Penetration testing involves planning, network scanning, password cracking, and attacking the network to identify vulnerabilities. Reports and documentation are produced to provide insights and recommendations for improving security.
While the typical penetration testing procedure may vary slightly from one person to another, there are some general guidelines that can make the process easier and more effective. Penetration testing usually begins with extensive planning to determine the goal of the test and how it will be performed. From this plan, the actual testing can begin, which usually includes network scanning and mapping, attempts to get passwords from the network, and attacks against the network to demonstrate how weaknesses could be exploited. After these tests have been completed, standard penetration testing procedure usually includes the creation of documentation and reporting of the test results.
A penetration testing procedure refers to the process by which someone can perform penetration tests on a computer network. This procedure usually begins with test planning, often with a team of information security employees and executives. The planning phase is used to determine what the goal is for the test as a whole and how the tests should be performed. This step is quite important, as it can make the rest of the test easier and gives testers a chance to make sure they understand the methods they are allowed or should be using.
Once a plan has been created to establish an overall procedure, testing can begin. This usually starts with the tester scanning and mapping the network to look for weaknesses it can use. There are a number of software programs that can be used for this part of the process, which can help the tester map out the network and identify potential exploits and vulnerabilities within it.
Once these weaknesses have been identified, a penetration testing procedure usually involves hacking into the system to see how vulnerable it really is. Testers often try to gain access to passwords from the system through a combination of methods including password cracking and social engineering. Cracking is a process whereby someone uses computer software to try to figure out a password, while social engineering includes methods whereby an attacker tries to trick an employee into divulging a password. As the tester captures different information, he can continue the attack and attempt to access the system through unauthorized means.
Once testing is complete, a standard penetration testing procedure usually dictates that test reports and documentation be produced. This should follow the plan established during the first phase of the test and provide information including what was discovered during the test. The reports should provide clear information to company executives about the importance of changes that need to be made to improve security, and insights for company security teams with recommendations on how to implement those changes.
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