CREST and Pentesting: What You Need to Know
As organizations’ reliance on digital platforms has surged, so too has the complexity and frequency of cyber threats. This escalation has naturally propelled the evolution of security testing. However, until 2006, the industry lacked uniform standards for both testing practices and ethical guidelines. In response, a coalition of security experts in the UK united to forge a consensus toward establishing standardized qualifications and professional ethics in penetration testing (pentesting) and other security assessment services. The result was the Council for Registered Ethical Security Testers (CREST), which has since become a globally renowned professional body within the security industry. CREST provides internationally recognized accreditation for organizations and certifications for individuals who deliver cybersecurity services.
The Importance of CREST in Pentesting
When you engage any professional to perform a service within your digital estate, assurance is required that their activities will not result in any form of damage or loss. This principle extends to pentesting within an organization. Entrusting someone to scrutinize your systems for exploitable vulnerabilities necessitates confidence in their ethical conduct and assurance that their activities will not inadvertently open doors to cybercriminal activities, or cause any problems. That’s where CREST certification comes in.
Engaging with a CREST-certified provider for pentesting services offers the reassurance that your organization's security is managed with utmost integrity, and that testing will adhere to the highest legal, ethical and technical standards. CREST accreditation signifies that the provider is equipped with the most up-to-date skills, strategies, and techniques to provide a comprehensive assessment of your cybersecurity posture.
Here are some of the benefits to your organization of using a CREST-certified pentesting company.
- Testing by qualified security professionals: CREST certification demonstrates a standard of quality and expertise. Certified pentesters have undergone rigorous training, examination, and skills validation. And in using CREST-certified pentesters, organizations mitigate the risk of employing unqualified or inexperienced testers who might fail to uncover critical vulnerabilities or could inadvertently cause damage.
- Customer assurance: By using CREST-certified cybersecurity services your organization demonstrates to clients, partners, and customers that you take cybersecurity seriously and that you are taking all precautions to protect their data using globally-accepted best practices. Contracting with a CREST-certified company could provide an advantage in competitive situations.
- Regulatory compliance support: In industries that mandate the use of certified professionals for security testing, contracting with CREST-certified pentesters helps organizations meet compliance requirements.
- Globally-recognized accreditation: CREST accreditation is recognized and accepted globally, and certification is valid no matter where in the world your organization is located. CREST accreditation is supported by certain regulatory frameworks like ISO 27001, NIST 800-53 and PCI DSS, and can help achieve compliance.
- Most up-to-date expertise: CREST certification requires ongoing training and professional development. Pentesters must stay up-to-date with the latest developments in tools, techniques and cybersecurity trends. They must pass a set of complex exams to prove their skills and must re-sit them every three years. CREST companies must re-apply for accreditation annually with a full assessment every three years.
CREST-Certified Pentesting with HackerOne
HackerOne has been accredited and approved as a CREST Penetration Testing service provider and is featured in CREST’s approved partners list. HackerOne offers CREST-certified team members and pentesting services, ensuring that our methodologies meet CREST’s stringent requirements for technical security testing. This includes compliance with legal as well as the highest ethical standards. Our approach encompasses:
- Industry-approved Methodologies: Our pentesting practices rigorously adhere to CREST's comprehensive standards, ensuring high-quality, reproducible, and ethical security testing.
- Certified Professionals: HackerOne proactively puts technical engagement managers (TEMs) and testers through the qualifications, ensuring the team is adequately staffed and capable of scaling CREST pentesting delivery. With CREST-certified TEMs and pentesters, we bring accredited expertise to pentesting engagements, ensuring your needs are met with the highest level of professionalism.
- Consistent Reporting: Every pentest concludes with a professionally crafted final report and a letter of attestation, backed by a rigorous quality assurance process to guarantee comprehensive and accurate findings, reflecting our high standards.
- Comprehensive Support: Our pentesters are equipped to support a wide range of CREST-certified pentesting requirements, from scoping through execution and reporting.
To learn more about using a CREST-certified and approved security partner for your next pentest engagement, contact the team at HackerOne today.
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