Milton Keynes Office - 01908 733540

Aardwolf Security
  • Security Testing
    • Web Application Penetration Test
    • Network Penetration Testing
      • Internal Network Penetration Testing
      • External Network Penetration Testing
    • Mobile Application Penetration Testing
      • iOS Application Penetration Testing
    • Vulnerability Assessment Services
    • Firewall Penetration Review
    • Red Team Assessment
    • Server Build Review
    • Social Engineering
    • Secure Code Review
  • Cloud Testing
    • Azure Secure Cloud Config Review
    • AWS Secure Cloud Config Review
    • Google Secure Cloud Review
  • Contact Us
  • Online Quote
  • About Us
  • Articles
DirSmash - a multi-threaded directory brute forcing
Cyber Security

Directory Brute Forcing With DirSmash

by William March 11, 2023
written by William

Web directories are a crucial component of many websites, organising web content into categories and subcategories to help users navigate and locate information easily. However, hackers and security professionals also use web directories as a potential entry point to discover hidden content on a web server that are not intended to be publicly accessible. This technique is known as directory brute forcing and involves systematically trying a large number of possible directory and file names until a valid one is found. Aardwolf Security’s DirSmash is an open-source Python script that automates the directory brute forcing process. In this article, we will discuss how DirSmash works, its purpose, and how to run the code to help security professionals identify potential vulnerabilities in web applications and web servers.

What is a web directory?

Web directories are hierarchical structures that organise web content into categories and subcategories, making it easier for users to navigate and locate the information they need. Directories are distinct from search engines, which rely on algorithms to index web content and rank it based on relevance to search queries.

In a web directory, each category and subcategory has a unique URL or web address. For example, the URL for the “Sports” category on a hypothetical web directory might be https://www.example.com/directory/sports/. Within the Sports category, there may be subcategories such as “Basketball”, “Football”, and “Tennis”, each with its own unique URL.

What is directory brute forcing?

Directory brute forcing is a technique used by hackers and security professionals to discover hidden directories or files on a web server that are not intended to be publicly accessible. The brute forcing process involves systematically trying a large number of possible directory and file names until a valid one is found.

This technique is effective because many web applications use predictable naming conventions for their directories and files. For example, a web application may store all of its images in a directory called “images”, or it may use a consistent naming convention for product pages such as “product1.html”, “product2.html”, and so on.

What is the purpose of DirSmash?

DirSmash is an open source Python script developed by Aardwolf Security that automates the process of directory brute forcing. The script generates a list of possible directory and file names based on common naming conventions and then sends HTTP requests to the target server to see if any of the directories or files exist.

The purpose of DirSmash is to help security professionals identify potential vulnerabilities in web applications and web servers. By discovering hidden directories and files, security professionals can identify areas of the web application that may be vulnerable to attack and take steps to secure them.

How the code works

DirSmash is written in Python and uses the requests library to send HTTP requests to the target server. The script generates a list of possible directory and file names based on common naming conventions and then sends requests to the target server for each directory and file in the list.

If the server responds with a 200 status code, indicating that the directory or file exists, DirSmash will log the URL and status code to the console. If the server responds with a different status code, indicating that the directory or file does not exist or is not accessible, DirSmash will continue to the next directory or file in the list.

DirSmash also includes options for specifying the target URL, the wordlist file to use, and the number of threads to use for the brute forcing process.

How to run DirSmash

To run DirSmash, you will need to have Python and the requests library installed on your system. You can download the script from the Aardwolf Security GitHub repository at: https://github.com/aardwolfsecurityltd/DirSmash/blob/main/dirsmash.py.

Once you have downloaded the script, open a terminal window and navigate to the directory where the script is located. To run the script, enter the following command:

python dirsmash.py -u <target URL> -w <wordlist file> -t <number of threads>

Replace <target URL> with the URL of the target web application or server, <wordlist file> with the path to the wordlist file you want to use, and <number of threads> with the number of threads you want to use for the brute forcing process.

DirSmash will then begin sending HTTP requests to the target server for each directory and file in the wordlist file. The script will log any status codes indicating the existence of the directory or file. This information can then be used to further investigate potential vulnerabilities and secure the web application or server.

DirSmash is a valuable addition to any security professional’s toolkit, but it is important to use it ethically and responsibly. It is crucial to obtain proper authorization before using DirSmash or any other security tool to ensure that you are not violating any laws or policies.

In addition, it is important to keep in mind that the brute forcing process can be resource-intensive and may generate a significant amount of traffic to the target server. This can result in server overload, slow response times, or even cause the server to crash. It is crucial to use DirSmash with caution and to limit the number of requests sent at any given time.

In summary, DirSmash is a powerful tool that can be used to identify potential vulnerabilities in web applications and web servers through directory brute forcing. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can learn how to run the code and uncover hidden directories and files on your web server. However, it is important to use this tool ethically and responsibly and to obtain proper authorisation before using it. Always keep in mind the potential impact of the brute forcing process on the target server and use DirSmash with caution.

March 11, 2023 0 comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
MetaSmash - A metadata extraction tool
Cyber Security

MetaSmash: A Powerful Metadata Extraction Tool

by William March 9, 2023
written by William

In today’s digital world, the information we share through our devices is stored in more ways than we can imagine. Every file we create or share contains metadata, which is information about the file that is not necessarily visible to us. Metadata can contain a range of information about a file, including creation date, author, location, and even sensitive information such as GPS coordinates or user comments. This information can be extracted from different types of files, such as images, videos, and documents, and pose a significant risk to privacy and security if not handled properly.

The Importance of Sensitive Metadata Extraction

Metadata extraction is an essential process in identifying and managing the sensitive data in your files. It helps you discover hidden information that may be compromising your privacy or security. For instance, images captured from smartphones or cameras can contain GPS coordinates that reveal your location or even your home address. Similarly, some documents may contain confidential information that can be extracted from user comments or document properties. By extracting sensitive metadata, you can identify and remove this information before sharing or publishing the files.

Types of Sensitive Information in Metadata

Different types of files can contain various types of sensitive metadata. Some common types of sensitive metadata include:

  • GPS Coordinates: As mentioned earlier, images, videos, and other files that capture location information can reveal your whereabouts, which can be a significant privacy concern.
  • User Comments: Many files, especially images and videos, allow users to add comments, which can contain sensitive or personal information.
  • Author Information: Documents and other files often include author information, which may include name, email, or other identifying details.
  • Creation and Modification Dates: These dates can reveal when a file was created or last modified, which can have legal or privacy implications.
  • Document Properties: Documents, including PDFs, can contain sensitive information in their properties, such as the name of the company or the author of the document.

The Tool for Extracting Sensitive Metadata

MetaSmash is an excellent tool for extracting sensitive metadata from different types of files. The script uses the Exiftool library to extract metadata and the Pillow library to format it in a more human-readable form. The script also uses the Magic library to identify the type of file, and if it is an image, PDF, video, or audio file, it extracts the metadata accordingly.

Using the tool is straightforward. You can run it from the command line by providing the path of the file you want to analyse. If the file is an image or contains GPS coordinates, you can add the “–gps” flag to extract the GPS metadata. The tool will output a formatted text that shows the sensitive metadata extracted from the file.

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/aardwolfsecurityltd/MetaSmash.git

Usage

To run MetaSmash, navigate to the directory where the script is located and execute the following command:

python metasmash.py [file_path]

Replace [file_path] with the path to the file that you wish to test.

Conclusion

Sensitive metadata extraction is an important process that can help you protect your privacy and security. MetaSmash is a powerful tool that can help you extract and analyse metadata from different types of files. By identifying sensitive metadata pen testers and red teamer’s can gain valuable information about a target. Whether you are a privacy-conscious individual or a security professional, this tool is a valuable addition to your arsenal.

March 9, 2023 0 comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
403 bypass vulnerability scanner
Cyber Security

403 Bypass Tool For Bulk Urls

by William March 1, 2023
written by William

In this article, we will explore a scenario where a client initially required a black box penetration test of over a hundred different web applications that were supposed to only be accessible from internal IP addresses and therefore provide a 403 forbidden error. Once it was confirmed that these pages were indeed providing the correct 403 error, it was then necessary to test for 403 bypass vulnerabilities.

What is a 403 Error?

A 403 error is a response status code that indicates that the server understands the client’s request but refuses to fulfil it. The most common cause of a 403 error is that the user does not have sufficient permissions to access the requested resource. This error can also occur if the server has been configured to restrict access to a particular resource or if the resource has been removed or moved to a different location.

How to perform a 403 Bypass?

This bypass can be achieved in several ways, for example manipulating HTTP headers, exploiting vulnerabilities in the server software, or using brute force attacks to guess valid authentication credentials. It’s important to note that attempting to bypass a 403 error without proper authorisation is illegal and can result in serious consequences.

The Client’s Brief

Recently, Aardwolf Security were approached by a client who required a penetration test of over a hundred different web applications. These applications were only supposed to be accessible from internal IP addresses, and therefore, they should have provided a 403 forbidden error when accessed from external IP addresses. The client wanted to ensure that these applications were secure and that no unauthorised access could be gained through these applications.

Once the Aardwolf Security team confirmed that these pages were indeed providing the correct 403 error, they then had to test whether the 403 could be bypassed. However, publicly available tools on GitHub only allowed for individual URLs to be assessed. It was not practical to test each URL individually as there were over a hundred different web applications to test. Therefore, the Aardwolf Security team had to create a tool that would allow for a user to input a list of URLs, which would then each be tested using well-known 403 bypass methods.

Creating a 403 Bypass Tool

To solve the problem of testing over a hundred different web applications for 403 bypass vulnerabilities, Aardwolf Security created a new tool that would allow for a user to input a list of URLs. This tool would then test each URL using well-known 403 bypass methods. The tool was designed to be user-friendly and ensure many URL’s could be assessed consecutively.

The tool created by Aardwolf Security was able to identify several vulnerabilities in the client’s web applications, including a bypass of one of the client URLs that allowed for sensitive data to be accessed. The vulnerabilities were reported to the client, who was able to take the necessary steps to address them and improve their security posture.

The tool can be found on our GitHub repository here: https://github.com/aardwolfsecurityltd/bulk_403_bypass

To run the tool use:

bash 403_bypass.sh [input file]

If you want to reduce verbose output to only include 200 responses use the following:

bash 403_bypass.sh [input file] | grep 200

Conclusion

In this scenario, Aardwolf Security was able to create a tool that allowed for the efficient testing of over a hundred different web applications for 403 bypass vulnerabilities. By identifying these vulnerabilities, the client was able to take the necessary steps to improve their security posture and protect their sensitive data.

Aardwolf security have been helping protect and secure SMEs against cybercriminals since 2015. With an exclusive focus on penetration testing from CREST qualified penetration testers, Aardwolf Security has the expertise you need to improve your cybersecurity posture and prevent you from becoming a victim of cybercrime.

Our penetration testing services can be tailored to your specific needs, and our team of experts are here to provide impartial information and advice every step of the way.

Get in touch today to speak with one of our Senior Consultants, or fill out our 5-minute online quote form for a bespoke quote today.

March 1, 2023 0 comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
Secure Code Review Quote
Cyber Security

Importance of Code Review and its Best Practices

by William November 22, 2021
written by William

In a code review, programmers check each other’s code for mistakes and provide recommendations. Regardless of the methods a team chooses for code reviews, there are many important benefits that can be achieved by reviewing and examining code.

Importance of Code Review

The key benefit of code review is mentorship. Every individual in the team possesses some bits of knowledge that the others don’t have. By showing code to others, one can learn new tips and tricks of the coding process. It can also expose one to different approaches of solving a problem and helps expand the ways to tackle similar issues in the future.

The most important reason to seek out code reviews is for finding defects early on in the development process. It’s better to have two sets of eyes than one. With an extra pair of eyes to review the code, it is more likely to have lesser defects in the code before it is pushed into the repository.

How to Review Code

Code reviews are all about collaboration, not about competition.

Follow these five best practices for conducting successful code reviews.

  1. Look for Key Things in a Review

These include style, structure, performance, logic, design, functionality, readability, and test coverage. Some of these can be checked through automation, such as structure, but others such as functionality need a human to review.

  1. Build and test before the review

Before conducting a manual review, it is important to build and test. Doing automated test helps cut down errors and saves time.

  1. Review code for a maximum of one hour at one time

Going beyond this timeline tends to reduce attention-to-detail and performance. It is advisable to conduct frequent reviews with shorter intervals instead. By taking a break, the brain gets a chance to reset and helps perform better reviews.

  1. Check 400 lines of code at the most

Again, reviewing too many lines of code can result in lesser probability to find defects. Each review should be kept for 400 lines or lesser. This limit is significant for the same reasons as setting time limits.

  1. Give constructive feedback

Instead of being critical in feedback, a better approach is to be constructive. Point out the issues and suggest ways of improvement. Ask questions instead of making statements, and praise alongside the feedback.

If you are looking for a code review quote, Aardwolf security can help fulfil your requirement with one of our experienced pen testers. Get in touch today to find out more or use our interactive pen test quote form.

November 22, 2021 0 comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
Network assessment
Cyber Security

Network Assessment Checklist

by Tashina November 11, 2021
written by Tashina

As a business grows, it often needs to expand its IT networks for accessing and providing increased functionality. In doing so, many times a business may overlook optimal practices and security requirements. Network assessment can help a business gain visibility into IT issues, to rectify them before they affect the business performance.

What is Network Assessment?

Network assessments help in exposing IT security and network issues and allow to generate reports that outline the rectification steps. A network assessment report should be clear and comprehensive, and based on the key findings of the assessment. A good report also includes SWOT analysis of the network.

Network Assessment Checklist

To ensure the dependability and functionality of your business network, it is important to conduct a regular network assessments. Hence, it is best to make this a priority, or the network will likely not perform as expected. To make it easier, this checklist outlines the important components should be a part of network assessments.

Assessing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy

BYOD is now an unavoidable phenomenon. Even with restrictions, it is likely that the staff will need to bring their personal devices to work, and connect them to the organisation’s network. Thus, potentially resulting in slower speeds, increased bandwidth demands, and potential security vulnerabilities.

To overcome these issues, there should be clear and detailed policies for BYOD. When assessing the policy, it is important to consider unknown hardware, unapproved third-party applications, and the connected devices along with the vulnerabilities created by them.

Assessing Network Security Vulnerability

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities are common way for hackers to exploit and gain access to networks. They can exist in hardware, software, or even the physical environment. Some of these are easily resolvable, but others require a professional network assessment for identification and patching. It is best to address common vulnerabilities such as outdated security patches and poor password management practices.

Assessing Network Bandwidth Demand

Networks have limited bandwidth to be shared among the users. Thus, by monitoring how bandwidth is distributed and used, it is easy to determine if the network needs expansion, or if one needs to address individual devices and applications.

Network Infrastructure Assessment

This includes assessing the system’s software and hardware components. Software includes applications, firewalls, and operating systems. Hardware includes access points, switches, and cables. To establish a healthy infrastructure, it is necessary to examine bandwidth patterns and update patches.

Network Files and Data Security Assessment

Data security contributes towards overall network security. It is best to asses how the business gathers, stores, accesses, and distributes confidential information. Data that is poorly secured can quickly become a vulnerability and can expose a business to regulatory issues. It’s also imperative to manage who has access to what.

If you would like to have professional and thorough network assessment for your enterprise, contact Aardwolf Security to find how we can be assistance.

November 11, 2021 0 comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
Secure Code Review Quote
Cyber Security

Secure Code Review Checklist

by Tashina September 28, 2021
written by Tashina

A code review is conducted after a developer finishes working on a piece of code, another developer then analyses it for obvious logical errors in the code?, are all requirements met?, are automated tests sufficient for the code, is there a need to change existing automated tests?, is the code in conformity with current guidelines?

When conducting a code review, it is important to keep it aligned with the existing team processes. Here is a checklist for conducting a code review successfully.

Divide Review into Time Slots

Experts don’t recommend to review the entire project at once. One should not review more than 400 lines of code at one time. Furthermore, one check should not take more than one hour. This recommendation is based on the fact that humans are unable to process a large amount of information for longer time periods. Going beyond this mark can decrease the ability to detect bugs, and cause a reviewer to miss critical errors.

Ask Team Members for Help

The review quality can be increased if there are more people reviewing. Using different tools, one can assign reviewers from the team and discuss chosen source code lines. Performing code review collaboratively not only enhances the code but also the team’s expertise by sharing knowledge and discussing changes.

Develop Metrics

When starting the review, it is best to set up goals such as “reduce the defects by 50 percent.” It is important to develop measurable goals instead of generic ones like “to find more bugs”. Also gather metrics like number of bugs detected per hour, speed of review, and average bugs per line of code. Tracking review performance constantly can show a true picture of inner processes.

Keep a Positive Approach

A code review can sometimes cause relationships within the team to strain. This is why it is important to keep the criticism positive and friendly to ensure that the coworkers remain motivated.

Set Up a Process for Fixing Bugs

Once the code review is done, there should be a process for fixing all the bugs found. It is important to discuss bugs with the creator (unless one is reviewing the code for another team), and get the changes approved before submitting them into the source code.

Secure Code Review Quote

If you are looking for a secure code review quote, Aardwolf security can help fulfil your requirement with one of our experienced developers/pen testers. Get in touch today to find out more or use our interactive pen test quote form.

September 28, 2021 0 comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
What is Cross-site request forgery
Cyber Security

What is Cross-Site Request Forgery and How Does it Work?

by Tashina September 19, 2021
written by Tashina

Cross-Site Request Forgery, or CSRF is an attack that forcefully makes an authenticated user submit a malicious request against a Web application they are authenticated to. This attack intends to exploit the trust of a Web application on an authenticated user. The aim of the attacker behind conducting a CSRF attack is to make users submit a request for changing the state.

For example:

  • Submitting a transaction
  • Changing a password
  • Deleting or submitting a record
  • Sending a message
  • Purchasing a product

Attackers often launch CSRF attacks using social engineering methods. They trick a victim by making them click a malicious URL that sends an unauthorised request for a web app. The victim then sends said malicious request to a particular web application. It also includes website-related credentials such as session cookies. When a user has an active connection with the targeted application, it treats the new request like an authorised request by the victim. This makes the attack successful.

How does Cross-Site Request Forgery Work?

Cross-site Request Forgery attack targets those web applications that cannot distinguish between valid and forged requests. An attacker can use many methods to exploit a vulnerability in an application to conduct CSRF.

Let’s consider an example. Brian has an online account and visits his bank website regularly to carry out transactions with his brother David. He is not aware that his bank’s website is vulnerable to CSRF attacks. A hacker plans to send £10,000 from Brian’s account by exploiting the vulnerability. To launch an attack successfully,

  • The attacker will create an exploit URL
  • They will trick Brian by making him click the exploit URL
  • Brian must be in an active session with the website when the attacker launches the attack.

By using different attack methods through social engineering, the attacker tricks Brian into loading the infected URL. They can do this by putting a malicious URL on pages the user often accesses while logged in, including malicious HTML images into a form, or by simply sending an email with a malicious URL.

The Limitations

However, there are certain limitations for carrying out a successful CSRF attack. A CSRF attack’s success mainly depends upon a user’s active session with the vulnerable application. If the user is not in an active session, the attack cannot be successful. Moreover, the attacker needs to find a valid URL for crafting it maliciously. This URL must be able to change the state of the target application. They must also find the correct URL parameter values, or the target application may possibly not accept the malicious request.

Web Application Penetration Testing Quote

If you are looking for a web application pen test quote, Aardwolf security can help fulfil your requirement with one of our experienced pen testers. Get in touch today to find out more or use our penetration test quote form.

September 19, 2021 0 comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
Cyber Security

What is a Code Review?

by Tashina August 31, 2021
written by Tashina

Simply put, a code review, or peer code review, is the act of systematically checking code of peers to point out mistakes. It has been shown to streamline and accelerate the software development process. Though software developers often depend on automated testing for code reviews, manual review of code by peers yields better chances of correction.

Whether one is a programmer or a software development manager, it is imperative to realise the importance of code reviews. When done in a correct manner, peer review saves time by streamlining the development and reducing the amount of work required later by QA teams. Code reviews also save money in the long run by catching bugs that may go undetected during testing and potentially production.

Whereas saving money and time are important concerns for a business in the software development industry, code review also fosters greater communication between coworkers, distributes sense of ownership for a piece of code, and provides invaluable educational context for junior developers. Senior colleagues demonstrate better methods to write clean code and solve problems with useful shortcuts while identifying issues like buffer overflows, memory leaks, and scalability.

Understanding Code Review

A code reviewer reads the code line by line to look for any flaws or potential flaws, quality of comments, consistency with overall program design, and adhering to coding standards.

Code reviews are especially productive for finding security vulnerabilities. There are special applications that aid with the process. It helps with testing the source code systematically for potential trouble such as race condition(s), buffer overflow(s), size violations, memory leakage, and duplicate statements. Code reviews are also important for testing the quality of security patches.

Code review process consist of the following stages:

  • Identifying more efficient ways to complete a task by considering best practices
  • Detecting logical errors
  • Identifying the vulnerabilities in the code
  • Reviewing code to detect any potential malware and to find backdoors integrated into the software

What to Look for in a Code Review

It is important to consider the following points when conducting a code review:

Design

Consider the overall design of the code. Look for answers to questions like do the interactions between different pieces of code make sense? Does the change belong to your library or codebase? Does it integrate with rest of your system? Is it a good time to add a particular functionality?

Functionality

Is the code serving the purpose for which we created it? Does it cater to all the requirements? Is it user-friendly?

Complexity

Is the code more complex than it is supposed to be? It is best to check this at every level of the code to see if individual lines are too complex. What about the functions and classes? The term “too complex” usually means that code readers cannot easily understand it.

Aardwolf Security team helps with code reviews to ensure that a business is not exposed to vulnerabilities.

Secure Code Review Quote

If you are looking for a code review quote, Aardwolf security can help fulfil your requirement with one of our experienced developers and testers. Get in touch today to find out more or use our interactive pen test quote form.

August 31, 2021 0 comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
Network penetration testing company
Cyber Security

5 Things Your Network Assessment Should Include

by Tashina August 31, 2021
written by Tashina

Businesses should conduct regular network assessments to ensure that their IT processes are performing efficiently. From identifying obsolete hardware and software to improving security and devising disaster plans, a well-designed network assessment makes sure that business productivity can continue to be maximised.

Here are 5 things a good network assessment must include:

Network Inventory

The first step is to know how the network is equipped, structured, and configured. Hence, one must know answers to questions like how many users are there?,  how old is the network software and hardware?,  are users accessing the network through few or many devices, and what exactly is the network used for?

Some businesses depend on their networks for accounting or communication. Others may also rely on their network for application development, ordering and inventory control, office collaboration, and project management.

A network assessment should examine network inventory and align its capabilities with the business. This helps ensure that the network is performing optimally without wasting many resources.

Security Assessment

With data breach numbers increasing every year, data security is integral to protect a business. A vulnerability can exist in any part of the network. It can be a result of an outdated network technology, insufficient firewall protection, unsecured web application, or poor passwords.

Conducting a security assessment uncovers potential issues before they arise, saves downtime, prevents data loss and ensures customer loyalty.

Network Performance Evaluation

Bandwidth limitation slows down performance and affects employee productivity. These bottlenecks can be a result of a number of causes such as large file transfers, backups at wrong times, content streaming, or faulty software and hardware configuration.

Network assessment can isolate the causes of slow network performance and helps determine the best way to get the network up and running efficiently and effectively.

Cloud Setup Evaluation

With more business setups moving to the cloud, it’s important to consider how to leverage the technology. Many organisations use cloud for file sharing and backup and recovery. In each case, it is important to cater to security. Some businesses such as Office 365 also run cloud-based applications.

In addition to security concerns, it is important to know how well the cloud setup works for specific needs of the business. Cloud assessment and evaluation can make overall network assessment more thorough.

Mobile Device Usage

For businesses that heavily rely on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, a network assessment helps reveal how the mobile device usage relates to the network. Though some mobile devices work efficiently, but can pose security threats as well. A network assessment that evaluates mobile usage while adhering to security concerns goes a long way towards making the business network more reliable.

Network Pen Test Quotation

If you are looking for a network pen test quote, Aardwolf security can help fulfil your requirement. Get in touch today to find out more or use our interactive pen test quote form.

August 31, 2021 0 comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
network pen test quote
Cyber Security

What is a Network Assessment and Why Do You Need One?

by Tashina August 12, 2021
written by Tashina

Have you ever considered a network assessment for your business but are not sure what exactly it does and how it benefits your business?

A network assessment is a detailed report and analysis of an organisation’s IT infrastructure, security, processes, management, and performance. The purpose of an assessment is to identify the areas that need improvement and to get a detailed overview of a network’s current state. Thus, helping companies in making informed business decisions.

A network assessment may be needed when either an organisation’s IT assets have grown and need regular monitoring, or when one or more of the IT components have started malfunctioning.

Network Assessment: Does My Business Need One?

Let’s have a look at how network assessments can benefit a business

1. In-Depth Analysis of IT Infrastructure

From topology maps to traffic patterns, it can help in making informed decisions about network upgrades and maintenance. The IT team can ensure that systems are working optimally by gaining insight into weaknesses and capabilities and maintenance of current network assets.

2. Creating a Strategic Roadmap

After gaining visibility into the current state, the IT team can consolidate, simplify and automate the network. It is easier to move forward with a  clear roadmap to a virtualised, modern and software-defined infrastructure. In turn, this saves time and the team can focus on other strategic activities.

3. Improvement in Security

Without having complete visibility into the network, it is not easy to defend against cyberattacks.  A Network assessment also uncovers how people and processes interact with the network. It helps design a preventive and proactive security strategy for the organisation.

4. Potential to Save Costs

In a conventional computing environment, capacity is provisioned on the basis of estimated resource requirements. Hence, it often often results in expensive resources being idle or in not having enough capacity. Furthermore, network assessments help design new network architectures including cloud computing. Thus, cloud allows the usage of as much or as little capacity as required and only paying for the resources you utilise.

5. Identification of Protocol Enhancements

A network assessment exposes vulnerabilities in current systems and uncovers opportunities to improve. For example, when accessing data on a flat network, a data breach can quickly spread. By segmenting the network, the attack has limited impact.

A third-party service partner that conducts a network assessment can provide objective unbiased recommendations. Thus helping to achieve improved security and capacity planning.

Network Pen Test Quote

If you are looking for a network penetration test quote, Aardwolf security can fulfil your requirement. Get in touch today to find out more or use our interactive pen test quote form.

August 12, 2021 0 comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts

Penetration Testing Services

Services Offered

  • Cloud Penetration Testing
    • AWS Secure Cloud Config Review
    • Azure Secure Cloud Config Review
    • Google Secure Cloud Review
  • Mobile Application Penetration Testing
    • iOS Application Penetration Testing
  • Security Testing
    • Firewall Penetration Review
    • Network Penetration Testing
      • External Network Penetration Testing
      • Internal Network Penetration Testing
    • Red Team Assessment
    • Secure Code Review
    • Server Build Review
    • Social Engineering
    • Vulnerability Assessment Services
    • Web Application Penetration Test

Address & Telephone Number

Aardwolf Security Ltd

Midsummer Court
314 Midsummer Boulevard
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK9 2UB

Tel – 01908 733540
Email – [email protected]

Company Details

Aardwolf Security Ltd are registered in England and Wales.

 

Company number: 09464876

VAT registration No: GB-300106778

Opening Hours

  • Monday
    9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Tuesday
    9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Wednesday
    9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Thursday
    9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Friday
    9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Saturday
    Closed
  • Sunday
    Closed
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin

© Aardwolf Security 2023. All rights reserved.

Aardwolf Security
  • Security Testing
    • Web Application Penetration Test
    • Network Penetration Testing
      • Internal Network Penetration Testing
      • External Network Penetration Testing
    • Mobile Application Penetration Testing
      • iOS Application Penetration Testing
    • Vulnerability Assessment Services
    • Firewall Penetration Review
    • Red Team Assessment
    • Server Build Review
    • Social Engineering
    • Secure Code Review
  • Cloud Testing
    • Azure Secure Cloud Config Review
    • AWS Secure Cloud Config Review
    • Google Secure Cloud Review
  • Contact Us
  • Online Quote
  • About Us
  • Articles