vulnerability assessment  vs penetration testing

WRITTEN BY DEEPRAJ

JULY 23rd,2024

Identifies and ranks vulnerabilities by severity

Tests vulnerabilities to gauge their impact and risk of compromise.

Focus

Vulnerability Assessment

Penetration Testing

 1

Heavily relies on automated vulnerability scanners

Relies mainly on skilled security experts, with tools used for  specific tasks.

Usage of Tools

Vulnerability  Assessment

Penetration Testing

2

Largely automated by vulnerability scanning tools

extensive knowledge of hacking techniques and system security.

Performed By

Vulnerability Assessment

Penetration Testing

3

Offers a broad overview of potential weaknesses.

Provides a deeper understanding of exploitable vulnerabilities.

Depth

Vulnerability Assessment

Penetration Testing

4

Highly automated, enabling frequent and rapid scans.

Limited automation, requiring manual analysis of results, and impact assessment.

Automation

Vulnerability Assessment

Penetration Testing

5

Can be performed very frequently  depending on risk tolerance.

Conducted monthly, quarterly, or annually based on security requirements.

Frequency

Vulnerability Assessment

Penetration Testing

6

Can be used for continuous compliance monitoring

Mandatory for compliance pentests such as GDPR, HIPAA, ISO, CERT-IN, and SOX

Compliance

Vulnerability Assessment

Penetration Testing

7

Does not directly result in a penetration testing certification.

It helps showcase the skills needed for penetration testing certifications.

Certification

Vulnerability Assessment

Penetration Testing

8

Lower cost due to automation.

Higher cost due to skilled personnel required.

Cost

Vulnerability Assessment

Penetration Testing

9

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