a vulnerability,” said Brian Hope, senior technical IT services at Ingram Micro. “So it’s usually not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ it will happen. Just by having regular checks as best practice or following a general framework…is going to be extremely valuable.”
Often referred to as “pen testing” or “ethical hacking,” these tactics involve simulating cyberattacks to help companies assess their security measures.
Types of ethical hacking
System hacking
This is where hackers use different methods to gain access to a computer system or network by exploiting vulnerabilities. Some common vulnerabilities include weak authentication measures, security misconfigurations and sensitive data exposure.
Social engineering
This type of hacking involves manipulating a person to share confidential information and is typically done through sending malicious or fake emails to employees.
Web application hacking
Ethical hackers will manipulate a software application so that it functions improperly. Companies may consider this type of ethical hacking to find architecture or software vulnerabilities.
Wireless hacking
This involves accessing a private network remotely and can include Wi-Fi password hacking and authentication attacks.
“The entire program and process is about managing risk within your organization,” said Brad Banas, acceleration executive at Ingram Micro. “And it changes all the time. It’s complex, hackers are finding new ways. So making sure that [pen testing] is something that you are doing on a regular basis and you’re budgeting for is really paramount to your organization’s success.”
Why it pays to have pen testing
Data breaches can be costly, with the average amount costing $9.48 million in the U.S. over 17 years and £3.58 million in the U.K. for just over one year. Latin America’s Brazil, Mexico and Colombia experience nine out of 10 attacks with these countries most targeted by cybercriminals. Though each case may vary, the case for beefing up a company’s cybersecurity is clear.
How we can help
Ethical hacking is a vital component of a robust cybersecurity strategy and Ingram Micro aims to proactively equip partners with the tools needed to get your customers on the right path. Our Cybersecurity Center of Excellence provides comprehensive support to enhance partners' service offerings. Ethical hacking capabilities are more seamless than you think—by conducting a gap analysis of partners' current portfolios, partners get tailored recommendations that allow them to integrate pen testing into their cybersecurity practices.
“We have these great technology consultant resources on staff and we have a number of them that are experts in specific categories,” said Banas. “One of the areas that not enough of our partners really take the opportunity to explore is actually spending time with those resources to help them grow out their practice. This is where our gap analysis comes into the picture.”
Ingram Micro is ready to help partners’ cybersecurity game with a professional service tailored to their needs.
Jackie Connor is a writer with more than 15 years of experience contributing to news publications and marketing teams. Since joining Ingram Micro in 2022, she covers technology services, financial solutions, sustainability and DEIB.
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