Cyber threats are getting smarter by the day, and while your IT team is doing everything they can to stay ahead, it’s not always enough. Just when you’ve locked down your firewalls and updated your antivirus software, someone brings up penetration testing.

Pen… what now?

You may have heard the term being thrown around in cybersecurity circles, maybe even in boardrooms. But what is penetration testing really, and why would you need it if you already have the basics covered?

Here’s the thing: antivirus and penetration testing aren’t the same, not even close. They serve very different (but equally critical) roles in protecting your digital infrastructure. 

Let’s break it down.

What is an Antivirus?

An antivirus solution like Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud is your frontline defense against known cyber threats. It scans files, monitors behavior, and blocks malware, ransomware, and other malicious activity before it causes harm. 

Acronis goes a step further by combining traditional antivirus features with backup, disaster recovery, patch management, and AI-based threat detection – an all in one cloud-based platform. It’s ideal for preventing common attacks and protecting data integrity.

But here’s the catch: antivirus only deals with threats it knows how to recognise. What about the unknowns? The vulnerabilities you don’t even know exist. 

That’s where penetration testing comes in.

What is Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing, or “pen testing,” is a simulated cyberattack against your computer systems to find security vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them. Think of it like hiring a professional hacker to break into your network, but in a controlled, ethical and legal way.

Unlike automated tools, penetration testing leverages human expertise to mimic real-world attack scenarios. It doesn’t just flag weaknesses, it attempts to exploit them, revealing how an attacker might move through your network and what damage they could cause.

The goal? Penetration testing isn’t done to break systems, but rather to identify weaknesses that traditional security tools might miss, and to provide actionable recommendations to fix them.

Pen Testing	Antivirus
Pen testing is proactive. Penetration testing actively uncovers vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and loopholes in your systems before attackers do.	Antivirus is reactive. Antivirus tools like Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud defend against known threats and help recover from attacks.

Go Beyond Antivirus: RADSENTRY

With this in mind, Radical Cloud Solutions offers RADSentry, a professional penetration testing solution designed to strengthen our client’s entire cybersecurity posture.

Our expert team conducts thorough internal, external, and cloud-based penetration tests to uncover hidden vulnerabilities before cybercriminals can exploit them. This three-layered approach ensures your business is protected from all angles, aligning with best-practice frameworks and helping you meet regulatory standards like POPIA and PCI DSS. 

• Internal Penetration Testing simulates threats from inside your organisation, like a rogue employee or compromised device, helping you identify vulnerabilities in your internal systems, networks and applications.
• External Penetration Testing focuses on your internet-facing assets such as web servers, firewalls, and VPNs. We simulate real-world attacks from external hackers to find and fix potential breach points.
• Cloud Penetration Testing evaluates the security of your cloud-hosted infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP) by identifying misconfigurations, weak access controls, or insecure APIs that could put sensitive data at risk.

Not ready for full penetration testing? 

If you’re not ready for full penetration testing, starting with Vulnerability Scanning is a smart and cost-effective way to improve your security hygiene and catch low-hanging risks.

Vulnerability scanning is often confused with penetration testing, but they are not the same.

A vulnerability scan is an automated process that checks your systems for known security flaws, like outdated software, unpatched systems or weak passwords. It’s fast, broad in scope, and great for regular maintenance.

Compliance and Data Protection

Penetration testing is crucial for organisations aiming to meet both local and international data security and privacy standards. By identifying potential weaknesses, businesses can prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data, uphold confidentiality and comply with evolving regulations and data protection.

For instance, South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) mandates that organisations take appropriate, reasonable technical and organizational measures to prevent loss, damage, or unauthorized access to personal information.

Even in regions where specific local regulations are still developing, implementing penetration testing demonstrates a strong commitment to data protection. This proactive approach not only mitigates potential legal issues but also builds trust with clients and partners both regionally and globally.

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Cybersecurity isn’t just about having antivirus software. It’s about knowing where you’re exposed and doing something about it. Penetration testing with RADSentry helps you sleep better at night, knowing your business has gone the extra mile to stay secure.

Ready to get started? Contact Radical Cloud Solutions to book your RADSentry penetration test today: [email protected]