In an increasingly interconnected world, the digital realm has become a battleground. Cybersecurity Ventures reports a staggering statistic: a cyberattack occurs every 11 seconds worldwide. This relentless barrage poses an existential threat to businesses and critical infrastructure alike. Amidst this escalating digital arms race, the European Union's Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) emerges as a crucial legislative response, mandating annual penetration testing for financial entities. But is an annual check-up truly enough to safeguard against threats that operate on a second-by-second basis?
These facts leave companies with the dilemma of what is legally required and what should – or should not – be done in terms of cybersecurity. Since security is a living process, the question is how to anticipate threats, which evolve faster than laws.
The solution isn't to abandon existing security standards, but rather to recognize that regulatory compliance merely lays a basic foundation. The true pitfall lies in the dangerous illusion that an annual penetration test offers sufficient protection against systems constantly exposed to daily cyberattacks, especially if we take into account that, according to an IBM report, 74% of data breaches were caused by failures in controls already audited, which proves that static security is a dangerous trap.
In addition, the speed of technological innovation and the sophistication of attacks have created a perverse asymmetry: while companies are trapped in slow and bureaucratic compliance cycles, cybercriminals operate in real time, exploiting loopholes that arise between one report and another.
This disconnect is evident in numerous cases where companies prioritize achieving security certifications and regulatory compliance, yet fail to adequately monitor suspicious activities across their entire supply chain.
This is precisely where Autonomous and Continuous Ethical Hacking solutions become invaluable. Unlike the infrequent, point-in-time assessments of traditional penetration tests, these advanced solutions offer a holistic, real-time view of an organization's entire digital footprint. They constantly monitor all digital assets – from on-premises servers to cloud APIs – to proactively map vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. This continuous insight provides security teams with actionable intelligence, allowing them to anticipate attackers' moves and prioritize essential security investments.
This evolutionary shift is, in fact, underscored by the 2022 revision of ISO 27001, which now explicitly incorporates requirements for continuous monitoring, demonstrating a clear recognition that dynamic threats demand dynamic security measures.
Moreover, it's crucial to note that regulatory authorities have already begun accepting reports from these continuous ethical hacking solutions as proof of compliance with DORA requirements. This clearly signals that automation is a powerful and recognized ally in effective risk mitigation.
The central question now is how companies can deal with the paradox between compliance and effectively strengthening their defenses, without compromising operational efficiency.
The path forward is clear: security must be treated not as a finite project, but as an ongoing, adaptive process. Companies that seamlessly integrate regulatory compliance with dynamic security practices will not only mitigate the risk of hefty fines but also gain a significant competitive edge. This advantage extends beyond outmaneuvering potential attackers; it resonates deeply with the market itself. As PwC highlights, a substantial 66% of consumers are wary of brands that have suffered data breaches, underscoring how robust cybersecurity resilience has become a crucial strategic differentiator. Ultimately, it's clear that regulation isn't an obstacle, but an invitation to achieve true digital maturity. In a landscape where even artificial intelligence is weaponized for attacks, the only compliance that genuinely matters is the kind that safeguards the present and proactively anticipates the future.
The original opinion article was published in Portuguese at Jornal PT50. You can find it here.