Pen testing, short for penetration testing, is an assessment method that simulates the conditions of an actual attack in order to find vulnerabilities and weaknesses in a system or network. Penetration testers identify potential security vulnerabilities by simulating the methods used by improper hackers to assess an organization security posture.
Types of Penetration Testing
Black-Box Testing:
The tester has no background knowledge about the target system.
This method emulates an external attack, which is what an outside attacker would do.
White-Box Testing:
Attacker has in-depth knowledge of target system infrastructure, applications and network configuration.
It makes it easier to do a deeper dive on vulnerabilities.
Gray-Box Testing:
A semi-knowledgeable tester i.e. an internal employee who might have […]
This is a hybrid style of black box testing and white box testing.
Penetration Testing Steps
Scouting: Discover information about the target system like its software, network topology and security configurations, etc.
Scanning and enumeration: Automatic as well as manual mechanisms are used to find possible access points.
Exploit: Tries to abuse an exploit in order to obtain unauthorized data.
Once they have access, the tester may attempt to escalate privileges, collect data or deploy malware.
Reporting: As a deliverable, create a report with findings of the assessment in the form of list of vulnerabilities, risks, and shortlist of recommendations.
Advantages of Performing Penetration Testing
Find Vulnerabilities: Discover any security holes before malicious actors can use them.
Assess the effectiveness of Security Systems and Networks
Verify Security Controls — Confirm that Security controls are properly applied such as firewall, intrusion & prevention systems, Access controls
Educate Employees about Security: Training your employees on the risks and best practices and methods to deals with them.
Regulatory Compliance Demonstrate compliance with regulations and a range of other industry standards.
