Pen Testing vs. Threat Hunting: Differences You Should Know

Today’s world is highly interconnected due to digitalization. On the one hand, this transformation has created several opportunities for the business landscape. On the other hand, it has opened doors to security threats like data breaches, IP theft, and ransomware attacks.

You can steer clear of these incidents by implementing security protocols like pen testing and threat hunting. These two approaches are quite different from each other. Penetration testing is a periodic procedure, while threat hunting is an ongoing process.

These two strategies also differ in their objectives and methods. Do you want to learn about more differences? Keep reading the article, as it will illuminate the differences between pen testing and threat hunting you must know.

Top 5 Differences Between Pen testing and Threat Hunting

In the cybersecurity sector, penetration testing and threat hunting are two famous approaches. Most people are unaware that there are fundamental differences between the two. In pen testing, security experts exploit weak spots in a network to check its defense against cyberattacks. In threat hunting, professionals actively hunt for potential vulnerabilities. Let’s focus on the top five differences between pen testing and threat hunting:

Objectives

The basic difference between these two security strategies lies in their objectives. Businesses opt for these methods to meet varying requirements. You cannot leverage penetration testing for the same reason you use threat hunting.

Threat hunting primarily revolves around proactively analyzing a company’s network to point out the signs of malicious activities. Contrarily, pen testing is used to assess the strength of a system’s security. It works by exploiting known vulnerabilities.

The goal of threat hunting is to unmask an ongoing threat, while pen testing aims to strengthen the defense system. Pen testing is not possible without seeking help from a professional. Businesses opt for penetration testing UAE bases services to achieve the milestone.

Tools and Techniques

When it comes to tools and techniques leveraged in both approaches, pen testing uses technology that is different from threat hunting. This is because both procedures have dissimilar goals. You cannot apply the same software and tools for both processes.

Threat hunting is aimed at uncovering any hidden danger or assessing an ongoing threat. This approach requires specific tools. Usually, threat hunters utilize security information and event management tools as well as managed detection and response systems.

As opposed to threat hunting, pen testing has different equipment requirements. It leverages advanced technologies like Wireshark, Hashchat, and Zed Attack Proxy. All these tools help simulate an incident to identify a system’s weakness.

Method

The operational scopes and aims of pen testing and threat hunting are distinct. Both techniques do not serve the same purpose. This is the root cause of why penetration testing proceeds differently from threat hunting.

Threat hunters typically use indicators of attack as a method to reveal a current or potential cyber incident. They use an iterative approach to come up with a hypothesis. Later, they conduct deep analysis and refine their strategies accordingly. This technique does not revolve around a fixed process. Rather, it is more adaptive and flexible.

Penetration testers, on the other hand, simulate a real-world cyberattack. They leverage a predefined and structured technique to reach the target. These experts can exploit several methods, including white box, black box, and grey box tests. The cumulative purpose of all these techniques is to ensure a system’s optimal functionality against cyberattacks.

Frequency and Timing

The role of threat hunting is to detect and respond to a potential cyber incident proactively. Contrarily, pen testing is all about providing valuable insights into a network’s vulnerabilities and defense system. These variances mark a difference between the timeframe and frequency of both these cybersecurity approaches.

Cybersecurity incidents do not happen at a predefined time. Your organization’s computer network can face potential threats around the clock. That makes threat-hunting an ongoing process. Threat hunters are tasked with continuously monitoring and analyzing different aspects of a system to unmask and address these threats.

Penetration testing is not necessarily a continuous procedure. You can opt for this process biannually or annually. It usually has a fixed timeframe to assist companies in assessing their security measures and identifying the existence of previous or new susceptibilities.

Demand in Industries

The scope of threat hunting and pen testing in different industries varies depending on their needs. The security challenges faced by various sectors differ in their nature. One incident that might endanger a business can be harmless for another.

Some industries depend more on threat hunting due to the varying nature and complexity of their operations. For instance, the finance sector is in constant danger due to its sensitive data. That is why it might require threat hunting.

Pen testing is not an inclusive approach. Any industrial landscape can leverage this technique, including banking, healthcare, education, telecom, and government agencies. You can refer to penetration testing UAE based services to strengthen your organization’s security.

Conclusion

Pen testing and threat hunting are two valuable procedures in the world of cybersecurity. They differ in their method, objectives, tools, and industrial use. Penetration testing has more scope than threat hunting. Seeking help from a professional pentester is essential to protect your company against cyberattacks.