Also known as “pentesting,” penetration testing is an authorized simulation that tests your network’s ability to thwart attacks, and it’s a key element of effective cybersecurity for many organizations. When working to strengthen your company’s online security, it’s important to understand how pentesting works and some of the industry standards that will guide its implementation.
To perform effective pentesting, your IT team or third-party cybersecurity experts will likely use several penetration testing tools, designed to help you simulate attacks and uncover potential vulnerabilities in your systems. These might include vulnerability scanners, exploitation tools, reconnaissance tools, and other software. These are some of the same tools cybercriminals might use to attack and exploit weaknesses in your system, but if used properly, they can help your business bolster its security protocols and meet regulatory requirements.
In short, penetration testing tools can help you determine whether your system is ready and able to withstand an attack or if updates and upgrades are needed.
Key Types of Penetration Testing Tools
There are many different varieties of penetration testing your organization might need, but these three are the most common.
- Web application penetration testing: Designed to evaluate the security of a web app, this form of penetration testing simulates a cyberattack to assess potential security issues in the app.
- Cloud penetration testing: This type of testing helps businesses improve their cloud security by examining cloud-specific configurations and cloud applications, in order to maintain security compliance. It can include: black box penetration testing, where the testers have no prior knowledge or or access to your company’s cloud-based systems and applications; grey box penetration testing, where they have limited knowledge and admin privileges; and white box penetrating testing, where testers have basic access to your cloud systems.
- External network penetration testing: Much like it sounds, external network penetration testing assesses vulnerabilities found through external assets, including websites, emails, and servers, to determine potential cyber threats.
Depending on your business, industry, and organizational needs, you might need just one or multiple types of penetration testing tools to identify potential security risks.
Standards and Frameworks Guiding Tool Selection
The Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP) is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to improving software security. Its renowned Web Security Testing Guide Project is the gold standard cybersecurity testing resource. The guide was developed by cybersecurity pros and volunteers for global use by penetration testers and includes an extensive penetration testing tools list.
OWASP defines standards for web app security, which are followed by thousands of businesses of all sizes across the globe. Likewise, standard methodologies for penetration testing such as National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST SP 800-115 or the Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES) also offer a solid starting point for tool selection.
A pentesting expert can identify the right tools to use for your company, targeting industry compliance requirements specific to your organization in order to get the most relevant intelligence.
Top Tools for Each Testing Type
Different types of penetration testing will require different tools, and a penetration testing pro can help you identify the right ones for your team’s needs. These are a few of the tools that cybersecurity experts commonly use.
- Web application: OWASP recommends several penetration testing tools for finding issues with web applications, including Beagle Security, Burp Suite, Wapiti, and Zed Attack Proxy.
- Cloud environments: Cloud security testing tools a pentesting expert might use include Pacu, an open-source tool for cloud testing, and Prancer, which specializes in on cloud-related risk, are recommended security automation tools for cloud-native applications.
- External networks: Common options for network vulnerability analysis include Metasploit, Nmap, and Wireshark, among others.
Of course, there are plenty of other options depending on your business’s needs, and it’s not generally necessary to know every tool used for penetration testing if you have a trusted expert in your corner. Consider bringing in cybersecurity pros who can help you make the right choice.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Tools
Pentesting experts will usually take a few key factors into consideration when deciding which tools to use.
- Type of testing: Will you be testing web apps, your cloud environment, external networks, or all three? This will make a difference when choosing tools.
- Compliance and regulatory standards: Penetration testing tools can vary across industries and compliance frameworks. Your business should first examine its compliance and regulatory standards to ensure that selected penetration testing tools will help you meet or exceed those guidelines.
- Scalability and integration with existing system: As your business evolves, your penetration testing should too. Penetration testing should be designed to integrate with your current systems to match your company’s overall infrastructure and testing needs.
Compliance Is Key in Cybersecurity
No matter the size of your company, penetration testing can be an important part of your overall compliance journey. Before you launch penetration testing, it is a good idea to connect with a pentesting expert who can help you identify your key needs and decide on your budget, scope, and goals.
With compliance and cybersecurity services for growth companies, Trava Security offers penetration testing, compliance as a service, vulnerability assessments, cybersecurity due diligence, and more. With Trava Security, organizations can stop worrying about compliance and cybersecurity threats, and focus on growing their business.
Talk to an expert to learn more about cybersecurity and compliance management for your business.
FAQs
What is OWASP and why is it important in penetration testing?
OWASP, also known as the Open Worldwide Application Security Project, is a nonprofit that focuses on improving the security of software across the globe. Its testing guide is considered the standard in international cybersecurity testing and is used by top organizations to assess company security.
Are open-source penetration testing tools effective?
There are a number of open-source penetration testing tools that are considered very effective. Tool usage varies based on each company’s needs and may include several open-source tools.
Can the same tools be used for cloud and web app testing?
Yes, several of the same tools can be used for both cloud and web app testing to focus on performance and functionality. However, cloud testing may entail some additional tools that focus on that particular environment.