Network Penetration Testing Overview

Penetration Testing

• Penetration testing is a simulated cyberattack against a computer system, network, or web application to identify vulnerabilities.
• It helps organizations understand their security posture and fix weaknesses before malicious actors exploit them.
• Often involves ethical hacking techniques, adhering to a defined scope and authorization.
• Stages typically include reconnaissance, vulnerability analysis, exploitation, and reporting.

Network Penetration Testing

• Focuses on identifying vulnerabilities within a network infrastructure.
• Evaluates security of firewalls, routers, switches, and other network devices.
• Targets weaknesses impacting data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
• May involve assessing wireless networks and VPN configurations.
• Frequently involves scanning for open ports, detecting misconfigurations, and verifying systems' response to attacks.

Web Application Security

• Focuses on the security of web applications and associated systems.
• Aims to identify vulnerabilities in coding, design, and deployment.
• Targets issues such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and cross-site request forgery (CSRF).
• Usually involves testing the application's logic, input validation, and authentication mechanisms.
• Involves manual testing and automated tools.

Vulnerability Assessment

• A process to identify vulnerabilities in a system without an attempt to exploit them.
• Often automated, using scanners and tools to scan for known vulnerabilities.
• Typically produces a report detailing discovered vulnerabilities and their severity.
• Serves as a preliminary step to penetration testing.
• Usually a less extensive and less time-consuming assessment than penetration testing.

Social Engineering

• Exploits human psychology to gain unauthorized access to systems or information.
• Can involve phishing, pretexting, baiting, quid pro quo, and tailgating.
• Often focuses on manipulating individuals to reveal critical information, credentials, or privileged access.
• Crucial to raise employee awareness of social engineering tactics.
• An important aspect of security awareness training.

Incident Response

• A structured approach to dealing with cybersecurity incidents.
• Involves steps to contain, eradicate, recover, and learn from a security breach.
• Aims to limit damage and maintain business continuity.
• Critical steps are preparation, identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned.
• Often relies on established procedures and playbooks.
• Focuses on minimizing downtime and restoring normal operations.