Penetration testing is a security assessment where an expert tries to hack into a computer system to determine if it’s vulnerable to malicious attacks. There are different approaches, and the tester can simulate various activities. Automated testing is cheaper, but manual testing is more thorough. The results are presented with recommendations for improvement.
A penetration test is a type of security assessment performed on a computer system in which the person performing the assessment attempts to break into the system. The goal of the test is to determine whether or not someone with malicious intent can enter the system and what they can access once the system has been hacked. Penetration testing is offered by a number of companies specializing in computer system security and is often strongly recommended for systems and businesses of all sizes, as damage to a computer system caused by a hostile attack can be costly and embarrassing.
There are several approaches to penetration testing. In a black box approach, no system information is provided to the person performing the test. He or she starts from scratch to look for potential exploits and break into the system. In a white box test, all information is provided, allowing the tester to simulate an inside job or information leak. Some companies choose a hybrid approach, where some information is provided and others must be researched.
During a penetration test, the security expert can simulate data deletion or alteration, file theft, malicious code injection, and a variety of other activities. Penetration testing can slow down your system, which makes testing timing important; companies want to avoid interfering with their operations when performing security assessments.
The people who do penetration testing have a large library of computer skills, and some have a history as hackers that has familiarized them with the many ways that computer systems can be exploited. Hiring experienced hackers as security consultants can actually be a very wise business move for a company that specializes in computer and network security, as hackers often have the most up-to-date knowledge and information and are used to approaching computer systems from the role of someone with malice, rather than the role of a concerned security expert.
For simple testing, an automated system can be used to perform a penetration test. This reduces expenses and allows companies to easily run random tests when they feel it might be necessary. Manual testing is more thorough and time-consuming, but can produce more comprehensive results. A creative and determined human can detect potential exploits that an automated program might not.
Once a penetration test is concluded, the results are written and presented to the client. Along with the results, a list of recommendations is generated, with the security company indicating areas where security could be improved and providing suggestions for improvement.
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