What Are the Different Stages of Penetration Testing
Information Gathering
Penetration testers and stakeholders make sure they are in sync with the expected outcomes of each test. Security experts do surveillance on the target, gathering the information needed to scope and execute each test properly. The information gathering can be active (allowing tester direct contact with the target) or passive (tester collects information while remaining undetected by the target).
The information-gathering stage also involves:
- Deciding what tests to run.
- Determining who will be responsible for monitoring tests.
- Designating the information testers have when starting each test.
Threat Modeling
During this phase, the security team maps out threats that could attack or harm a company. They use the insights obtained during the information gathering phase to inform the activities to execute during various penetration tests and develop risk rankings for different vulnerabilities. The team also identifies and categorizes different assets for testing. Questions that penetration testers should ask during this stage include:
- What are the primary and secondary assets to consider?
- Who or what are the most prominent threats or threat communities to the organization?
- How does each of those threat communities relate to different assets?
Vulnerability Analysis
Based on the information gathered in previous stages, the company and the security team decide which assets to eliminate. They confirm systems, devices, networks, systems, and other components that present the most risk through research, testing, and validation.
Exploitation
The security team relies on the groundwork put in place during earlier stages to begin penetration testing. They do everything possible when it comes to abusing, abusing, and exploiting systems deemed vulnerable. RedTeam Security penetration testers cover all networks, devices, physical controls, and human interactions while documenting any potential holes that present a risk to a company’s security posture.
Post-Exploitation
During the post-exploitation phase, pen testers look at the extent of the damage that a hacker could potentially cause by compromising a weakness found in a component. They examine the value of any compromised sensitive data and how a hacker could gain control of company systems. The post-exploitation phase also explores what it would take for a company to recover from malicious actors’ breach.
Reporting
We creates reports outlining the steps taken during the entire penetration testing process. They highlight successful attempts to compromise company security, where they found openings for possible exploitation and other relevant information. Clients receive recommendations on ways of mitigating the risks associated with each security weakness.
How Often Should You Do Penetration Testing?
Companies should plan on conducting regular penetration testing. Regularly scheduled penetration testing allows businesses to locate and mitigate security risks. Businesses should also call in experts like RedTeam Security for penetration testing whenever the following changes occur:
- Adding network infrastructure
- Applying security patches
- Performing upgrades to applications or other infrastructure
- Modifications to end-user policies
- Establishment of new office locations
What Should You Do After a Penetration Testing?
Use the opportunity presented by penetration testing to go over plans about how to strengthen your overall security posture. They offer organizations a chance to go over the results with all stakeholders and assess what must happen to improve company security.
Businesses should turn the outcomes presented to them by penetration testers into actionable insights. Decision-makers within the company can use that information to spur any needed changes to current security protocols. They can also go forward with any needed technology changes that address the risks uncovered during intrusion testing.
How is Penetration Testing Done?
RedTeam Security uses various automation processes and tools to execute penetration testing and expose vulnerabilities. Pen testing tools and automated tools look for issues like weak data encryption and hard-coded values within application code like passwords. They help companies find out how well their organization complies with the current security policy. It’s also an excellent way of measuring employee security awareness at all levels of the organization.
Pen testers typically execute within defined parameters. Limiting the scope of where they operate keeps the focus on different elements of a company’s systems, networks, applications, and physical structures.
The Difference Between Pen Tests and Vulnerability Scans
Vulnerability scans are high-level automated tests that search computers, company systems, and networks for security weaknesses. They typically run on a scheduled basis or can be executed manually. Vulnerability scans usually complete execution in anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. A vulnerability assessment a passive way of addressing security issues since they don’t go beyond reporting on detected vulnerabilities.
Penetration tests simulate the actions of someone trying to exploit company security vulnerabilities directly using ethical hackers. They rely on various methods during their attempts to compromise a company’s security and extract valuable information. It’s a more detailed, proactive way of finding out how security protocols perform when under threat.
Source: redteamsecure.com/
