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Small businesses and companies, and even regular Singaporeans, are getting more concerned about their cybersecurity. Since almost all transactions, including financial ones, are done on the internet, it’s just right that people are worried about their cyber safety.

Cybersecurity in Singapore has taken several leaps and bounds over the years, and rightly so. However, hackers and cybercriminals are getting bolder with their attacks, penetrating the cyber system of some very large companies like banks and other financial institutions.

Businesses have been upping their cybersecurity game for a few reasons:

1. To protect their assets
2. To maintain their reputation as a company that is virtually impenetrable.

A strong cybersecurity system will maintain their clients’ trust and keep doing business with them since hackers and cybercriminals cannot infiltrate them. But how is cybersecurity in Singapore strengthened? Let’s take a look at one of the more popular ways of building a strong cybersecurity system.

Penetration Testing

Penetration testing or pen testing is the process of creating a simulated attack on a company’s network or system to expose its weaknesses. Pen testing is often done in conjunction with vulnerability assessments, and they are widely recognized as a way of identifying risks that a cyber system may encounter.

A pen tester does penetration testing via accessing a company’s virtual backyard. A pen tester goes into virtual database records, applications, and operating systems and exposes the weak spots. Not only that, but a pen tester also goes into the infrastructure and people system, exposing vulnerabilities along the way.

Here are some benefits of penetration testing:

1. Penetration tests allow you to manage your risk by identifying weak spots in your cyber environment and strengthening them before someone else from outside your company does.
2. You will be able to protect your partners and clients by assuring them that you are virtually unhackable and that their information stored in your system is safe. A penetration test not only protects your assets but your company’s reputation as well. As a result, your clients’ trust will remain, and you will be able to continue doing business with them.
3. Cybersecurity in Singapore has been evolving rapidly, and penetration testing allows you to keep up with the changes. You will also understand the risks you may face, allowing you to remedy them before something goes wrong.
4. With penetration testing, you will be able to identify your company’s vulnerabilities, especially those you didn’t even know were there.

CREST Certification for Penetration Testing

Getting a company to do penetration testing on your system is easy. But, first, they have to be certified by CREST (Council for Registered Ethical Security Testers) before performing penetration testing since CREST is a non-profit certification body that validates these ethical hacking companies.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity in Singapore has come a long way, and almost all Singaporeans have kept up with the changes. They are more careful with online transactions and keeping their information safe since a cyber attack can be devastating. So, if you’re a small business or a company that hasn’t undergone penetration testing yet, it’s time to up your game.

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