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Overview of Penetration Testing

As the frequency and severity of cyber assaults rise, the need for cybersecurity testing increases substantially. What is penetration testing – and why is it vital for businesses? Penetration testing is an important method to find flaws and weaknesses which other IT security solutions might miss.

Penetration testing examines a computer system, network, or online application to locate exploitable flaws. The goal of a penetration test is to find any weaknesses that a thief could use.

Penetration testing is not a one-time event. Instead, it is a recurring process that an organization must engage in. The company’s risk assessments and organizational structure determine how often tests are done.

Why Is Penetration Testing Required?

Testing for unauthorized access is a crucial component of any cybersecurity plan.

Penetration testing aims to validate the security of a company’s systems, applications and networks. It is used to identify security flaws before thieves do. “Pentesters” conduct simulated assaults to identify security vulnerabilities. With this process, a company can find and fix security holes before a criminal can use them.

Penetration testing is a method for evaluating the efficacy of a system’s security protections. Through pentesting, firms build more effective security procedures and security controls.

Importance of Penetration Testing

Secure Infrastructure
Infrastructure security is essential for every firm. There are several methods for evaluating a security architecture, with penetration testing one of the most prevalent. Penetration testing helps find weak spots in an application or network which a cybercriminal could exploit.

Customer Confidence and Business Reputation
Reputation is important. It drives the global economy and is the primary focus of most enterprises. Reputation can in fact build or ruin a corporation. A single report of a company’s data breach can harm a company’s brand for decades.

Effective Security Measures and Security Consciousness
The necessity of protecting the organization’s data cannot be overstated. Data is vulnerable to assault, either by an employee who takes a bribe to spill secret information, or by hackers – so it is essential to be prepared. A penetration test is a way to find possible security holes before an attack that doesn’t damage the system.

Different Approaches to Penetration Testing

The Importance of Penetration TestingBlack Box Testing
When doing black box testing, the tester has no previous knowledge of the evaluated environment. This is the most prevalent kind of penetration testing and typically, information is obtained from public sources such as the internet.

White Box Testing
When doing white box testing, the tester is fully aware of the tested environment. Typically, access to the internal network and other sensitive resources is required to get information.

Grey Box Testing
Grey box testing combines white box and black box testing. Typically, information is obtained through a limited understanding of the surroundings.

External and Internal Penetration Testing

External Penetration Testing
External penetration testing is a type of penetration testing done against non-production targets (such as service providers and business partners) and against the firm’s network and infrastructure, external to the organization. The main goal of external penetration testing is to find and exploit weaknesses plus gain access to the internal network.

Internal Penetration Testing
Internal penetration testing is one of the most effective techniques to safeguard a company from insider threats; this is because it provides the penetration tester with the same access as an insider. This enables the tester to use the same tools as insiders.

The penetration tester can navigate the network in a similar way to an authorized user. The tester becomes an insider virtually (external testing excludes this possibility). External testing is great for finding flaws, but it makes it hard for testers to move around inside the network.

Choose CyberHunter’s Pentesting Services

CyberHunter recognizes that security is our customers’ primary objective, and we provide them with the finest services possible. CyberHunter has an intuitive dashboard with collaborative assistance and easy-to-read reports, among other features.

When searching for an ethical hacker who can assist with this work, you need look no further than CyberHunter Solutions. We have qualified security experts to assist with your penetration testing requirements.

Visit cyberhunter.solutions for more information on pentesting, or call us at (833) 292-4868 today.

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