How to write a VAPT report?

Leveraging data and data driven insights helps organizations improve their security and drive success. Data awareness empowers security teams to identify early signs of compromise, respond promptly, and tighten internal controls for the future. Vulnerability assessment and Penetration testing reports or VAPT reports, among other data sources, are crucial for gaining this situational awareness.

The insights from the entire testing lifecycle uncover the potential vulnerabilities lurking in the fabric of organizational security. This, in turn, empowers the CISOs to understand the pathways hackers could exploit and arms them to develop better defense strategies.

This blog highlights the importance of a vulnerability assessment while providing you tips on how to write a clear and concise VAPT report while navigating the complexities of compliance.

What is VAPT?

VAPT combines Vulnerability Assessments (VA) and Penetration Testing (PT) to identify security weaknesses in systems, networks, and applications before they can be exploited by attackers. It enables organizations to protect their assets, ensure compliance, and maintain strong defenses.

Vulnerability assessments scan security networks, applications, and other infrastructure for known vulnerabilities.  These are mostly automated scans across the network to generate a list of vulnerabilities.

Penetration testing is also known as ethical hacking. Pen tests are an in-depth analysis of potential weaknesses that can be uncovered by simulating real-world attacks. These tests uncover exploitable flaws outside the security perimeter using a combination of manual and automated methods.

What is a VAPT report?

A VAPT or Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing report is a comprehensive document that details the risk findings and recommendations from security assessments . It helps organizations identify and prioritize vulnerabilities in networks, applications, servers, etc., and initiate action to strengthen cyber resilience.

Download this Sample VAPT report from our Empaneled partner CyberPWN:

What is the objective of a VAPT report?

The main objective of VAPT reports is to equip the decision-makers with the required information on security flaws and remediation recommendations. The insights from these reports help shape security policy updates and serve as the basis for future assessments.

The other key objectives of the VAPT report are:

Pinpoint vulnerabilities

VAPT reports provide an integrated analysis of results from vulnerability assessments and pen tests. As such, they provide a comprehensive review of known vulnerabilities and the ones that were exploited during ethical hacking to understand the associated risks.

Assess risks

VAPT reports aim to measure the risks associated with each vulnerability. This is done by considering the asset under the scope and analyzing the severity, likelihood, and impact of vulnerability on the asset. The organization can then decide its response strategy based on its risk appetite.

Guide security decisions 

These reports provide comprehensive insights into weaknesses in security infrastructure and the attack vectors. As such, they guide several key security decisions like mitigation plans, investments in security enhancements, implementation or updates in internal policies, patches, etc.

Track progress

VAPT scans are conducted periodically, so the previous VAPT report serves as the baseline for the next set of findings. They help track whether remediation actions were initiated previously and how effective they were over the observation period.

Who requires a VAPT report?

A VAPT report is required by various industries to direct their security strategies and  provide visibility into the current state. These also serve as evidence of compliance for regulatory authorities and steer partnerships and collaborations with prospects. 

So, a VAPT report is required by:

Organizations of any size

Businesses of any size that aim to protect themselves from cyber-attacks, deal with sensitive data, or operate in highly regulated industries require VAPT reports. The frequency of VAPT scans will, however, depend on the degree of exposure and size of the organization.

Regulatory bodies

Several regulatory bodies require VAPT reports to ensure compliance with industry-specific standards. These reports are a mandate for standards like PCI DSS and are required to be presented as evidence during audits. 

Clients and business partners

VAPT reports may be required as a part of the due diligence process by clients and business partners. It helps reassure them about the organization’s best cybersecurity practices and its commitment to maintaining resilience.

How to write a VAPT report?

A group of cybersecurity professionals such as penetration testers, vulnerability assessment specialists, and security experts typically prepares VAPT reports. These reports are customized per the intended audience and are structured to prioritize key issues for better comprehension.

Follow these 5 steps to write a VAPT report:

Understand your purpose

Keep the primary objective in mind when writing the vulnerability management report. The purpose can be a point-in-time vulnerability assessment, a test done for due diligence or a report for compliance, etc. Findings are presented to the board as a summary while the technical report for the internal security team can have all the technical jargon. 

Gather necessary information

Vulnerability assessments can be conducted on an ongoing basis or it can be an on-time assessment or maybe a weekly check. It is carried out for the production environment.

Penetration testing can be black box testing (testers have no prior knowledge about target system), white box testing (testers have full knowledge) or gray box testing (testers have partial knowledge). It can be done for some focused systems and in a controlled environment.

Checkout: Best 12 Penetration Testing Tools in 2023 [Pricing + Feature Comparison]

You are required to collect all relevant data in this regard—details of systems and networks under the scope, assessment parameters, results from vulnerability assessments, pen test findings, any testing environment constraints, etc. The report will have a consolidated version of this data, highlighting only the relevant details.

How Sprinto can help here:

Sprinto integrates with several vulnerability assessment tools (Dependabot, SL scan etc.) and serves as your centralized place for vulnerability management and other security concerns. You can check the severity of various vulnerabilities, prioritize tasks that help in resolving them, and track the health of your security posture. Learn more here.

Structure the report

Ensure a logical flow by structuring the key elements of the report- executive summary, test methodology, assessment parameters, scan results, etc. Organize the findings based on severity and impact. Include graphs and other visuals to make the information easy to comprehend.

Attach the necessary evidence

Any logs, screenshots, scan results, and additional information that serve as Proof of concept must be attached to the report. You can also add any reference material or citations in the appendices or glossary of terms at the end of the report to ensure reliability.

Final review 

When looking at the final draft ensure that the references are accurate and the time frames are mentioned. Also cross check if the right results are specified against the parameters. Look for clarity, consistency and completeness to ensure quality.

The 6 key elements of a VAPT report

Most vulnerability assessment reports have a set format, beginning with the goals and objectives of the assessment and flowing down to a detailed analysis. The level of depth may vary depending on the intricacies, but the key elements are covered in all reports.

There are six key elements in a VAPT report:

Executive summary

This section provides a bird’s eye view of the assessment, its objective, and its findings. It should provide a quick snapshot of the extent of the organization’s vulnerability level and its cyber security posture. The executive summary includes:

• Scope of assessment
• A summary of the findings (with a graph)
• Number and severity of vulnerabilities discovered
• Minor vulnerabilities
• Exceptions/blind spots

Scan results

The scan results provide high-level details on the vulnerabilities discovered. For every vulnerability identified, the following are highlighted:

• Vulnerability type
• CVSS score
• Severity
• The affected area 
• Details of the vulnerability
• Impact

Details of tests performed

This section presents specifics about the methodology, tools, and tests performed for identifying and assessing vulnerabilities. It covers:

• Test performed (for example, SQL injection test, cross-site scripting test etc.)
• Purpose of the scan/test/tool
• Testing environment details
• Methodology

Findings

Findings give an account of the discoveries from vulnerability assessments and pen tests and include the following details:

• Description of findings
• Supporting evidence or Proof of concept – how was the issue discovered
• Any additional reference links that helped with drawing conclusions

Risk Assessment Profile

Based on the findings, risk assessments are carried out to draw conclusions on the organization’s risk profile. The severity, likelihood, and impact of vulnerabilities is taken into account to note down:

• Risk scores against vulnerabilities
• Prioritization of vulnerabilities based on risk scores

Remediation planning

This is the corrective action plan to address the prioritized vulnerabilities. It includes:

• Actionable steps to be initiated—policy changes, changes in configurations, etc.
• Intended outcomes
• Timeline for correction
• The parties responsible for remediation

Benefits of vulnerability assessment report

Vulnerability assessment reports facilitate a shared understanding of the security gaps and compliance checks that indicate possible vulnerabilities in the existing system. These are proactive tools for organizations to save costs associated with security breaches and present opportunities that can help build brand credibility.

The following are a few benefits of a vulnerability reports: 

Protection from cyber threats

VAPT reports highlight the hidden weaknesses in security posture that hackers can take advantage of. They are great tools to stay abreast of security incidents and minimize the likelihood or impact of advanced cyber threats (for example, zero-day attacks).

Compliance 

VAPT is considered a cybersecurity best practice that companies need to adopt to protect sensitive data. Periodic VAPT reports are, therefore, necessary to ensure compliance with several regulatory frameworks such as PCI DSS, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and NIST that require a proactive approach toward safeguarding sensitive data. 

How Sprinto can help here:

Sprinto sends you automated alerts when VAPT reports are due. You can also leverage Sprinto’s network to work with vetted VAPT partners and meet mandatory scan requirements for different compliance frameworks. See how this can be done on Sprinto

Better incident management

Early identification and remediation of vulnerabilities lead to fewer escalations. It also helps amend and update incident management plans based on risk awareness. As teams start understanding the vulnerabilities that can be exploited it gives rise to a structured approach to strategies regarding response and remediation.

Checkout: Top 9 Risk Assessment Tools in 2023

Improved market perception

Cybersecurity is a key concern for most clients today. Conducting frequent VAPT scans and sharing reports can be a quick way to demonstrate your commitment towards security-consciousness. This can not only improve the trust organizations have in the market but can shorten the sales cycle with enterprise clients.

Closing thoughts

VAPT reports are a crucial component of compliance. It helps paint a picture of an organization’s cybersecurity posture while also fulfilling an essential mandate for several compliance requirements. A compliance automation platform like Sprinto can help you managing numerous compliance related tasks such as gathering insights from VAPT reports and taking corrective steps among many others.

The platform sends you periodic reminders when VAPT scans and reports are due and serves as a single source of truth while monitoring your security and compliance status. Sprinto supports 15+ compliance frameworks and integrates with over 100 SaaS solutions to extend the scope of compliance. 

Let’s show you how it’s done. See Sprinto in action.

FAQs

What is a VAPT report in cybersecurity?

A VAPT report in cybersecurity is a document that highlights the cybersecurity preparedness of the organization. It helps detect vulnerabilities and fortify digital defenses to guard against attacks.

Is it okay to share VAPT reports with outside parties?

Vulnerability management reports are confidential and the detailed versions should only be shared with internal resources and on a ‘need-to-know’ basis. You can share a summary version for outside parties based on contractual agreements and NDAs.

What are the 3 criteria for assessing vulnerabilities?

Vulnerabilities are assessed based on severity, likelihood of exploitation and impact. A common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) is then used to assign scores based on these 3 criteria.