printer friendly version

Penetration testing in 2024: Trends and predictions

Penetration testing (pen testing) has evolved significantly over the past decade, adapting to the growing complexity of cybersecurity threats with advanced methods, tools, and approaches to keep pace with new technologies and challenges.

Christo Coetzer

In this article, Christo Coetzer, CEO of BlueVision ITM, highlights a few advances and necessities we have seen in the pen testing world:

• Artificial intelligence and automation: AI-powered pen testing tools are becoming increasingly common, enabling faster vulnerability detection and reducing manual effort. This trend is expected to grow as organisations look for more efficient ways to secure their systems.

• Red and purple teaming: The rise of red teaming (an aggressive simulation of an attack) and purple teaming (collaborative efforts between red and blue teams) transforms how organisations test and improve their defences. These approaches offer deeper insights and continuous improvement.

• Cloud security focus: As more businesses move to cloud environments, pen testing is expanding to address unique cloud vulnerabilities. Security for multi-cloud and hybrid environments is a growing concern in 2024.

• Advanced threat simulation: With the rise of nation-state actors and sophisticated cybercrime groups, penetration testers are adopting more realistic threat models to prepare businesses for targeted attacks.

Coetzer says there is a heightened focus on third-party risk in 2024. As supply chain attacks such as the SolarWinds hack become more frequent, the need to assess third-party security through penetration testing will intensify. In 2024, businesses are increasingly adopting frameworks that mandate security testing for vendors, making third-party pen testing a growing trend.

“Continuous monitoring of third-party security is increasing as businesses move beyond annual reviews and adopt more frequent or even real-time assessments of third-party systems. This helps ensure vulnerabilities are detected as they arise, rather than waiting for scheduled assessments.”

Coetzer notes that, last but not least, regulatory compliance is driving demand. “Increasingly strict regulations and frameworks such as GDPR and ISO 27001 require organisations to adopt more rigorous testing methodologies. This, in turn, drives the need for robust pen testing strategies.”

Coetzer says the role of offensive security providers like BlueVision ITM is progressively moving to become a mission-critical player in modern business. “As organisations adapt to these cyberthreat trends, security providers offering advanced penetration testing and threat simulation services are sought after to ensure businesses are not only protected from current risks but also future-proofed in their cyberdefences.”

Share this article:

Further reading: