Educause Security Discussion mailing list archives
Re: Pen Test vendors
From: Sarah Stevens <sarah () STEVENS-TECHNOLOGIES COM>
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:30:26 -0800
Mike. You bring up valid points. The ASV only does the scanning. Most ASVs do this remotely. The QSA does the more in- depth control analysis, but true penetration testing is usually not conducted in either case. By "true pen test", I am referring to the services that we provide where we actually exploit vulnerabilities to circumvent controls, as a hacker would attempt to do, and as you describe below. Sarah Stevens, CISSP, QSA Stevens Technologies, Inc. Sarah E Stevens Stevens Technologies, Inc. (704) 625-8842 x500 -------------------------- Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld ----- Original Message ----- From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv <SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU> To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU <SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU> Sent: Tue Jan 13 14:15:38 2009 Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Pen Test vendors Zach Jansen wrote:
With PCI requiring annual penetration tests of the cardholder environment, is that motivation enough for people to start their own pentest programs? Are .edu's who are subject to PCI outsourcing this or developing internally?
From section 11.2 of the PCI DSS:
Run internal and external network vulnerability scans at least quarterly and after any significant change in the network (such as new system component installations, changes in network topology, firewall rule modifications, product upgrades). Note: Quarterly external vulnerability scans must be performed by an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) qualified by Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC). Scans conducted after network changes may be performed by the company’s internal staff.
So you can't meet the requirement without a quarterly scan by an ASV, but you're *also* supposed to be doing internal scans. It may be picking nits, but it's also worth noting that PCI requires a vulnerability scan, not a penetration test. Vulnerability scanning typically involves one or more (mostly) automated scan(s) for known vulnerabilities, optionally with manual verification of the results. Penetration testing typically involves attempting to find and exploit unknown vulnerabilities in custom code or to break into a deployment which is believed to have no publicly disclosed vulnerabilities. Folks typically have very different reasons for running vulnerability scans vs pen-tests, the quality of vendor you need is drastically different, and the price is also different by a few zeros. Thanks, Mike Lococo
Current thread:
- Re: Pen Test vendors, (continued)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Mike Waller (Jan 09)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Dick Jacobson (Jan 10)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Brenda B Gombosky (Jan 11)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Curt Wilson (Jan 12)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Bob Henry (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Zach Jansen (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Mark Houpt (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Mike Lococo (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Sarah Stevens (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Sarah Stevens (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Sarah Stevens (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Felecia Vlahos (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Zach Jansen (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Morrow Long (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Sarah Stevens (Jan 13)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Peterman, Martin (mdp4s) (Jan 14)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Curt Wilson (Jan 15)
- Re: Pen Test vendors Walter E. Petruska (Jan 20)