Penetration testing should be carried out at least once a year, and more often whenever there are major changes to your systems, networks, or applications. Many organisations choose to conduct testing quarterly or biannually to ensure ongoing protection. The frequency depends on the size and risk level of your business, but regular testing is essential to keep pace with evolving cyber threats.
A single test can reveal existing vulnerabilities, but ongoing penetration testing ensures that new risks are identified before attackers can exploit them. The goal is not just to find weaknesses once, but to maintain continuous security and resilience against cyberattacks.
What Types of Penetration Testing Can You Do?
- AI penetration testing
- Web application penetration testing
- Cloud penetration testing
- Threat led penetration testing
- External pen testing
- Internal pen testing
What Happens if You Do Not Do Penetration Testing Ongoing?
Failing to carry out regular penetration testing leaves an organisation blind to new vulnerabilities. Technology, software, and cybercriminal tactics evolve constantly, meaning that systems once considered secure can quickly become exposed.
Without ongoing testing, small issues such as outdated patches, misconfigurations, or weak access controls can develop into critical risks.
According to a report by IBM in 2024, the average cost of a data breach rose to over £3.5 million, showing how expensive the consequences of weak security can be. In many cases, these breaches could have been prevented if vulnerabilities were discovered earlier. Regular penetration testing helps identify these gaps before attackers can exploit them, reducing the risk of downtime, data theft, or reputational harm.
Is It Still Beneficial To Do a One Off Penetration Test?
A one-off penetration test is still beneficial, especially for businesses that have never done one before. It provides a clear picture of your current security posture and highlights immediate risks that need fixing. For example, it may reveal exposed web applications, insecure credentials, or vulnerabilities in outdated software.
This type of test acts as a baseline for future improvement. However, cyber threats do not remain static. A one-off test can only provide assurance for a limited period. Within months, new vulnerabilities can appear through software updates or newly discovered exploits. Therefore, while a single test is a good starting point, it should not replace a long-term strategy for security.
Is It More Economic To Do Penetration Testing Ongoing?
At first glance, ongoing penetration testing may seem more expensive because it involves regular assessments. However, it is more cost-effective in the long term. The cost of recovering from a data breach, including investigation, legal action, and loss of customer trust, often far exceeds the expense of regular testing.
A 2023 report by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre found that 39% of UK businesses experienced a cyberattack in the previous year. The financial damage and downtime from such incidents can cripple small and medium-sized enterprises.
By conducting regular penetration testing, companies can detect and fix weaknesses early, preventing costly breaches and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. Over time, the cost of prevention is far less than the cost of remediation.
What Other Tests Can You Do In Addition To Penetration Testing?
Red teaming – This simulate full-scale attacks that mirror real-world adversaries. They use advanced tactics to test not only technical defences but also an organisation’s response and coordination under pressure. The goal is to assess how well teams can detect, respond to, and recover from a simulated breach.
Blue teaming – This focuses on defence. Blue teams are responsible for monitoring systems, detecting attacks, and responding to incidents in real time. Working together, red and blue teams can improve both offensive and defensive capabilities, strengthening an organisation’s overall resilience.
Purple teaming – This combines the strengths of both red and blue teams. In a purple team exercise, the offensive and defensive sides work collaboratively, sharing insights to improve detection methods and response times. This creates a continuous feedback loop that enhances security maturity. In addition to these team-based exercises, organisations may also use vulnerability assessments, which are more automated and frequent. While penetration testing involves manual exploitation, vulnerability assessments scan for known weaknesses regularly, offering a faster but less in-depth review. When combined, these methods create a more complete picture of an organisation’s cyber security posture.
Conclusion
Penetration testing should be conducted at least annually, but the ideal frequency depends on how often systems change and the sensitivity of the data involved. Ongoing testing provides the best protection against constantly evolving threats. Without regular testing, organisations risk undetected vulnerabilities that could lead to costly data breaches and operational disruption.
While a one-off test offers valuable insight, it cannot keep pace with new risks over time. Continuous testing, though seemingly more expensive, ultimately saves money by preventing incidents before they occur. Supporting penetration testing with methods such as red teaming, blue teaming, and vulnerability assessments builds a stronger, more adaptive security framework. In today’s threat landscape, ongoing testing is not an option but a necessity for any organisation that values its data, reputation, and customer trust.
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