Breach and attack simulation (BAS) is a way to test your security defences continuously by safely simulating the techniques real attackers use. Instead of assuming your firewall, email filter and endpoint protection work, BAS shows you, with evidence, which attacks they stop and which get through.
Why it matters
Security tools drift out of tune. Rules get changed, updates get missed and attackers invent new techniques every week. Many breaches succeed against organizations that already own the right tools, because those tools weren't configured to catch the attack.
How BAS works
- Simulate: run safe versions of real attack techniques across network, email, endpoint, web and cloud
- Measure: record which attacks were prevented, detected, or missed entirely
- Fix: apply specific mitigations, such as prevention signatures and detection rules for the tools you own
- Re-test: repeat continuously so new threats and configuration changes are covered
Simulations are usually mapped to MITRE ATT&CK, a public knowledge base of attacker tactics and techniques, so results are easy to compare and track over time.
BAS vs. penetration testing
A penetration test is a point-in-time exercise by human testers, valuable for finding creative attack paths. BAS is automated and continuous, so it catches the gaps that open between tests. Most mature programs use both.
Where BAS fits: continuous threat exposure management
Continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) is an ongoing program to scope, discover, prioritize, validate and fix exposures. BAS provides the validation step: proof of which exposures an attacker could actually exploit, so the most important fixes come first.
Who should consider it
- Organizations that need to show insurers, auditors or boards that controls work
- Businesses that have invested in security tools and want to confirm they're tuned
- Organizations overwhelmed by vulnerability lists that need to prioritize
How Hanatech helps
Hanatech delivers Security Validation as a managed service, powered by the Picus Security Validation Platform. We run the simulations, explain the results in plain language and help you fix the gaps. Contact us to book an assessment.