A Penetration Testing, also called a pen testing, ethical hacker test or pentest, is an officially authorized simulated cyber attack on a particular system, conducted in order to test the protection of that system against attacks from the cyber world. Not to be mistaken with a vulnerability scan. A Penetration Testing is often considered a more realistic way of finding out the extent of damage a system has sustained from attacks. It involves both manual and automated testing procedures. This type of testing is used in the field of Information Technology Security, where it is used to gain an insight into the security systems that protect confidential data.
There are many reasons for performing Penetration Testing. While it is commonly carried out by IT professionals to find and repair security flaws in company websites and networks, Penetration Testing can also be employed by the end users of web applications to determine whether their security patches and software programs are efficient and up-to-date. Security patches are usually offered free of charge by the respective vendor or service provider. However, many people fail to make use of these free security patches because they do not understand their importance and implications. Without proper understanding of what these patches provide, hackers can breach your security and cause substantial damage to your business.
While performing Penetration Testing, the Penetration Test engineer first exploits a system through which he then tests the various vulnerable points that could be exploited via the targeted website. The Internet protocol suite is utilized by the tester to connect to the website being targeted for the Pen Testing process. The tester then performs a series of web exploits to test how well-written the exploit code is by the server. The more realistic the scenario is, the better results the tester will obtain from performing the pen testing operations.
Pen Testing
Pen Testing enables the qualified IT professional to test for bugs and vulnerabilities in any company website without affecting the live system. By performing these penetration tests on the live server, a skilled hacker can bypass all network security measures and access your sensitive data. In order to perform these Penetration tests effectively, you must have good communication with the Penetration Testing company. In some cases, you may need to send your company’s confidential information to the testers. Before you hire the services of a Penetration Testing company, ensure that they have network security professionals who are capable of executing the pen testing processes flawlessly.
One of the most common methods of performing Pen Testing is ‘oxidized’ or ‘unpublished’ penetration testing. In this method, the Qualified Pen Test engineer searches for vulnerabilities of the product or system, and after locating one, he triggers the vulnerability and checks the response. If the response is not expected, he marks the vulnerability as safe. After performing these tests, the results can be viewed on the screen of the testing system and you will be able to see the details of the vulnerability and its impact. However, in this method, you cannot find out the specific locations or files, which are targeted by the hackers.
Once the root of the vulnerability has been identified, you have to prioritize remediation activities. A qualified Penetration Testing Engineer will suggest to you which action to take. If you do not find any vulnerability, you can continue your search for attacks. It is recommended to carry out frequent scans on your system and install anti-virus software on all your computers to protect your computer from threats. In case of severe vulnerabilities, the entire system should be scanned and any security weaknesses identified; in such cases, use of threat management procedures will be more effective in securing your system from hacking attacks.
Tags: pen testing, tests, tester, software, vulnerability
Raymond Dunn is the founder and driving force behind Hackateer.com, a premier source for cybersecurity news and tutorials since 2009. With a mission to empower both novices and experts in the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, Raymond has built Hackateer into a trusted platform renowned for its comprehensive industry insights, hands-on tutorials, and expert analysis.
