Penetration testing articles

Introduction to Pentesting

Penetration testing, commonly referred to as a pentest, is a structured security assessment where ethical hackers simulate real-world attacks on a system, application, or network. The primary objective is to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.

Purpose of a Pentest

A pentest serves several key purposes:

  • Identify Security Weaknesses: Discover exploitable vulnerabilities in infrastructure, applications, or processes.
  • Validate Security Controls: Test the effectiveness of existing security measures.
  • Assess Real-World Risks: Simulate actual attack scenarios to understand potential impact.
  • Achieve Compliance: Meet regulatory and industry security requirements (e.g., PCI DSS, ISO 27001).
  • Enhance Security Posture: Provide actionable insights to improve overall cybersecurity resilience.

Types of Penetration Testing

Pentesting can be categorised into various types based on the scope and target:

  1. Network Pentesting – Identifies weaknesses in internal and external network infrastructure.
  2. Web Application Pentesting – Assesses security flaws in web applications, such as SQL injection and XSS.
  3. Mobile Application Pentesting – Evaluates security risks in iOS and Android applications.
  4. Wireless Network Pentesting – Tests Wi-Fi networks for vulnerabilities like weak encryption or rogue access points.
  5. Social Engineering – Simulates phishing attacks, pretexting, and other human-targeted threats.
  6. Physical Security Testing – Examines physical access controls and security mechanisms.

Methodology

A typical pentest follows a structured methodology, often based on frameworks such as OWASP, NIST, or PTES:

  1. Reconnaissance – Gather intelligence about the target (passive and active information gathering).
  2. Scanning & Enumeration – Identify live hosts, open ports, and vulnerabilities.
  3. Exploitation – Attempt to exploit discovered vulnerabilities to gain access.
  4. Privilege Escalation – Elevate access to critical systems and data.
  5. Post-Exploitation – Maintain access, extract sensitive data, or test lateral movement.
  6. Reporting & Remediation – Document findings, provide risk assessments, and suggest fixes.

Deliverables

A comprehensive pentest report typically includes:

  • Executive Summary – High-level overview of risks for non-technical stakeholders.
  • Technical Findings – Detailed vulnerabilities, proof-of-concept exploits, and risk ratings.
  • Remediation Recommendations – Practical guidance on fixing identified security issues.

Limitations and Considerations

While pentesting is a powerful security measure, it has certain limitations:

  • Time-Bound Assessments – A pentest is a snapshot in time and does not provide continuous security monitoring.
  • Scope Constraints – Defined boundaries may leave some assets untested.
  • Potential Service Disruptions – Testing may impact system availability if not planned carefully.