What exactly is penetration testing?
Penetration testing, also known as pen testing, is a security drill where a cybersecurity professional tries to identify and exploit weaknesses in a computer system. The goal of this simulated attack is to pinpoint any vulnerabilities that could potentially be exploited by malicious parties.
Think of it as a bank hiring someone to pose as a robber, trying to break into their building and access the vault. If the 'robber' successfully penetrates the bank or vault, the bank can use this as an opportunity to strengthen their security measures.
Who carries out pen tests?
Pen tests are best executed by individuals without much prior knowledge about how the system is secured. This helps in uncovering any overlooked blind spots by the system designers themselves. Mostly, external contractors hired to conduct these tests carry out this task. These contractors are often dubbed 'ethical hackers', as their job is to hack into the system lawfully to improve security.
Many ethical hackers have a background as professional developers with advanced degrees and certifications in pen testing. However, some effective ethical hackers are self-taught. Interestingly, a few are former illegal hackers who have switched sides and now use their skills to mend security flaws rather than exploit them. The ideal candidate for a pen test can vary greatly depending on the targeted company and the nature of the pen test they want to execute.
![the image of Who carries out pen tests?](/assets/pen-test.jpg)
What are the various forms of pen tests?
The appropriate Pen Test depends on the objective and the risk surface.
Are you interested in penetration testing?
We offer penetration testing service, please see the pricings below:
Website and WordPress Scan
£349+VAT
Reduced price for both reports
Features:
- Finds common vulnerabilities affecting web applications
- Identifies specific web server configuration issues
- Black-box vulnerability scanner
- Performs multiple tests to identify security weaknesses
- Targets WordPress websites
- Scan is performed remotely without authentication
How does a typical pen test work?
Pen tests begin with a reconnaissance phase where the ethical hacker assembles data and information to strategize their simulated attack. Then the focus shifts to getting into and maintaining access to the target system, which calls for a versatile toolkit.
Attack tools include software designed for brute-force attacks or SQL injections. There's also hardware specifically created for pen testing, like compact covert boxes that can be plugged into a network computer to provide the hacker with remote access. Besides, an ethical hacker may employ social engineering methods to discover weaknesses, such as sending bait emails to employees or pretending to be delivery personnel to gain physical access to the premises.
The hacker concludes the test by carefully covering up their tracks. They remove any installed hardware and do everything possible to avoid detection and leave the system precisely how they found it.
What occurs after a pen test?
Upon completion of a pen test, a report of the findings is shared with the company's security team along with some initial free advice. This data can then be utilized to integrate security improvements to address any vulnerabilities detected during the test.
We can provide additional consulting services and secure cloud solutions but taking an initial report from us does not oblige you to use our services.
Action points may may include rate limiting, new WAF rules, DDoS mitigation, as well as stricter form validations and sanitization, updating software, or changing the architecture.
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