Penetration Testing
Simulating cyberattacks to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in systems.
Understanding Penetration Testing
Penetration testing involves using various hacking techniques and tools to evaluate the security of an organization's IT infrastructure. Ethical hackers, or penetration testers, attempt to exploit weaknesses in systems to uncover security flaws, misconfigurations, and other vulnerabilities.
Types of Penetration Testing
Black Box Testing – The tester has no prior knowledge of the system and simulates an external attack.
White Box Testing – The tester has full knowledge of the system, including source code and architecture.
Gray Box Testing – The tester has limited knowledge of the system, mimicking an insider threat.
Network Penetration Testing – Evaluates vulnerabilities in wired and wireless networks.
Web Application Penetration Testing – Assesses security flaws in web applications.
Social Engineering Testing – Tests human-related vulnerabilities, such as phishing attacks.
Physical Penetration Testing – Evaluates physical security controls, such as access restrictions.
Importance of Penetration Testing
Identifies security vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them.
Helps organizations comply with security regulations (e.g., PCI DSS, GDPR).
Improves incident response and threat detection capabilities.
Strengthens overall security posture.