Overview
Both vulnerability scanning and penetration testing are essential security assessment techniques, but they serve different purposes and provide different levels of insight.
Vulnerability Scanning
Automated tools that identify known vulnerabilities:
- Speed: Can scan large environments quickly
- Coverage: Broad coverage of known CVEs
- Frequency: Can run continuously or on schedule
- Limitations: High false positive rates, no exploitation verification
Penetration Testing
Manual expert-led security assessment:
- Depth: Finds complex, chained vulnerabilities
- Validation: Proves exploitability through actual exploitation
- Context: Provides business impact assessment
- Limitations: Point-in-time, resource-intensive
When to Use Each
Use vulnerability scanning for:
- Continuous monitoring
- Compliance requirements
- Quick baseline assessments
Use penetration testing for:
- Critical systems and applications
- Pre-launch security validation
- Advanced threat simulation
Scapien's Approach
Scapien combines the best of both worlds—automated discovery with expert validation—to deliver continuous security risk management that eliminates false positives and prioritizes real threats.