Penetration Testing is the process of identifying security vulnerabilities in an application by evaluating the system or network with various malicious techniques. The weak points of a system are exploited in this process through an authorized simulated attack.
The purpose of this test is to secure important data from outsiders like hackers who can have unauthorized access to the system. Once the vulnerability is identified, it is used to exploit the system to gain access to sensitive information.
We can figure out the vulnerabilities of a computer system, a web application or a network through penetration testing.
A penetration test will tell whether the existing defensive measures employed on the system are strong enough to prevent any security breaches. Penetration test reports also suggest countermeasures which can be taken to reduce the risk of the system being hacked.
Causes of Vulnerability
- Design and Development Errors: There can be flaws in the design of hardware and software. These bugs can put your business-critical data at risk of exposure.
- Poor System Configuration: This is another cause of vulnerability. If the system is poorly configured, then it can introduce loopholes through which attackers can enter into the system & steal the information.
- Human errors: Human factors like improper disposal of documents, leaving the documents unattended, coding errors, insider threats, sharing passwords over phishing sites, etc. can lead to security breaches.
- Connectivity: If the system is connected to an unsecured network (open connections) then it comes within the reach of hackers.
- Complexity: The security vulnerability rises in proportion to the complexity of a system. The more features a system has, the more are the chances of the system being attacked.
- Password: Passwords are used to prevent unauthorized access. They should be strong enough that no one can guess your password. Passwords should not be shared with anyone at any cost and passwords should be changed periodically. In spite of these instructions, at times people reveal their passwords to others, write them down somewhere and keep easy passwords that can be guessed.
- User Input: You must have heard of SQL injection, buffer overflows, etc. The data received electronically through these methods can be used to attack the receiving system.
Types of Penetration Testing
1. Network Penetration Testing
The physical structure of the system is examined to discover dangers in the organization’s network. The penetration tester conducts tests in the network. This is so they can identify faults in its architecture, operation, or implementation. The tester checks various components of the business, like computers and devices, for possible flaws.
2. Physical Penetration Testing
This type of penetration testing imitates real-world risks. The pen tester takes on the role of a cyber-attacker, attempting to breach the physical security barrier. This test is used to look for flaws in physical controls such as security cameras, lockers, obstacles, and sensors.
3. Wireless Network Penetration Testing
This type of pen testing examines the connectivity of all devices connected to the company’s internet. The purpose is to avoid data leakage that can occur when data is shared between devices over a wireless network.
3 Approaches to Penetration Testing
There are three ways how testers perform penetration testing. All of these depend on the sort of information available at hand.
1. Black Box Penetration Testing
In the black box or external penetration testing, the tester has no knowledge of the company’s IT architecture. This procedure is like a simulation of a real-world cyber-attack, and usually takes longer to complete.
2. Grey Box Penetration Testing
In this approach, the testers have some information about the company’s structure. This includes IP addresses, operating systems, email addresses, locations, and network maps.
It’s a more targeted method since the pen tester only has limited access to the internal network. This, then, allows them to concentrate their efforts on exploiting potential vulnerabilities. As a result, this saves them more time and money.
3. White Box Penetration Testing
White box penetration testing is also termed internal or clear box penetration testing. The pen tester has complete information like the IT infrastructure, source code, and environment.
It is a more extensive and in-depth pen test where every aspect of the application is tested. This usually includes the quality of the code and the basic design. Furthermore, pen testing of this nature normally takes two to three weeks to complete.
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Tools Used in Penetration Testing
Penetration testing relies heavily on tools. These tools aid in the detection of security flaws in the network, server, hardware, and software. Penetration tools are software applications that are created to check for gaps that are exploited by actual hackers.
To execute different penetration testing procedures, there are hundreds of tools accessible on the market. Here are some of the most popular penetration testing tools useful for common testing aspects.
1. SQL Map
SQL map is a program that automates the discovery and exploitation of SQL injection problems. It includes a robust detection engine that works with any database management system. It supports all SQL injection techniques. With suitable authentication, IP address, port, and database name, you can connect to the database without using SQL injection.
2. W3af
To discover any vulnerabilities, the web application attack and audit framework (W3af) is employed. It gets rid of things like DNS, cache poisoning, cookie management, and proxy support.
3. Wireshark
Wireshark is the most used network protocol analyzer in the world. This tool allows testers to examine network activity at a tiny level. It also allows for a thorough examination of hundreds of protocols, as well as live captures and offline analysis. Wireshark is compatible with all major operating systems like Windows, Linux, MacOS, and Solaris.
4. Metasploit
Metasploit is a popular tool for penetration testing. Testing teams use it to check and manage security assessments, keeping white hat hackers at bay.
Metasploit includes a command line as well as a user-friendly GUI interface. It runs on all operating systems, including Mac OS, Linux, and Windows. While that is the case, Linux is the most popular.
The tool allows penetration testers to break into a system and find serious weaknesses. With this tool, testers can exploit weaknesses and carry out genuine attacks.
5. NMAP
Nmap is free, versatile, powerful, portable, and simple to use. It is used in different ways, such as:
- Examining and managing service upgrade schedules
- Monitoring host and running services for uptime, and
- Managing network inventory
It determines whether or not hosts are available by analyzing raw IP packets. Nmap is also used to see what services are running on a host. Additionally, it can also check the application name, version, and operating system information.
Testers are able to see what sort of packet filters are used. Nmap can scan anything from a single computer to massive networks. It is compatible with nearly all operating systems.
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