PlexTrac ConceptsBreach and Attack Simulation (BAS)

Breach and attack simulation (BAS) is a continuous cybersecurity practice that tests an organization’s defenses by orchestrating simulated cyberattacks to uncover potential exposures such as misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and other security gaps—before an attacker does.

BAS tests enhance offensive security as well as exposure management programs by discovering vulnerabilities and prioritizing them by the most critical risks to the overall business. This process also reveals potential attack paths and vectors that could lead to a security breach.

Although breach and attack simulation (BAS) has similarities to automated pentesting, they differ in several ways. BAS is a proactive cybersecurity tactic that is a continuous process for emulating real-world cyberattacks. BAS tests focus on identifying potential breach paths and finding security gaps.

However, penetration tests can be manual or automated, and even with automated penetration testing, there may still be a need for manual intervention by a security professional to interpret the results correctly. Automated pentesting is done periodically rather than continuously and often provides a more detailed analysis of vulnerabilities.

Breach and attack simulation is important because it helps organizations proactively identify vulnerabilities, continuously test and fortify their environment, prioritize remediation efforts, and adapt to emerging threats. This continuous prodding of BAS helps organizations see how their security would hold up if there were real-world cyberattacks and shows them how they can improve their overall security posture.

Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) offers several benefits, including:

1. Automated testing: Automatically simulate a wide range of cyberattacks, including phishing, malware, and insider threats
2. Continuous monitoring: Identify vulnerabilities with real-time threat detection through ongoing security checks
3. Prioritized remediation: Generate actionable insights and reports that pinpoint and prioritize mitigation efforts
4. Compliance validation: Meet compliance requirements by demonstrating proof of proactive security measurements and ongoing vulnerability management
5. Preventative measures: Stay ahead of evolving threats and the latest cyberattack tactics.

To maximize the effectiveness of your breach and attack simulation, be sure to define your objectives before you start, regularly update the simulated attacks for the latest threats, and continuously assess that the process aligns with your organization’s priorities.

Lastly, ensure you review, analyze, and take action on the prioritized BAS results and adjust your cybersecurity efforts as needed. You may also want to work with BAS tools and experts to make the most of your investment.

PlexTrac provides a centralized platform on which red and blue teams can collaborate and execute — whether that’s performing adversary emulation, importing breach and attack simulation (BAS) results, or conducting proactive tabletop exercises.

The purple teaming paradigm lives in PlexTrac. For CISOs and security leads that manage all aspects of offensive and defensive security and need a real-time view of security posture, PlexTrac is the ultimate tool.

Learn more about PlexTrac for every security team or request a demo today.

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