Book Image

Information Security Handbook - Second Edition

By : Darren Death
Book Image

Information Security Handbook - Second Edition

By: Darren Death

Overview of this book

Information Security Handbook is a practical guide that’ll empower you to take effective actions in securing your organization’s assets. Whether you are an experienced security professional seeking to refine your skills or someone new to the field looking to build a strong foundation, this book is designed to meet you where you are and guide you toward improving your understanding of information security. Each chapter addresses the key concepts, practical techniques, and best practices to establish a robust and effective information security program. You’ll be offered a holistic perspective on securing information, including risk management, incident response, cloud security, and supply chain considerations. This book has distilled years of experience and expertise of the author, Darren Death, into clear insights that can be applied directly to your organization’s security efforts. Whether you work in a large enterprise, a government agency, or a small business, the principles and strategies presented in this book are adaptable and scalable to suit your specific needs. By the end of this book, you’ll have all the tools and guidance needed to fortify your organization’s defenses and expand your capabilities as an information security practitioner.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)

Difference between vulnerability assessments and penetration testing

While vulnerability assessments and penetration tests play crucial roles in an organization’s security posture, their objectives, methodologies, and results significantly differ. Understanding these differences is essential to ensure the organization employs the most suitable approach to identify and address potential threats.

The primary purpose of a vulnerability assessment is to identify potential weaknesses within an organization’s information systems. This assessment involves scanning and evaluating systems, networks, and applications to detect vulnerabilities that may expose the organization to potential threats. The focus is determining vulnerabilities and providing information to the technical team to remediate the identified issues. Vulnerability assessments typically end at the scanning phase, where the technical team is engaged to address any identified weaknesses.

In contrast, penetration...