Mastering the 7 Stages of Penetration Testing

Nearly 48% of small and medium-sized businesses have experienced a breach in the past year. One of the most effective ways to identify vulnerabilities in your IT ecosystem and stay ahead of these attacks is penetration testing or pen testing. During a pen test, ethical hackers simulate an attack on a network to identify any weaknesses or vulnerabilities that cybercriminals could exploit. In this blog, the cyber security experts at Trava explore the 7 stages of penetration testing.

What Are the 7 Stages of Penetration Testing?

The following are the crucial penetration testing stages according to OWASP for your system or web application:

Step 1: Reconnaissance

Before undertaking a pen test, the testers gather crucial information about in-scope targets. This may include data on web server version and type, search engines, folder paths, Robots.txt files, and metadata. Additionally, during this stage, the goals and approaches of the security evaluation are determined. The security team may also identify the assets that should be secured and the possible threats that may damage them.

Step 2: Scanning or Discovery

In this phase, testers look for possible entry points that actors can exploit. It involves scanning and asset analysis to gain information on available assets and information, such as operating systems, open ports, and running services. The tester can also test aspects such as platform configuration and how it stands up to diverse file extensions. They can also test for cross-site policies that cybercriminals can exploit.

Step 3: Vulnerabilities Assessment

During this phase, the team utilizes both automated tools and manual testing to look for all possible vulnerabilities in the web application. It involves checking common flaws such as cross-site scripting, buffer overflows, and SQL injection. This phase also evaluates text accounts, privileges, access, and different application roles such as user and administrator.

Step 4: Exploitation

Also referred to as maintaining access, this phase is arguably one of the most critical in all of the penetration testing stages since the tester attempts to breach and access the target system. In essence, the tester utilizes sophisticated tools to access the target system, exploit identified vulnerabilities, and simulate real-world attacks.

Step 5: Post-Exploitation Reporting and Risk Analysis

Pen-testers generate a report on identified vulnerabilities and remediation steps. This report documents all phases, including the targeted assets, the test and technique type, and the vulnerabilities and ramifications discovered. It may also include recommendations on steps to fix or patch the vulnerabilities. With this report, the organization can take action aimed at fixing vulnerabilities and improving the resilience of its IT environment.

Step 6: Remediation

This is often the final stage of the penetration test, which falls under the organization’s responsibilities. It involves prioritizing vulnerabilities based on their seriousness and developing a remediation strategy to address them. Some of the remediation strategies include the application of patches and the updating of program versions. It is also during this stage that PCI DSS is validated.

Step 7: Verification

The pen-testing team undertakes additional security testing to guarantee the effectiveness of the security protections implemented in step 6. Verification involves manual and automated assessments that identify security holes and vulnerabilities in apps, networks, and systems. This evaluation helps further reduce cyber risks and protect your technology infrastructure.

What Is Penetration Testing With an Example?

A pen test is a form of ethical cyber security assessment designed to find, investigate, and remediate vulnerabilities in target networks, systems, or applications. It uses similar tactics, techniques, and procedures that cybercriminals use to simulate a real-world attack against an organization. There are several types of penetration testing, including:

• Internal and external pen testing

• Wireless pen test

• Web application testing

• Mobile application testing

• Cloud penetration testing

What Are the Network Basics for Penetration Testing?

After identifying vulnerabilities, the next step is exploitation. During this penetration testing phase, the tester tries to access the target system and exploit the discovered weaknesses. Testers often utilize brute force attacks, SQL injection attacks, and buffer overflow to gain unauthorized access to the target system.

The objective of the exploitation phase is to demonstrate the potential consequences of a successful attack, such as gaining access to sensitive information or taking control of the target system. The exploitation phase in penetration testing leverages several techniques. These include:

• Remote exploitation

• Local exploitation

• Client-side exploitation

• Social engineering

What Is the Last Stage of a Pen Test?

The remediation stage often concludes the penetration testing stages. Organizations use penetration test reports and findings to target vulnerabilities, analyze potential impacts, and implement rectification strategies. Following this step, a team of pen-testers may verify the effectiveness of the security protections implemented by the organization.

Protect Your IT Environment With Trava

Preventing cyberattacks and security breaches is a never-ending battle for most businesses and organizations in the volatile cybersecurity landscape. Penetration testing is a smart way to identify system or network infrastructure vulnerabilities before malicious hackers exploit them. Specifically, the OWASP methodology is a way to enhance your overall security posture and keep your security updated.

At Trava, we aim to protect SMBs from the potential damage of cyber criminals. We understand the critical importance of safeguarding your digital assets against cyber threats. Our Penetration Testing Services is designed to assess the security posture of your systems and infrastructure, identifying vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.

Sources

https://www.infosecurity-magaz…