Maximizing Security: How AEV and PTaaS Can Strengthen Your Defenses

As cybercriminals continue to evolve their tactics, enterprises are seeking innovative methods to identify vulnerabilities, validate their security defenses, and improve their resilience. Two powerful technologies – Adversarial Exposure Validation (AEV) and Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) – have emerged as critical components of a comprehensive and complementary security strategy.

These solutions not only provide invaluable insights into their effectiveness of an enterprise’s defenses but also deliver the flexibility and scalability needed.

The blog will explore the role of AEV and PTaaS, how they complement each other, and why using both can deliver optimal results for enterprises seeking to secure a volatile threat landscape.

Understanding Adversarial Exposure Validation (AEV)

Adversarial Exposure Validation (AEV) is emerging as a potential game-changer in how enterprises approach cybersecurity. Gartner defines AEV as technologies that continuously and automatically assess the feasibility of an attack. By simulating real-world attack scenarios, AEV technologies test the effectiveness of security controls and identify vulnerabilities that can be exploited by criminals. In essence, AEV provides empirical, data-driven insights into an enterprise’s defensive posture – confirming which security measures are effective and which need improvement.

AEV goes beyond theoretical data such as vulnerability scans. It uses real-world attack vectors, such as malware, phishing, application infrastructure weaknesses, and identity abuses, to simulate the full range of potential threats. The output of AEV is not just a report, but actionable insights that details the specific attack scenarios, the likely impact of each, risk scores for prioritization, as well as suggested remediation actions.

Enterprises of all sizes benefit from AEV’s ability to automate the process of security testing, ensuring continuous monitoring and reducing human error. With the increasing complexity and volume of threats, both known and unknown, this level of automation and consistency is crucial in maintaining a robust security posture.

PTaaS: A Complementary Adjacent Solution to AEV

Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) shares many similarities with AEV, but with key distinctions. PTaaS is an on-demand service where external providers conduct penetration tests (whether human-led or automated), simulate attacks, and validate security measures on a periodic basis. While AEV focuses on continuous validation, PTaaS typically offers periodic testing based on a customer’s needs. However, these services often extend beyond simple penetration testing to include control validation, exposure management, and comprehensive threat assessments.

What makes PTaaS particularly attractive for enterprises is its flexibility and scalability. For businesses without in-house expertise or dedicated security teams, PTaaS allows them to leverage external experts who can conduct comprehensive security testing on-demand, without the need to invest in costly tools or infrastructure. PTaaS providers deliver their services using proprietary platforms, so organizations do not need to purchase and manage separate AEV tools, which can be both costly and resource intensive.

PTaaS is the ideal solution to supplement AEV. It allows periodic assessments with the help of external experts who bring a fresh perspective to enterprise vulnerabilities. PTaaS is a proactive solution in identifying new attack techniques and evolving threats, ensuring that defenses remain effective.

AEV & PTaaS: A Collaborative Approach

When used together, AEV and PTaaS form a comprehensive and complementary approach to cybersecurity testing. While AEV focuses on continuous, automated validation, PTaaS offers periodic, expert-driven penetration tests to assess the effectiveness of an enterprise’s defenses. Here’s how these technologies work together to deliver the best outcomes:

1. Continuous Validation Meets Expert Insight

AEV provides the automation and consistency needed for continuous security monitoring. By running attack simulations across multiple threat vectors, enterprises gain real-time insights into their security posture. However, AEV tools are limited by predefined attack scenarios, and there may be gaps in coverage that automated systems cannot identify.

This is where PTaaS steps in. By bringing in external penetration testers, enterprises gain access to a fresh set of eyes that can challenge the existing security infrastructure from different angles. PTaaS experts can simulate attacks that go beyond predefined scenarios of AEV, offering deeper insights into potential vulnerabilities that AEV might miss. The results from both AEV and PTaaS complement each other, creating end-to-end visibility and a holistic view of an enterprise’s security risks.

2. Automated Testing for Efficiency, Manual Testing for Depth

AEV excels in automating repetitive large-scale testing, saving both time and effort. Automated testing can run continuously and detect emerging threats as they evolve, keeping defenses up to date. But when it comes to more complex attack vectors or novel tactics, manual pentesting provides by PTaaS is often necessary. PTaaS professionals can conduct sophisticated tests, using creative and adaptive methods to break into systems that might otherwise remain secure against automated tools.

3. Scalability and Flexibility

Both AEV and PTaaS offer scalability, but in different ways. AEV can be scaled easily across the entire organization, with automated testing running on various systems and environments. This ensures that every aspect of an organization’s defenses is validated on a continuous basis.

PTaaS, on the other hand, provides flexibility in terms of frequency and scope. Security leaders can request testing for specific systems, applications, or network environments on a periodic basis. PTaaS can also be adjusted to accommodate specific threats or new attack vectors that AEV might not have detected. This flexibility makes it easier to adjust testing strategies as they evolve.

4. Cost-Effective Security Testing

For many enterprises, the cost of security testing tools can be prohibitive. AEV requires an investment in technology, as well as dedicated resources for operation and management, unless outsourced through an AEV provider. PTaaS, being a service-based model, allows organizations to pay for testing only when needed, making it more cost-effective for businesses without large in-house security teams.

When used together, AEV and PTaaS allows CISOs and security leaders to maximize their security investments. AEV’s continuous monitoring ensures that security teams are always aware of potential risks, while PTaaS provides additional validation from external experts. This combination allows businesses to maintain a strong security posture without unnecessary overspending.

Justifying Spend for AEV and PTaaS

When deciding to invest in both AEV and PTaaS, it is important for CISOs to justify this spend within their organization. While the technologies are both valuable independently, organizations must evaluate how they align with security objectives and overall risk management strategy. Below are several use cases and reasons to consider investing in both:

• Validating Vendor Investments: Large organizations often have significant investments in security tools and infrastructure, such as endpoint protection or intrusion detection systems. AEV can help validate whether these tools are performing as expected, providing a clear picture of the organization’s security posture. PTaaS, in this case, can provide further validation by testing how well these tools hold up against real-world attack scenarios.
• Improving Read Team Performance: Internal red teams can use AEV to provide continuous data on security gaps that require attention. PTaaS can them complement this by providing real-world penetration tests, helping to refine red team strategies and ensuring that they are effectively identifying vulnerabilities.
• Exposure Management and Remediation: Organizations concerned about exposure due to a recent breach, inconsistent patching, or infrequent testing can use AEV to automate regular tests and provide continuous validation. PTaaS can be used to supplement this by offering in-depth testing on critical systems and applications, helping to prioritize remediation efforts.
• Cost-Effective Security Testing: For smaller enterprises or those without large security teams, the combination of AEV and PTaaS offers a cost-effective solution. AEV’s automation reduces the need for dedicated staff, while PTaaS provides access to expert testers when more specialized testing is needed.

Conclusion

As the threat landscape grows more complex, enterprises of all sizes are adopting advanced technologies to proactively stay ahead of attackers. Adversarial Exposure Validation (AEV) and Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) are two complementary solutions that, when used together, offer a comprehensive and scalable approach to cybersecurity. By combining continuous validation with expert-driven testing, security teams can ensure their defenses are robust, adaptive, and ready to face new challenges.

Investing in AEV and PTaaS not only improve security outcomes but also enable businesses to respond faster to emerging threats and maintain the trust of their customers and stakeholders. Don’t wait for an attack to expose your vulnerabilities – take proactive steps to validate your defenses and fortify your organization against the unknown.

Author

Ann Chesbrough

Vice President of Product Marketing, BreachLock