Penetration Testing

Penetration Testing (Pentesting) is the practice of simulating real-world cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them. It is an essential part of proactive cybersecurity.

Why Pentesting is Important

Even with firewalls, encryption, and antivirus tools, weaknesses can remain. Pentesting provides:

• Insight into exploitable vulnerabilities
• Validation of security defenses
• Clear remediation guidance for organizations

Types of Pentests

• Black Box: Tester has no prior knowledge, simulating an external attacker.
• White Box: Tester has full system knowledge, simulating an insider.
• Gray Box: Tester has partial knowledge, balancing realism and scope.

Example Scenario

A financial company requests a web application pentest:

1. The tester scans the application and finds outdated software components.
2. A SQL injection vulnerability is discovered in the login form.
3. The tester exploits it to extract sample data (non-sensitive in testing).
4. The vulnerability is documented, with steps to patch the issue.

Pentesting Workflow Diagram

Common Tools

• Network Pentesting: Nmap, Nessus, Metasploit
• Web Application Pentesting: Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, SQLmap
• Password Attacks: Hydra, John the Ripper, Hashcat

Best Practices

• Always obtain written authorization before testing
• Define scope clearly (systems, IP ranges, apps)
• Use non-production environments when possible
• Provide detailed remediation steps in reports
• Perform regular retests after fixes