Penetration testing is a simulated and authorized exercise performed by the cyber-security expert to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in a system, server, database, network, or application. The security is evaluated to find the weak spots by attacking the environment as an ethical hacker.
Imagine you have a bank with a huge sum of money and you have taken all the measures to protect it from any theft. But how do you know the safety and security measures implemented are robust? So, you hire a person, dress him as a burglar, and make him enter the bank to get access to the treasure vault. If the burglar succeeds in entering the building or getting access to the treasure vault, you’d certainly get clues on the loopholes you have in the security posture. This way you can strengthen the posture by filling the gaps.
Just like the attackers, the same process, techniques, and tools are used in penetration testing to determine the weaknesses and the impacts they would cause on the businesses. Let’s understand more about various methods of Penetration Testing.
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Penetration Testing Method
White Box Penetration Testing:
White Box Penetration Testing is also called Targeted Testing, Open-Box Testing, Code-based Testing, Clear-Box Testing
In this type of penetration testing, the tester and the security expert are given all the details, documentation, plans, configurations, credentials, etc., to exploit the issues without spending time on vulnerability scanning. This test can be performed specifically on applications, their features, or even some segment of a network and is helpful for simulating a targeted attack. This approach saves time, cost, and effort.
Black Box Penetration Testing:
Black Box Penetration Testing is also called Closed-box Penetration Testing & Single-blind Test
In this type of testing, the behavioral and functional tests are done and the tester is not provided with any details except the name of the target company. Ethical hackers attack the system or the network and real-time vulnerabilities are identified. Right from the initial access to the exploitation, the tester adopts an unprivileged attacker’s approach. Although this approach is the most expensive one, it is the most authentic to uncover how an attacker without any knowledge would target your organization.
Gray Box Penetration Testing:
Gray Box Penetration Testing is also called Translucent Box Test
This is a combination of both white-box Penetration Testing and Black Box penetration Testing. The testers have limited information, such as logic flow charts, low-level credentials, and network maps. Fundamentally, this test is to identify potential functionality and code issues. Basically, this testing will help you understand the level of privileged user access and the potential impact it could cause. It could be used for both Internal Penetration Testing and External Penetration Testing.
Stages of Penetration Testing
We follow a meticulous process that helps us to determine security risks and the impact of the vulnerabilities caused to the business. However, automated scanning will never be on par with the creative human. Thus, our team uncovers the critical vulnerabilities by manually scanning to leave no space for spoofy attackers.
We follow the standard CIA triad to get a comprehensive and clear picture of the cyber breach thereby establishing a strong security posture.
Types of Penetration Testing
For optimally managing the risks, a comprehensive approach to penetration testing is required. The following are the areas in your environment that’d require a test immediately.
- Mobile Apps Penetration Testing – The mobile application (excluding Mobile APIs) is tested using both Static and Dynamic Analysis. With Static Analysis, reverse engineering is done to identify weaknesses in the code. In Dynamic analysis, the vulnerabilities in the application are determined when it is running on a server or a device.
- Web Apps Penetration Testing – The security controls are examined thoroughly, the attack patterns are determined, and the security gaps are nailed down. We also attack vulnerabilities to determine their intensity and impacts. The vulnerabilities in the source code, database, and backend network are easily identified and exposed through this test.
- Networks Penetration Testing – The security posture of the network is tested using different techniques to ensure reliability and stability. The vulnerability in the network components is exposed. This type of testing will help you protect your business from network-based attacks such as Firewall misconfiguration and firewall bypass, Zone transfer attacks, SSH attacks, Proxy server attacks, IPS/IDS evasions, Router attacks, Database attacks, FTP/SMTP-based attacks, and many more.
- APIs Penetration Testing – In this test, the APIs are evaluated for security risks and vulnerabilities such as excessive data exposure, user authentication, authorization, etc. These tests are done manually and can be automated too.
Alright. We have seen the methods of penetration testing and the types. Now let’s get into the real context and explore why penetration testing is so important for businesses.
Read more: Common cybersecurity threats and steps to stay protected
Why is Penetration Testing so important for businesses?
The facts mentioned here are just so worrisome for any firm irrespective of the size and the verticals. We cannot press enough on the fact that the threat landscape is increasing and vulnerabilities are discovered on a regular basis. Penetration testing is inevitable, non-negotiable, and the most fundamental step for any business right now – and for the days to come.
Here are some reasons demonstrating the importance of Penetration Testing.
- Rooting out the vulnerabilities from your system will prevent security breaches, data theft, and other cyber-attacks.
- Helps you determine the most complex security issues related to business logic, payment gateways, the flawed assumption in user behavior, and excessive trust in client-side controls.
- Unless you get clarity on the security posture, you will not be able to modify or strengthen it.
- Prepare for mandatory compliance audits and mitigate threats
- Your team must be prepared for cyberattacks and know how to respond on time
- Regular penetration testing builds goodwill amongst your clients, by increasing the protection and building a sustainable growth structure.
IBM Study: Data breach costs rose from USD 3.86 million to USD 4.24 million in 2022
Well, with these many reasons and benefits, businesses must safeguard their cyber territory and not fall prey to any hackers. At the same time, it is equally important to choose an ethical and the right penetration testing service provider for your business for detecting vulnerabilities and assist in remediating them.
The final word
With that said, we at AVASOFT, with a team of experts and robust tech solutions, provide comprehensive testing programs exclusively built to meet your business needs. Our Penetration Testing for businesses covers post-test care, prioritized remediation guidance, actionable outputs, a series of training and workshops for your team, and strategic advice to help you strengthen your cyber security posture. Our proactive pen testing approach is consistent with self-initiated improvements based on the generated clear-cut reports.
Don’t wait for a data breach to occur! Minimize the risks and maximize the potential of your organizational security with us!
