Penetration Testing in easy word

Let’s understand Penetration testing, so it’s also known as “pentesting,” is a simulated cyber attack on a computer system, network, or web application to evaluate the security of the system. The goal of pentesting is to identify vulnerabilities that an attacker could exploit and to determine the effectiveness of the organization’s security controls.

Examples

For example, imagine a company wants to ensure the security of their online shopping website. They may hire a penetration tester to try and access the website’s customer information, such as credit card numbers, by attempting to hack into the system. The tester would use various techniques to try and gain unauthorized access, such as guessing passwords or exploiting known software vulnerabilities. The company would then use the results of the pentest to improve their website’s security and prevent real-world attacks.

another example of a hospital, imagine a company wants to make sure that their computer system, which holds important medical information about patients, is secure. They hire a special team to try and access the system in a controlled and safe way, just like a hacker would. This team will use various methods like guessing passwords and exploiting the system’s weaknesses to try and get in. Once the test is over, the hospital will use the information gathered to fix any issues found and make their system more secure. This is done to protect the patient’s information and make sure it’s not accessible to anyone without permission.

The basic process of pentesting can be broken down into a few simple steps:

1. Preparation: The testing team will gather information about the target system, such as IP addresses, open ports, and software versions.
2. Finding Weakness: The team will use automated tools and techniques to scan the target system for vulnerabilities.
3. Attempting to Hack: Using the information gathered, the team will try to gain unauthorized access to the system.
4. Reporting: After the testing process is complete, the team will report their findings to the organization and make recommendations on how to improve the system’s security.
5. Remediation: The organization will use the results of the pentest to fix any vulnerabilities and improve the security of their systems to prevent real-world attacks.

Understanding the Team Structure for a Penetration Testing Engagement

The number of people involved in a penetration test can vary depending on the size and complexity of the test.

A basic penetration test may involve a single individual, who acts as the pentester, responsible for the planning, execution and reporting of the test. This individual may have expertise in multiple areas, such as network security, web application security, and ethical hacking.

For larger or more complex tests, a team of individuals with specialized skills may be necessary. This team may include:

• A project manager, who is responsible for coordinating the test and ensuring that it stays within scope and on schedule.
• Penetration testers, who are responsible for actually conducting the test and finding vulnerabilities.
• A network administrator, who has expertise in network security and can help identify vulnerabilities in network infrastructure.
• A web application developer, who can help identify vulnerabilities in web applications.
• A reporting analyst, who is responsible for compiling the results of the test into a report.

It’s worth noting that, there are different types of pen-testing, like external, internal, and blind testing, which have different requirements and objectives, thus the number of people involved in the test may change accordingly.

Working with a Penetration Testing Company

Here are some tips for working with a penetration testing company in simple terms:

1. Tell them what to test: Before the test starts, let the company know which systems and applications they should focus on and what you hope to achieve from the test.
2. Share any concerns you have: If you have specific areas of concern, let the company know so they can focus on those during the test.
3. Be ready to fix any issues found: The test may reveal problems with your systems, so be prepared to take action and fix any issues that are found.
4. Keep information confidential: Make sure the company knows to keep any information they find during the test private and secure.
5. Review the results and ask questions: Once the test is done, read the report and ask the company any questions you have about the results.
6. Communicate with the company: Keep an open line of communication with the company during and after the test.
7. Plan for regular retesting: Pen-testing should be a regular process, schedule regular retesting to ensure that your security measures are still effective and to stay aware of new vulnerabilities.

Pen testers use various tools and techniques to try to gain unauthorized access to the system, just as a real attacker would.

One example of a pen testing tool is Metasploit. It is a framework that allows penetration testers to easily plan and execute exploit campaigns. It includes a large collection of exploits for various systems and applications, as well as the ability to create and use custom exploits. By using Metasploit, pen testers can quickly identify vulnerabilities and test the effectiveness of security controls in place.

Conclusion

Penetration testing (pen testing) is a simulated cyber attack on a computer system, network or web application, to evaluate the security of the system. The goal of the test is to identify vulnerabilities that an attacker could potentially exploit. Pen testers use various tools and techniques to try to gain unauthorized access to the system, just as a real attacker would. An example of a pen testing tool is Metasploit, which is a framework that allows penetration testers to easily plan and execute exploit campaigns. It is an important way to evaluate the security of a system and identify areas that need improvement. It is often used as part of a larger security program and should be conducted by trained professionals.