Community-driven PTaaS vs. Automated Pentesting

   May 21, 2024  Posted in Mix


Modern pentesting approaches use independent security researchers working under strict NDAs and advanced software platforms to streamline the process. However, with many vendors focusing on other core security products and services, it’s important to make sure that the pentest offering you choose provides you both the trust, compliance, and verification you need and the findings you’d expect from skilled security researchers. The most common pentesting approaches include:

  • Traditional Pentesting via Consultancies
  • Traditional Pentesting as a Service (PTaaS)
  • Community-driven Pentesting as a Service (PTaaS)
  • Automated Pentesting

This blog will focus on community-driven PTaaS vs. automated pentesting, and which pentest methodology is best for your organization based on unique goals and requirements.

What Is Automated Pentesting?

Automated pentesting, including autonomous approaches powered by generative AI (GenAI) algorithms and advanced machine learning models, uses predefined scripts or tools to systematically scan and assess systems for vulnerabilities based on recognized signatures or patterns. This method rapidly identifies “known unknowns” and can be deployed frequently to ensure more regular security checks.

Pros

Cons
  • Provides continuous (always-on) monitoring and testing 
  • Offers very competitive pricing due to having less human-in-the-loop 
  • Rapid detection and reporting of “known” vulnerabilities
  • Available anytime, and is proven to be efficient for routine checks and recurrent vulnerabilities
  • Test results may not be fully accepted by auditors and third-party risk teams
  • Revamped dynamic application security testing (DAST) with some GenAI elements—lacking the depth in scope and intuition of human-driven pentests
  • More suited to assets of lesser business criticality, with high-value digital assets often requiring human-driven pentests
  • High false positive rates can lead to significant hidden validation costs, especially for large or complex attack surfaces, potentially negating initial savings

What Is Community-driven PTaaS?

Community-driven PTaaS represents a modern evolution of pentesting, harnessing the collective expertise of a global community of vetted security researchers. Using a Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery model, it provides immediate results and fosters enhanced communication, all powered by advanced platform capabilities.

This method not only adheres to regulatory mandates, but also cultivates a collaborative relationship between security teams, developers, and pentesters, leading to comprehensive security assessments and incremental improvements in the code security over time.

Pros

Cons
  • Seamless access to a network of top-tier pentesters
  • Rapid launch and management of pentesting activities via the SaaS platform
  • Addresses scheduling challenges inherent to traditional methods
  • Empowers development teams to accelerate workflows via platform integrations
  • On-demand model promotes consistent and cost-efficient pentesting
  • Requires stringent vetting standards to ensure that the scope of the pentester community doesn’t introduce variability in the quality of findings
  • Less equipped to provide on-site testing compared to traditional consultancies
  • Depending on the specific community-driven PTaaS model, may not provide the comprehensive bundled solutions that traditional consultancies often do, such as cyber risk advisory

Community-driven PTaaS vs. Automated Pentesting

Effectiveness

In pentesting, effectiveness measures the impact of the testing process and outcomes, guaranteeing that the tests yield meaningful, actionable, and high-impact results. The elements addressed below underscore the depth, precision, and thorough nature of a modern pentesting alternative, ensuring a structured and methodology-driven assessment of an organization’s security posture.

“We wanted to know what we didn’t know. We didn’t want to just rely on the results of the custom- ordered penetration tests. The complexity of our systems didn’t allow researchers to find in-depth scenarios during fixed, time-bound engagements.”
— Joe Xavier, VP of Engineering, Grammarly

Efficiency

In the context of pentesting, efficiency is not just about meeting objectives—it’s about doing so through coordinated, easily repeatable processes. Together, the components listed below assess whether the pentesting process, from procurement to results delivery and remediation, is streamlined, ensuring an integrated execution that optimizes both time and resources.

automated pentesting vs. PTaaS efficiency

 

Value

Security leaders are challenged to showcase the value of pentesting against its cost. In evaluating community-driven PTaaS and automated pentesting, keep in mind that the impact of each pentesting method varies based on its application, the caliber of expertise involved, and the precise goals underpinning the test objectives.

automated pentesting vs. PTaaS value

 

When evaluating community-driven PTaaS against the automated pentesting model, community-driven PTaaS emerges as a standout solution. It’s a flexible approach tailored to meet an organization’s unique requirements and is competitively priced. Community-driven PTaaS is the premier choice for comprehensive testing combined with in-depth analysis, all while ensuring a swift setup and completion of the assessment.

The Power of PTaaS With HackerOne

HackerOne Pentest transcends routine compliance checks, delivering in-depth insights, efficiency, and actionable results tailored to your business and security needs. 

“We walked away from HackerOne’s pentest engagement with greater confidence that our assets are secure and compliant, due to the collaborative and attentive nature of the testers. The onboarding and testing portion was more seamless compared to other pentest vendors we’ve engaged with. Everything from the real-time dashboard view to the communicative Slack channel was highly received by our internal stakeholders.”
— Rachel Curran, Director of Risk and Compliance, Logikcull

If you’re ready to learn more about how community-driven PTaaS measures up against other pentesting methodologies, download the eBook: The Pentesting Matrix: Decoding Modern Security Testing Approaches. Or, tell us about your pentesting requirements, and one of our experts will contact you.



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