Penetration Testing, often abbreviated to Pen Test, is a computer security service that simulates real attacks on an organisation’s computer systems to identify and assess vulnerabilities that can be exploited by ill-intentioned attackers.

This type of testing is essential to improve information security and protect digital assets.

Objectives of Penetration Testing

• Vulnerability Identification: To discover not only known vulnerabilities, but also new or uncommon ones in systems, networks and applications.
• Risk Assessment: Assessing the risk associated with each identified vulnerability, considering the probability of exploitation and potential impact.
• Simulation of Real Attacks: Simulate real attacks to see how systems respond under attack and verify the effectiveness of existing security measures.
• Security Improvement: Provide recommendations to mitigate vulnerabilities and improve overall system security.

Penetration Test Phases

1. Information Gathering (Reconnaissance): Gathering information about the target through passive techniques (such as searching publicly available information) and active techniques (such as scanning networks).
2. Scanning and Enumeration: Using tools to identify running services, open ports, software versions and other useful information to identify vulnerabilities.
3. Exploitation: Attempt to exploit identified vulnerabilities to gain unauthorised access to systems. This may include the use of known exploits or the creation of customised exploits.
4. Post-Exploitation: Evaluation of the impact of exploited vulnerabilities. Once access has been gained, the attacker assesses what he can do within the system, such as escalating privileges, accessing sensitive data, or controlling systems.
5. Reporting: Preparation of a detailed report describing the vulnerabilities discovered, the methods used to exploit them, the level of access gained, and recommendations to mitigate these vulnerabilities.
6. Mitigation and Remediation: Supporting the organisation in correcting identified vulnerabilities and verifying the effectiveness of implemented security measures.

Types of Penetration Testing

1. Black Box Testing: The tester has no prior information about the systems to be tested. This type of test simulates an external attacker without internal knowledge.
2. White Box Testing: The tester has complete access to information about the systems, including source code and configurations. This type of test is useful for in-depth and detailed analysis.
3. Gray Box Testing: The tester has some partial information about the systems, such as limited credentials or an overview of the network architecture. This type of test simulates an internal attacker with limited access.

Benefits of Penetration Testing

• Attack Prevention: Identification and correction of vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by real attackers.
• Security Enhancement: Strengthening of security defences by simulating real attack scenarios.
• Compliance and Regulation: Meeting compliance requirements with security regulations and standards, such as GDPR, PCI-DSS, ISO 27001.
• Awareness and Training: Increase security awareness within the organisation and provide practical training opportunities for security personnel.

Tools and Techniques Used

• Scanning Tools: Nessus, OpenVAS, Nmap.
• Exploitation Frameworks: Metasploit, Burp Suite.
• Manual Techniques: Manual code analysis, manual testing of web applications, configuration evaluations.

Final Considerations

Penetration Testing is an essential process for any organisation that wants to protect its digital assets and improve its security posture. This service not only helps to identify vulnerabilities, but also to better understand the associated risk and implement more robust security measures.