Re: [Professional IT Security Providers - Exposed] Cybertrust ( C + )

["SecReview" <secreview () hushmail com>]

Trains, 
   Thank you for the good email. We'll take your suggestions into 
consideration. We do already ask for sample reports, but the 
questions that you provide later are great. Thanks again!

On Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:20:57 -0500 trains <trains () doctorunix com> 
wrote:
> I am a pentester and IDS/IPS administrator for a large-ish 
> security  
> firm.  None of our tech staff worked on the corporate web site.  
> We  
> are too busy, and frankly, it's just not my bag.
>
> Public facing websites are usually outsourced to professional 
> graphics  
> arts firms and developed under the supervision of the Director of  
>
> Business Development.  It's usually a solid pile of fluffy 
> buzzwords  
> and crap.
>
> I like where you are going, you're just not there yet.  Your  
> methodology is weak.  You need to review the "actionability" of 
> the  
> deliverables.  Ask for sanitized sample reports.
>
> The argument of who has the most leet hackers is unmeasurable and  
>
> pointless.  For commercial security firms the real criteria needs 
> to  
> be focused on the business process that helps their clients 
> improve  
> their overall security posture.  Not just, "I found an XSS on your 
>
> site", but how is the security infrastructure being managed and  
> improved.
>
> Try looking at the "actionability" aspect of the companies'  
> deliverables and see if you don't get better findings.
>
> Some possible things to look for:
>   Do they include a screen shot for every finding?
>   Do they correlate each finding to a specific spot of code in 
> the  
> vulnerable app?
>   Do they work with your developers to assist with remediation 
> and  
> permanent resolution?
>   How much app dev experience do the pentesters have?
>   Do they have Language and framework specialists on staff to 
> review  
> each finding and make relevant remediation recommendations?
>   Do they meet with the security team, the networking team, the  
> server support team and the developer team separately in break-out 
>
> sessions with specialists in each area?
>   Does every finding include a recommendation for permanent 
> remediation?
>
> Please get better.  I like where you are going, you're just not 
> there yet.
>
> t.r.
>
> -------------------------------------------------
> Email solutions, MS Exchange alternatives and extrication,
> security services, systems integration.
> Contact:    services () doctorunix com
Regards, 
      The Secreview Team
      http://secreview.blogspot.com
      Professional IT Security Service Providers - Exposed

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