Due to the increase in cyber-attacks, as well as, the arrival of much more sophisticated attacks, there has been a need to intensify the IT security of systems, with the emergence of new cybersecurity solutions to address the security gaps and vulnerabilities that cybercriminals exploit to attack an IT infrastructure .
One of these measures is with Pentesting techniques and the figure of the Pentester.
What is Pentesting?
Pentesting is the abbreviation of two English words: “penetration” and “testing”. A practice that consists of attacking different system environments in order to find and prevent possible failures before they actually fail.
It is to ask the typical rhetorical question: What can go wrong? And making a list of the possibilities that we have. So, it is as simple as making a forecast of everything that can go wrong in a system in order to find measures or solutions that can prevent or avoid these failures.
Therefore, we could define Pentesting as: Testing or auditing a system to find security flaws.
And the person in charge of doing the penetration tests is called Pentester.
What does the Pentester’s job consist of?
The Pentester’s work to perform the security test or audit on a system consists of several phases:
Evaluation of the data available to him
Before starting with Pentesting, it is important that you make an analysis of the data and information you have, and depending on this, the type of pentesting to perform.
There are several types of Pentesting classified according to the type of information we obtain from this test or audit.
Types of Pentesting
Pentesting White Box
When a White Box Pentesting must be performed, the Pentester is usually part of the company’s team, therefore, he is an internal worker, and has and knows all the data about the system: Structure, passwords, IPs, Firewalls…
By having all this information available, performing this type of testing is very simple, since there is enough information to know exactly what improvements can be made to the system architecture.
Black Box Pentesting
This is the most realistic type of Pentesting that can be done, i.e. knowing exactly the security holes and vulnerabilities of the system because the Pentester has almost no data about the organization. Being in the same conditions with which a cybercriminal can be found (totally blind), he must find a way to enter the system, therefore, he must locate the security gaps that may exist to access it.
Pentesting Grey Box
It is a mix between Black Box and White Box Pentesting. The Pentester has some information about the company, enough not to start from scratch, but it is more realistic than the White Box as it does not have all the information and has the possibility to act as a cybercriminal would.
Gathering information about the company
Observing the environment in which the company works, such as the tools it uses or how employees proceed is important, as the human factor is one of the main causes of malware entering a system.
How to proceed
What tools and techniques (attacks) are going to be used to enter the company’s system and learn about its vulnerabilities.
Creation of the report
Once the system has been attacked, it is time to create a report informing of the scope and impact of the security flaws, as well as providing improvement information to solve these flaws and errors.
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“Who needs pentesting when you can just rely on good old luck? 🍀😂”
Luck shouldn’t be the basis of security. Pentesting is crucial to identify vulnerabilities and protect against potential attacks. Relying on luck is like leaving your front door unlocked and hoping for the best. Don’t tempt fate, invest in proper security measures.
“Wow, pentesting sounds like a hacker’s dream job! Can they really find all vulnerabilities though?”
Wow, who knew hacking could actually be a good thing? Pentesting sounds intriguing!
Are you serious? Hacking is illegal and unethical! Just because it’s called “pentesting” doesn’t make it right. There are legal ways to ensure cybersecurity without resorting to breaking the law. Let’s not glorify criminal activities.
Title: Pentesting: A Necessary Evil or a Waste of Resources?
Comment: I understand the need for security, but isn’t pentesting just another overhyped trend?
“Who needs pentesting when you can just hope for the best? 🤷♂️”
Are you serious? Hoping for the best when it comes to security is like playing Russian roulette with your data. Pentesting exists for a reason – to identify vulnerabilities and protect against potential threats. It’s about being proactive, not careless.
“Wow, pentesting sounds like a cool job! I wonder if they have any openings?”
Wow, I had no idea pentesting was so crucial! Companies, get on it ASAP! #SecureYourSystems
Wow, pentesting sounds like the ultimate hackerman job! Can they find all the loopholes though? 🤔
Wow, this article on pentesting really got me thinking! I never knew hackers could be so helpful!