When it comes to cyberattacks, everyone believes it couldn’t happen to them until it does. This far-off concept became a real nightmare for LastPass, a password management software, in August 2022 and again in April 2024.
These attacks resulted in customer information, such as passwords to different platforms, being used to siphon over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency and sell the data on the dark web, compromising the privacy of a huge part of their customer base.
To stay ahead of cyber threats in a rapidly growing SaaS space, companies should employ cyber security auditors for regular testing to prevent considerable reputational, financial, and resource loss. A cyber security auditor or auditing company fulfills this role by identifying and resolving software vulnerabilities to prevent the risk of data breaches.
Top 7 Cyber Security Auditors
Who is a Cyber Security Auditor?
A cyber security auditor or auditing company conducts vulnerability assessments and penetration tests to find vulnerabilities in your network, systems, cloud, API, and applications that could lead to cyberattacks and data breaches.
A cybersecurity auditor helps:
- Complete Security Posture Evaluation by conducting custom audits covering the entire IT infrastructure, system configurations, access controls, and application security to find vulnerabilities.
- Penetration Testing and Threat Modeling Services use pentesting techniques to simulate real-world attack scenarios and identify weaknesses. They also utilize threat modeling to gauge potential threats and prioritize security controls based on the likelihood and impact of each threat.
- Detailed Reporting and Remediation Guidance is included in the report covering identified vulnerabilities, their severity levels, and remediation strategies.
Scope of a Cybersecurity Audit
IT Infrastructure Assessment
Auditors assess the organization’s IT infrastructure, scrutinizing network architecture, system configurations, and access controls. This approach exposes potential firewall vulnerabilities, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and other network security mechanisms.
Security Protocol Review
Security protocols, encompassing authentication methods, authorization levels, and data encryption techniques, undergo rigorous scrutiny in a security audit. Auditors identify weaknesses attackers could exploit to gain unauthorized access or manipulate sensitive data.
Software Development Practices
The software development lifecycle (SDLC) is evaluated to identify potential security flaws that may have been introduced during development. Coding practices, adherence to secure coding standards, and vulnerability management procedures are assessed to ensure secure software development.
What Makes Astra the Best VAPT Solution?
- We’re the only company that combines automated & manual pentest to create a one-of-a-kind pentest platform
- The Astra Vulnerability Scanner Runs 8000+ tests to uncover every single vulnerability
- Vetted scans to ensure zero false positives .
- Integrates with your CI/CD tools to help you establish DevSecOps.
- A dynamic vulnerability management dashboard to manage, monitor, assign, and update vulnerabilities
- Astra pentest detects business logic errors and payment gateway hacks
- Helps you stay compliant with SOC2, ISO27001, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, etc.
- Trusted by the brands you trust like Agora, Spicejet, Muthoot, Dream11, etc.
Need for Cyber Security Audits in SaaS Companies
Building Trust Among Clients
Trust is a key differentiator in the rapidly evolving SaaS industry that offers a competitive advantage. Customers trust your platform with their data and expect the best data safety practices.
You can strengthen this trust by regularly conducting cybersecurity audits that proactively identify and solve vulnerabilities. A solid security posture also increases investor confidence, creates brand credibility, and attracts security-conscious consumers to expand your clientele.
Continuous Testing for Emerging Threats
New vulnerabilities emerge daily, necessitating a security strategy based on continuous testing and consistent updating of the list of tests conducted.
Make it a top priority to find an auditor who combines automated vulnerability scanning, human penetration testing conducted by security experts, and regular updates to its tests. This ensures that you identify known vulnerabilities, zero-day exploits, and emerging threats before they can be exploited.
Being Compliance Ready
Security audits serve as a roadmap to achieving compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, and SOC 2, even though getting an audit does not automatically guarantee it.
Audits identify vulnerabilities that might prevent SaaS organizations from complying with regulations. By addressing these weaknesses, they can greatly increase their compliance rate.
Prevents Potential Losses
Data breaches can be financially devastating, and in 2023, the average cost soared to a staggering $4.45 million. Aside from the immediate financial impact, they can also result in companies losing customer trust and business reputation. Regular security audits are an investment in preventing this significant loss of finances and other resources.
Top 3 Cybersecurity Auditors
| Feature | Astra Pentest | Qualys VMDR | Intruder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | SaaS | Cloud-based | SaaS |
| Pentest Capabilities | Continuous scanning (9300+ tests), Manual pentesting | Continuous vulnerability scanning, Patching | Continuous vulnerability scanning, Manual pentesting (optional) |
| Accuracy | Zero false positives (with vetted scans) | Not specified | Reduced false positives |
| Compliance Scanning | OWASP, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, ISO27001, SOC2 | PCI-DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2 | SOC2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 |
| Expert Remediation Assistance | Yes | Support included in some plans | Yes |
| Customizable Reports | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Workflow Integration | Slack, JIRA, GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins etc. | Integrates with ticketing systems and security platforms | GitHub, JIRA, Azure DevOps, and more |
| Pricing | Starts at $1999/year | Starts at $2195/year | Starts at $1958/ year |
| Focus | Comprehensive pentesting with automation & manual testing | Vulnerability management, patching, and compliance | Vulnerability scanning, with optional manual pentesting add-on |
7 Best Cyber Security Auditors From Around the World
Astra Security
Key Features:
- Platform: SaaS
- Pentest Capabilities: Continuous automated scans with 9300+ tests and manual pentests
- Accuracy: Zero false positives (with vetted scans)
- Compliance Scanning: OWASP, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, ISO27001, and SOC2
- Expert Remediation Assistance: Yes
- Customizable Reports: Yes
- Publicly Verifiable Pentest Certification: Yes
- Workflow Integration: Slack, JIRA, GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins, and more
- Price: Starting at $1999/yr
Astra Security provides a complete suite of security testing solutions to assist businesses in locating and addressing vulnerabilities in their networks, mobile apps, cloud infrastructure, APIs, and online applications. Our online vulnerability scanner continually scans systems for over 9,300 possible vulnerabilities using industry standards like OWASP and NIST.
Our platform automates scanning while combining it with manual penetration testing by security experts to achieve maximum coverage. We provide detailed reports that rank the weaknesses by risk scores so development teams can work on them to create an effective security roadmap.
Astra’s easy-to-use dashboard provides real-time vulnerability data for enhanced security management. Our platform’s integration with popular CI/CD tools such as GitHub enables us to run continuous security testing along the development life cycle.
Rapid7
- Category: Managed cybersecurity detection and response with skill development for professionals
The powerful cloud-based platform from Rapid7 called the Insight Platform, provides continuous attack surface monitoring, real-time vulnerability assessment, and round-the-clock threat detection and response with MDR. This helps run end-to-end security audits for your SaaS platform and safeguard all your cloud data.
Their compliance tools help you achieve regulatory compliance, and their penetration testing services assist in locating CVEs. Supported by cutting-edge research initiatives, Rapid7 provides the automation, visibility, and analytics required for complete security.
HackerOne
- Category: Bug Bounty & Vulnerability Management Platform
HackerOne has a leading bug-bounty platform that brings the strengths of expert hackers to your company. You can incorporate insights from them to safeguard your systems against hackers.
They also offer a vulnerability management platform that helps businesses streamline managing and remediating vulnerabilities. The platform features application security, attack resistance management, and cloud security.
You can thoroughly audit your systems by combining their products – HackerOne Bounty and HackerOne Assessments.
Intruder
- Category: Vulnerability scanning, pentesting, and compliance reporting
Intruder is a dedicated application vulnerability scanning tool that offers attack surface monitoring, compliance reporting, and continuous vulnerability scanning features, which makes the security auditing process simple with automation.
They create detailed vulnerability scanning reports that help you fix security loopholes and prepare for compliance audits. Their features include internal and external vulnerability scanning, cloud security scanning, manual pentesting, and continuous scanning.
Qualys
- Category: Managed vulnerability detection, compliance, and protection for IT systems
Qualys is a great tool for cloud security management and incident response. Its cloud platform is an asset monitoring tool that gives you 2-second visibility on all your IT assets deployed on the cloud. In addition, it has vulnerability management and surface monitoring programs.
Using VMDR and Threat Protection, Qualys continuously discovers and patches vulnerabilities. Their Cloud Inventory & Assessment platform handles misconfiguration detection, while the Cloud Agent handles real-time device protection.
IBM
- Category: Comprehensive Cybersecurity Solutions with Industry-Leading Expertise
IBM Security offers vulnerability management, penetration testing, compliance assistance, and incident response. Their scanners use threat intelligence to identify known and emerging vulnerabilities.
At the same time, their security professionals conduct in-depth penetration testing to expose business logic vulnerabilities and find combinations of weaknesses that could be exploited when combined. IBM Security also helps you navigate the ever-evolving compliance landscape and offers expert guidance in the event of a security breach.
EY
- Category: Strategic Security Consulting and Managed Services
EY Cybersecurity takes a strategic approach to securing your SaaS environment with its team of experts to help you develop a customized security plan. EY offers vulnerability management, penetration testing, compliance assistance, threat detection and response, and digital identity and access management.
EY specializes in providing personalized cybersecurity services – from safeguarding your supply chain and third-party lifecycle to data protection and privacy, they can transform your security posture.
What Should You Look for in a Cybersecurity Audit Provider?
Automated Scanning Combined With Pentesting
When we discuss combining manual and automated testing, we don’t necessarily recommend opting for the month-long manual tests. There is a better option.
You should look for companies with a solid automated vulnerability scanning tool and a team of security experts that can validate the results the scanner shows and also look for things it might have missed. By employing penetration testing conducted by security experts
Authenticated Scanning
A vulnerability scanner should be able to scan behind login pages and properly test every portion of the network, application, or system. However, most scanners must be authenticated manually whenever a session runs out and cannot scan behind login pages. Find a scanner that offers these features as well.
Comprehensive Dashboard
You need an interactive dashboard that lets you manage the vulnerabilities, assign them to team members, monitor and update their status, and even get help from security experts to resolve them. By prioritizing an auditing company that offers a dashboard that can be customized to your needs, you’re making vulnerability management a much simpler process.
An Actionable Report
A long and complicated vulnerability report that isn’t customized to the technical level its reader requires doesn’t serve its purpose of communicating details of the vulnerability effectively. A customizable report helps you decide the technical information you want to include to provide a bird’s eye view to a CTO or a detailed breakdown of each vulnerability to a security engineer.
The report’s structure should help you prioritize critical vulnerabilities and direct you in the right direction regarding remediation.
Final Thoughts
As cyber threats evolve and become more prevalent, SaaS companies should prioritize regular cybersecurity audits to prevent them. These audits are essential for building trust with customers.
By demonstrating a commitment to data security through regular audits, SaaS companies attract and retain customers who entrust them with sensitive information. Audits are critical in proactively managing vulnerabilities and help create a roadmap to compliance with regulations.
Identifying weaknesses before attackers can exploit them can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches and financial losses, ultimately protecting a company’s success and security.
It is one small security loophole v/s your entire website or web application.
Get your web app audited with
Astra’s Continuous Pentest Solution.
FAQs
What is the timeline for a security audit?
If you are looking for a complete security audit that includes both vulnerability scanning and manual pentesting, depending on the auditor and the size of the systems that need testing, it can take a week to a month.
Does passing a cyber security audit guarantee compliance?
No, it doesn’t. A cyber security audit helps you identify areas in your security posture that need attention – vulnerabilities, outdated software, open network ports, unclear policies, etc. It allows you to fix these issues before appearing for a compliance audit.
How much does a cyber security audit cost?
Depending on your company’s size and nature, a security audit can cost between $5000 and $30000. The cost also depends on the scope of testing, the targets to be tested, and the fee charged by the auditor.
How often should I conduct security audits?
It’s ideal to conduct two security audits a year while nurturing a consistent monitoring system throughout the year. In addition to completing audits, you should set up continuous monitoring with every update and run automated scans at least once a week.
