Insights from Clone Systems
Straightforward guidance on PCI compliance, penetration testing, and modern vulnerability management. Written by the people behind the platform.
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New AI Models (October 2026): GPT-6, Claude Opus 5.5, Gemini 4 Argon, Muse Wonder and the Security Risks of Each
Every major AI model released since September 1, compared side by side: what each one is, what it costs, how it ranks on independent testing, and what it changes for your security.
Every post from the Clone Systems desk
124 posts · Page 1 of 14
Penetration Test Cost: What Moves the Number and Why Two Quotes for the Same Scope Can Differ by 5x
A professional penetration test typically costs $5,000 to $15,000, over $30,000 for complex environments. Here are the five drivers that move the number and the 5-line check that tells two quotes apart.
SIEM Alert Tuning: What Did Your SOC Actually Turn Off?
Your SOC's alert volume is down 71 percent. Which detections produced that number, and what did they used to catch? How to record alert tuning as a coverage decision, not a volume win.
How to Test for Broken Object Level Authorization: The 5 Requests That Prove It
Broken object level authorization is the top OWASP API risk, and most scanners can't detect it. Here is the 5-request test that exposes it in your own API, plus the root cause that keeps the fix from holding.
How to Choose a Vulnerability Management Platform: 6 Questions the Vendor Demo Won't Answer
A clean dashboard is not a coverage proof. This post gives buyers the 6 questions a vulnerability management platform has to answer, the 5 asset classes to verify, and a scorecard to score any vendor proposal.
How to Choose a Penetration Testing Vendor: The 5 Signals That Separate a Test From a Report
Most penetration testing vendor RFPs get compared like insurance quotes, on price and brand. Use the 5-signal scorecard to compare proposals line by line, on scope, evidence, testers, retests, and outcomes.
MCP Server Security: Why Your Vulnerability Scanners Can't See Your AI Agents
MCP servers connect your AI agents to your data, and most run without authentication, outside your inventory and scan scope. See the exploited CVEs and the 10-point baseline to secure every server your agents can reach.
How to Prove SAQ B-IP Eligibility: The 5-Check Terminal Zone Test
A signed SAQ B-IP is only as good as the network behind it. Use the 5-Check Terminal Zone Test to see if your terminals really sit in their own zone under PCI DSS v4.
Zero Trust Implementation: Why the Accounts That Never Expire Are the Real Gap
The Pentagon's DMDC breach ran for nine months on standing access. Here is what zero trust actually requires under NIST SP 800-207, why MFA alone is not it, and the 6-point standing access audit to run before rollout.
Authenticated Web Application Scanning: What Your Scanner Misses Until It Logs In
Most web app scans never log in, so a clean report can describe a login form, not an application. Authenticated web application scanning tests what a logged-in attacker could reach.
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