Manual vs. Automated Penetration Testing: What's the Difference?

Penetration testing can be employed both manually and automatically to see if your network can resist cyberattacks, but which is better?

A penetration test (or pen test) is an authorized cyberattack against a network. It is performed not to harm a network but to measure its ability to repel attacks. After a pen test, any security weaknesses can be repaired.

Penetration testing can be performed both manually, using humans, and automatically using tools. Each one has different pros and cons, and it's not always obvious which one is suitable.

So what is the difference between automated and manual pen testing, and which one is right for your business? Let's find out below.

What Is Manual Penetration Testing?

Manual penetration testing is performed by humans. Ethical hackers attempt to break into a system using a variety of techniques. They then document their attempts to do so, point out any security flaws, and make recommendations for fixing them.

Manual penetration testing often includes automated pen testing because the people involved are using automated tools. Before the invention of automated pen testing, manual pen testing was the only option for a business that wanted to evaluate system security.

The Pros of Manual Pen Testing

Manual pen testing is more powerful in several ways. So, let's look at its advantages.

1. Identifies Additional Problems

Cyberattacks are obviously carried out by human hackers and no tool is able to predict how they will attempt to access a network. Because of this, manual pen testing, which security experts carry out, can often identify vulnerabilities that automated tools do not.

2. Doesn't Produce False Positives

All security tools produce false positives. A false positive is a warning about a vulnerability that either does not exist or isn't a real threat. Pen testing tools often produce false positives; this not only wastes the time of the IT staff using them but also distracts from actual threats. All vulnerabilities are investigated during a manual pen test, and false positives are ruled out.

3. Provides Actionable Advice

After a manual pen test is completed, a business is provided with a report that explains any problems identified and how those problems should be fixed. Many ethical hackers also provide assistance in doing so. Automated tools also provide reports, but they are less detailed and don't always explain what a business should do next.

The Cons of Manual Pen Testing

As much as we love manual penetration testing, it's significantly more expensive. Here's a look at its downsides.

1. Prohibitive Cost

Manual pen tests are significantly more expensive than automated tests. While automated pen tests are simply a matter of running software, a manual pen test must be planned. Rather than renting software, a business needs to hire security professionals. Manual pen tests also require additional work on the part of a business.

2. Varying Skill Sets

The effectiveness of manual pen testing depends entirely on the skill set of the person hired to do it. Because of this, if you hire the wrong person, important vulnerabilities may go unnoticed. This is in contrast to automated tools, which, while not as thorough, are guaranteed to meet a certain standard.

What Is Automated Pen Testing?

Automated pen testing is the process of testing a system using computerized tools rather than human expertise. It is significantly cheaper than manual testing because the IT staff can carry it out without needing to hire an ethical hacker.

Pen testing tools can inspect a system quickly and point out any vulnerabilities a hacker could use to gain access. It is popular with small businesses that would like to test their network but have a limited budget for doing so.

The Pros of Automated Pen Testing

One of the biggest advantages of automated penetration testing is that it doesn't cost much money.

1. Less of an Investment

Automated pen testing is significantly cheaper than manual pen testing. Rather than hiring a security professional, you simply need to pay for the software. Automated pen testing software is also designed to be used by regular IT staff without additional training.

2. It Can Be Performed Repeatedly

Due to the significantly lower cost of automated solutions, most businesses can afford to run them regularly. Most companies only perform manual pen testing once, whereas they could rent out pen testing software for a monthly fee. This is highly beneficial as new vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered.

3. Identifies Many of the Same Problems

Automated pen testing isn't as thorough as manual, but it can still detect a wide range of security issues. Depending on the quality of a business's network, it's possible that automated pen testing will discover identical problems at a fraction of the price.

The Cons of Automated Pen Testing

Below, we'll look at the single and biggest con of automated penetration testing.

1. It Doesn't Identify All Vulnerabilities

The primary disadvantage of automated tools is that they cannot identify all vulnerabilities. They cannot detect business logic errors, and they cannot determine how vulnerable a business is to social engineering. Manual pen testing often includes attempts to access a network using phishing attacks, which isn't practical using an automated tool.

Which One Is Right for Your Business?

Both manual and automated pen testing can be used to make a network more secure. Although they both can identify vulnerabilities, the right one for your business depends primarily on how much you want to spend.

If you're prepared to invest in manual pen testing, this will provide a higher level of testing and a better understanding of the security of your network. Hiring security experts also means you will be given advice on how best to implement any necessary changes.

Automated pen testing is a cheaper alternative and is popular with businesses that want to understand their network's security posture without investing much money. While not capable of identifying all vulnerabilities, the lower price also means that automated pen tests can be conducted more frequently.

Ultimately, many businesses opt to use a combination of manual and automated pen testing. This allows them to benefit from a thorough network security test, after which they can employ automated pen testing to uncover new vulnerabilities.