RE: The business/marketing of pen-testing.

From: Randy Golly (rcgolly_at_vermeertexas.com)
Date: 10/27/04

  • Next message: H Carvey: "Re: An idiot question"
    Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 22:02:27 -0500
    To: "Jeff Gercken" <JeffG@kizan.com>, "Aaron Drew" <ripper@internode.on.net>, <pen-test@securityfocus.com>
    
    
    

    Agree with Jeff's statements, you need to validate why someone needs your
    service. Scare tactics are the way to do it. If business's in your area
    are not being approached with this service yet, they need to be educated on
    why they need this done in the first place. If they are educated on what
    vulnerabilities are actually out there and how it could affect their
    business operations, then they will come to the right conclusions about why
    they need to secure their systems. Needs to come down to basic dollars and
    cents, not just theoretical BS, on how it could affect their productivity or
    customer satisfaction. If the business is big, they have been in the pen
    test loop and are looking at SOX compliance so need it. Smaller business
    don't need to stick within compliance regulations so do not have the need as
    much. But that is where you can come in to show why they need your
    services.

    Good luck ... Randy

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Jeff Gercken [mailto:JeffG@kizan.com]
    Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 1:52 PM
    To: Aaron Drew; pen-test@securityfocus.com
    Subject: RE: The business/marketing of pen-testing.

    Don't use scare tactics. Salesmen prophesizing scenarios of impending
    doom and catastrophic failures have really hurt the security industry.
    Rational and quantitative risk analysis is what businesses need.
    Everyone has vulnerabilities and most know it. You should position
    yourself as the guy who will enumerate them and assign priority.

    Also, if you are asked, be open in your methods and tools. Be part
    teacher and you will be rewarded with trust and loyalty.

    Anyhow, just my $.02
    -Jeff

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Aaron Drew [mailto:ripper@internode.on.net]
    Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2004 6:20 PM
    To: pen-test@securityfocus.com
    Subject: The business/marketing of pen-testing.

    I've had an interest in computer security for some time and I'm now
    looking at
    starting a business around it. There are *no* other such businesses in
    my
    area but because of this, I'm not sure how to sell my services to
    potential
    customers or even what my target market should be (small, medium, or big

    business).

    Anyone have any suggestions as to where I could start looking for
    information
    on this side of things?

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