What is Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing, sometimes known as “pen testing”, “pentesting”, or “ethical hacking”, is a cybersecurity practice in which ethical hackers simulate actual attacks on a network, web application, computer system, etc. Finding flaws and vulnerabilities that malicious actors could exploit is the aim of penetration testing.

An overview of penetration testing, its significance, and frequently asked questions are covered in this article.

What is the Purpose of Penetration Testing?

The primary reason for businesses to conduct penetration testing is to gain understanding of the potential security vulnerabilities in their applications, infrastructure, and processes before they can be maliciously exploited by threat actors.

Many organisations will conduct a penetration test for compliance purposes, such as to meet a regulatory requirement or to satisfy a contractual obligation. However, penetration testing is also a proactive measure that organisations should take to ensure the security of their systems and data.

Why is Penetration Testing Important?

In addition to providing a far more contextual perspective of a target environment than an off-the-shelf vulnerability scan , penetration testing aids companies in understanding the effectiveness of their security defences.

Penetration testing can lower the risk of cyberattacks, ensure compliance to industry regulations, and preserve the confidence of stakeholders and customers by proactively finding and securing vulnerabilities.

Is Penetration Testing the Same as Vulnerability Scanning?

No, penetration testing is considerably more in-depth than vulnerability scanning. Vulnerability scanning is an automation-led process that identifies known vulnerabilities in systems and applications through vulnerability scanner software.

The output of a vulnerability assessment provides a list of potential security issues (such as misconfiguration or missing security updates) and is typically not as deep as the manual exploitation and discovery of vulnerabilities.

Penetration testing goes a step further by actively discovering new vulnerabilities and exploiting these weaknesses to determine the potential impact of a real attack. Both are important components of a robust cybersecurity strategy, with many pentesting providers supplementing penetration test results with vulnerability scanning to provide a more complete view of the security posture.

How Often Should Penetration Testing Be Performed?

The general rule of thumb is that penetration tests should be performed at least once a year, or ideally whenever there are changes to the target environment. This could be updates to web applications, a migration of a firewall, or newly integrated systems.

Many factors, such as the size of the organisation, the type of data it holds, how often an environment changes, and the business’s risk appetite can influence the frequency of penetration testing.

Who Should Perform Penetration Testing?

Penetration tests should be performed by certified professionals, sometimes known as ethical hackers or “penetration testers”. These experts have the knowledge, skills, and tools to safely and effectively simulate attacks.

Many larger organisations will often have their own internal pentesting team. Smaller organisations might opt to outsource a third-party provider for this service. Where regulatory compliance is a concern, there are often requirements for penetration testing to be performed by an independent third-party provider.

At Exploitr, we can collaborate with your internal teams to ensure a smooth and effective testing process, confirm prior testing results, and expand on existing knowledge.

What is Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS)?

Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) is a more modern approach to delivering pentesting services where penetration tests are offered on a subscription basis. Traditional penetration testing engagements are usually one-off projects, focusing upon a specific target (such as a web application) with a defined scope and timeframe.

PTaaS, on the other hand, provides ongoing access to a vendor’s penetration testing services, allowing organisations to continuously assess their security posture and respond to emerging threats.

Usually there will be a more flexible engagement model, where organisations can request tests on-demand or schedule regular assessments. This approach allows for more frequent testing and can result in faster response times to remediating vulnerabilities.

A benefit of this for organisations is a predictable business cost, as they can budget for a fixed monthly or annual fee rather than paying for individual tests. Businesses also benefit from the continuous nature of Pentesting as a Service by integrating it into their development lifecycle and security operations, allowing for more proactive security measures.

Penetration Testing Services

There are several types of penetration testing services, including:

• Infrastructure Penetration Testing focuses on identifying vulnerabilities in network devices, servers, and other infrastructure components.
• Web Application Penetration Testing targets web applications to find security flaws such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and insecure authentication mechanisms.
• Wi-Fi Penetration Testing assesses the security of wireless networks, looking for vulnerabilities in the configuration of Wi-Fi networks, such as the protocols, encryption, and access controls in use.
• Social Engineering involves testing the human element of security by attempting to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.
• Physical Penetration Testing is often performed alongside social engineering, where testers attempt to gain physical access to buildings or secure areas to identify weaknesses in physical security controls.

Additionally, there are several different approaches to penetration testing, including:

• Closed box (also known as black-box penetration testing) is where the tester has no prior knowledge or access to the target system/application. This is often used to simulate an external attack.
• Open box (also known as white-box penetration testing) is where the tester has full knowledge of the target system/application, often including source code and architecture documentation. This is typically used to engage with internal teams and provide a deeper analysis of the security posture.
• Grey box penetration testing is a hybrid approach where the tester has limited knowledge of the target system/application, often simulating an insider threat or a compromised account.
• Red teaming is an advanced form of penetration testing that simulates a full-scale cyberattack, including technical, physical, and social engineering aspects. It is designed to test the organisation’s overall security posture and response capabilities. You can find out more about red teaming in our Red-Team Engagements FAQ .

What Are the Stages of a Penetration Test?

A penetration test typically follows a structured methodology to ensure thorough coverage and effective results. The stages of a pentest can vary depending on the specific approach and scope, but generally include the following:

What Happens After a Penetration Test?

Following a penetration test, the testing team will usually provide a detailed report that highlights the vulnerabilities found, the methods used to exploit them, and suggestions for further fixes along with an executive focused summary.

Some penetration tests may also include a retesting phase, where the organisation will remediate the identified vulnerabilities and undergo a spot-check to ensure their remediation efforts were effective.

With Exploitr, we deliver a detailed report of the findings, and we also give you full access to all the results and related information through our Attack Surface Center platform. This lets you track the progress of remediation efforts and make sure that all vulnerabilities are handled on time.

What Certifications Should a Penetration Tester Have?

When selecting a penetration testing provider, it is important to consider the accreditations that the provider holds and the certifications and qualifications of their team. Some of the most recognised certifications in the industry include:

OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional)

A well-respected certification that demonstrates practical penetration testing skills.

OSCE (Offensive Security Certified Expert)

An advanced certification that requires a deep understanding of penetration testing techniques and methodologies.

CRT (CREST Registered Tester)

A certification that demonstrates a tester’s knowledge and skills in penetration testing, recognised by the CREST organisation.

CCT (CREST Certified Tester)

An advanced certification that demonstrates a tester’s ability to perform penetration testing at a high level. The CCT certification is divided into two specialisations:

• CCT INF (CREST Certified Tester - Infrastructure): Focuses on infrastructure penetration testing.
• CCT APP (CREST Certified Tester - Application): Focuses on application penetration testing.

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