The Chicken or Egg Conundrum: Prioritizing Vulnerability Management or Penetration Testing

Which came first: the chicken or the egg? It’s an age-old question that has its parallels in cybersecurity—what should come first: vulnerability management or a penetration test? (Also, do my clients need both?)

Well, to answer the last question, yes. Yes, your clients need both. Almost all compliance frameworks (including CIS and NIST) and cyber insurance providers require both. However, as a managed service provider (MSP), deciding which to implement first can leave you scratching your head. But understanding the role of each component is important to safeguarding your clients’ digital assets.

Let's explore these components further:

Vulnerability management is the process of identifying, managing, and remediating vulnerabilities in your clients’ systems and assets. It helps minimize cyber risks by addressing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

A penetration test, on the other hand, is a simulated cyber-attack to assess a client’s security posture. It provides valuable insights to help you strengthen your client's defenses, making their systems more secure and reducing the chances of a successful cyber-attack.

Vulnerability management and penetration testing each serve a specific purpose, but which should you prioritize? The truth is both are essential for effective cybersecurity and here’s why:

• Proactivity: Both measures are proactive. Vulnerability management helps you stay ahead of the curve by identifying and remediating vulnerabilities before they can be exploited, while penetration testing evaluates the effectiveness of existing security controls. 
• Risk Reduction: Vulnerability management reduces the attack surface by remediating known vulnerabilities, a security best practice, while penetration testing assesses the effectiveness of these measures by attempting to breach them, ultimately reducing the risk of a successful cyber-attack. 
• Client Confidence: Implementing a continuous vulnerability management program demonstrates to clients that you take their security seriously, while regular penetration tests assure them that their defenses are being thoroughly tested and validated by external experts, building trust in your services. 
• Compliance and Insurance Requirements: As mentioned earlier, almost all compliance frameworks and cyber insurance providers require both vulnerability management and penetration testing. By using both, you not only ensure compliance for your clients but also enhance their eligibility for insurance coverage.  

Rather than debating the order of operations, focus on implementing both and reap the benefits of a holistic approach to cybersecurity.

This may seem like a lot of work, and it is. However, if you are going to provide cybersecurity services to a client, you might as well do it to the best of your ability. If it seems overwhelming, take a deep breath and create a plan of action in small bite-sized pieces. Look at your attack surface and address the most critical issues first. Remember, no one can expect you to fix everything overnight; it’s an ongoing process. 

So, if you’ve already implemented a vulnerability management solution into your cybersecurity stack, kudos to you! Your clients are in a better position when they inevitably request a third-party penetration test. The penetration test will reinforce the cybersecurity defenses you’ve put in place and help you identify any lingering risks that you can help your clients address.  

If you haven’t implemented a vulnerability management solution and a client requests a penetration test, the penetration test will help you identify security gaps that need to be addressed to strengthen their defenses.  

So, which comes first: vulnerability management or a penetration test? The truth is, it's a moot point. From a holistic view of cybersecurity, you and your clients need both. Just as the chicken and the egg are inextricably linked, so too are these essential components of a robust security strategy. As for the chicken or the egg, well, let's leave that debate to the philosophers.