What is penetration testing?

Penetration testing or Pen testing is a way by which cyber-security experts make sure an IT system is secured using the same methods a hacker would; in order to find any weak spots in a system's defenses that a hacker could exploit.

Penetration testing should be seen as a way to gain assurance in your organization's vulnerability assessments, not as a primary method for identifying weaknesses.

What's the Difference Between Vulnerability Scans and Pen Tests?

Vulnerability scanners are automated means that examine a system and, upon completion, create a report of the vulnerabilities uncovered. Scanners can locate thousands of vulnerabilities, in which case further prioritization is needed. Additionally, these scores do not account for the circumstances of each individual IT system. This is where penetration tests come in.

While vulnerability scans provide a valuable picture of potential security weaknesses, penetration tests can add additional context by seeing if hackers could leverage the vulnerabilities to gain access to your system. Pen tests can also help prioritize remediation plans based on what poses the most risk.

Penetration testing stages

1. Planning and Preparation: Defining the scope and goals of the test and any related information.

2. Discovery: In this phase, teams perform different types of reconnaissance on their target, from IP addresses to information as simple as names, job titles, and email addresses which can hold great value.

3. Gaining access: pen testers attempt to infiltrate the system, exploit any security weaknesses, and how deep into the network they can go.

4. Analysis and Reporting: Pen testers create a report detailing every step of the process and recommendations for remediation.

5. Clean Up, and Remediation: Pen testers should leave no trace and need to go back through the system and remove any artifacts used during the test since an actual hacker could leverage them in the future.

6. Retest: to ensure an organization's remediations are effective and to protect against new weaknesses.

How Often Should You Pen Test?

Penetration testing should be performed regularly to ensure more consistent IT and network security management. A pen-tester will reveal how attackers may potentially assail newly discovered threats or emerging vulnerabilities.

In addition to regularly scheduled analysis and assessments required by regulatory mandates, tests should also be run whenever:

1. A network infrastructure or applications are added or upgraded.

2. Security patches are applied.

3. End-user policies are modified.

4. New office locations are established.

What Should You Do After a Pen Test?

The results of pen tests provide an excellent opportunity to discuss plans and revisit your security posture overall. Seeing pen tests as a hoop to jump through and checking it off a list as "done" won't improve your security stance. It's important to disseminate, discuss, and fully understand the findings. Additionally, relaying these results with actionable insights to decision-makers within the organization will better emphasize the risk of these vulnerabilities and the positive impact that remediation will have on the business. With review, evaluation, and leadership buy-in, pen test results can transform into action items for immediate improvements and takeaways that will help shape more comprehensive security strategies.