Penetration Testing Vs Vulnerability Assessment
VIDEO! What’s the difference between Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessment?
Dan Duran from Rhyno Cybersecurity replies to Andrew Zwart.
In a nutshell, Penetration Testing is an actually simulated attack that finds vulnerabilities in a system.
Vulnerability Assessment is just some scanners into a system to compile a quick report.
Vulnerability scans look for known vulnerabilities in your systems and report potential exposures. Penetration tests are intended to exploit weaknesses in the architecture of your IT network and determine the degree to which a malicious attacker can gain unauthorized access to your assets. A vulnerability scan is typically automated, while a penetration test is a manual test performed by a security professional.
Penetration testing (also called “pen testing”) and vulnerability assessment are both required by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), but there is often confusion about the differences between the two services. This document offers clarification on how to differentiate between penetration tests and vulnerability scans.