Penetration testing, commonly called pentesting or ethical hacking, is a simulated cyber attack conducted against your systems, applications, or networks to identify security vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.
Unlike automated vulnerability scans that simply identify potential weaknesses, penetration testing involves active exploitation. Security professionals attempt to actually breach your defences using the same techniques real attackers would employ. This hands-on approach demonstrates not just that vulnerabilities exist, but proves that they can be exploited and shows the real-world impact of a successful attack.
The penetration testing process typically follows a structured methodology including reconnaissance, scanning, gaining access, maintaining access, and covering tracks to mirror the stages of an actual cyber attack. Testers document their findings in a report that includes the technical details of discovered vulnerabilities, proof-of-concept exploits demonstrating how they were leveraged, risk ratings based on severity and business impact, and prioritised remediation recommendations.
Organisations use penetration testing to meet compliance requirements, validate security controls, identify gaps in defences, and reduce their risk of a costly data breach.