Penetration testing, also known as pentesting, is a process of evaluating system or application security by simulating attack techniques that a potential attacker might use. The goal of a pentest is to identify security vulnerabilities that can be exploited and make recommendations for improvements to improve system security. Let’s learn more about penetration testing in more detail through the following article.

What is Pentest?

Penetration testing (also known as pentest), is a process of testing network security by simulating external or internal attacks to find weaknesses, vulnerabilities and risks hidden in the system. The goal of pentest is to help organizations improve their defenses against real threats and comply with international security standards.

Pentest is an important and necessary activity in security management. Pentest helps detect and fix security vulnerabilities before they become opportunities for intruders. Pentest also helps improve security awareness and skills among developers, administrators, and users. Pentest is also a requirement of several security standards and regulations, such as ISO 27001, PCI DSS, etc.

Penetration testing is a continuous and ever-improving process. Pentesting should be performed periodically, when there are changes in the system, or when new threats appear. Pentesting should also be performed by experts with experience and security certifications, to ensure system efficiency and safety.

Why do businesses need to perform Pentest?

Pentest is an important tool to improve cybersecurity for businesses, especially in the context of more and more cyber attacks occurring around the world. Below are the benefits that businesses get when performing Pentest.

• Detect and fix security vulnerabilities before they cause business damage.
• Enhance the trust and reputation of customers, partners and employees in the enterprise’s cybersecurity system.
• Minimize costs and recovery time when a cybersecurity incident occurs.
• Meet legal requirements and industry standards related to cybersecurity.

Thus, Pentest is an indispensable activity for businesses that want to protect their network information security systems. By performing Pentest periodically, businesses can prevent and minimize cyber security risks, while creating a safe and sustainable business environment.

Popular forms of Pentest

There are many different types of pentests, depending on the scope, purpose and implementation method. Among them, there are three most popular forms of pentest today, specifically as follows:

• White hat pentest: This is a form of pentest performed by information security experts hired by the organization or individual that owns the system to be tested.
• Black hat pentest: This is a form of pentest performed by bad hackers with the intention of infiltrating and taking control of the system, or stealing, sabotaging or disclosing sensitive information.
• Gray hat pentest: This is a form of pentest between white hat and black hat pentest. Gray hat pentesting is performed by highly skilled hackers with no malicious intent.

In the three forms of pentesting above, only white hat pentesting is considered legal and useful for improving information security. Black hat pentesting is completely illegal and dangerous, while gray hat pentesting is anonymous and unknown. Therefore, if you want to test the security of your system, you should hire reputable and experienced white hat pentest experts, and avoid having your system attacked by black hat or gray hat hackers.

Basic stages in the penetration testing process – Pentest

The penetration testing process can be divided into the following basic stages:

• Stage 1: Prepare for testing. During this phase, the penetration tester will define the goals, scope, and timing of the testing process, as well as reporting requirements and testing methods.
• Stage 2: Collect information. During this phase, the penetration tester will learn about the target system, including information about the network structure, running services, software versions, known vulnerabilities, security configurations secrets and potential weaknesses.
• Stage 3: Analyze and evaluate risks. During this phase, the penetration tester will analyze and evaluate the collected information to identify weaknesses and risks of the target system. Penetration testers will also select appropriate techniques and tools to conduct simulated attacks.
• Stage 4: Perform penetration testing. During this phase, penetration testers will conduct simulated attacks according to previously planned scenarios. The goal of attacks is to exploit vulnerabilities and weaknesses of the target system.
• Stage 5: Report results and recommendations. During this phase, the penetration tester compiles and reports the results of the penetration testing process to the system owner.

The difference between Manual Penetration and Automated Penetration Testing

Manual Penetration Testing and Automated Penetration Testing are two completely different security vulnerability testing methods, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Here are some key points to differentiate these two methods:

Perform

• Manual Penetration Testing: Performed by security experts, using knowledge, experience and specialized tools to exploit vulnerabilities. Like exploratory investigators, they search for vulnerabilities in a detailed and creative manner.
• Automated Penetration Testing: Use automated tools to scan networks and applications and find vulnerabilities by comparing against a list of known vulnerabilities. Like robots, running according to pre-programmed scenarios.

Advantage

• Manual Penetration Testing: Finds complex, little-known vulnerabilities that automated tools may miss. Can be customized to specific goals and evaluate the true impact of vulnerabilities. Provides deeper understanding of systems and vulnerabilities for better remediation.
• Automated Penetration Testing: Fast and effective, can test large systems in a short time. Cost savings compared to Manual Penetration Testing. Can be run regularly to continuously monitor security status.

Disadvantage

• Manual Penetration Testing: Long implementation time, high cost. The results depend on the skills and experience of the specialist. Some vulnerabilities may be missed due to human care.
• Automated Penetration Testing: Missing new, unknown or complex vulnerabilities. May generate many false alarms causing confusion. It is not possible to assess the true impact of the vulnerability or provide detailed remediation instructions.

See more: Software Testing 101

To effectively ensure network security, businesses should perform Pentest periodically, at least once a year. If you need a penetration testing for your system, look no further than Kounselly, a leading provider of penetration testing services, offers expert consulting and implementation to ensure your network security. With a team of experienced and highly specialized experts, Kounselly is committed to providing businesses with high-quality Pentesting services, helping businesses effectively ensure network security.