On average, a hacker attack is reported every 39 seconds. Each year, the number of data breach incidents continues to rise, because hackers have taken to adaptive and sophisticated threats that bypass even the most advanced security systems.
Cyber crimes occur when hackers spot and exploit vulnerabilities in a security system. Network penetration testing or pen testing are strategic simulated cyberattacks to evaluate these potential vulnerabilities in a computer's defense.
In this article, we will discuss what penetration testing is, its importance, and how it works.
What is Network Penetration Testing?
Network penetration testing, also known as 'pen testing', is a proactive measure used to identify loopholes in security systems.
All responsible companies ensure robust security measures to prevent unauthorized access. This safeguards organizations from operational disruption and protects their sensitive data.
Pen testing is a standard practice to make sure that all your data is effectively protected. It involves simulating cyberattacks on a network’s systems, applications, and infrastructure. This helps you uncover and fix any weaknesses before malicious hackers can take advantage of them.
Why is Network Penetration Testing Important?
Here’s why pen testing is a vital (and sometimes mandatory) protocol:
Identifies Security System’s Weaknesses
Pen tests help in discovering any potential weaknesses in a network's defenses that could be exploited by cybercriminals. Organizations can then evaluate the effectiveness of their current security measures to fine-tune all the security protocols.
Prevents Financial Loss
Cyberattacks can lead to significant monetary damages through theft and fraud. On top of that, you also have to account for the costs associated with recovering from an attack.
Pen testing allows companies to proactively address any weaknesses that can be used to steal funds, disrupt functions, or demand ransoms. This essentially takes care of the overall business health and ensures financial stability.
Builds Trust
Conducting regular pen tests demonstrates your commitment to cybersecurity. This builds a reputation and trust among customers, partners, and stakeholders.
Compliance Requirements
Many industries are subject to stringent regulatory requirements for data protection, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS. In these cases, pen testing is often a mandatory practice to comply with regulations and avoid hefty fines.
How Does Network Penetration Testing Work?
Network penetration testing employs a variety of techniques to thoroughly assess the network’s defenses. Here’s how to go about it:
Plan
The planning phase sets the foundation for the entire penetration test. You need to define the scope and objectives of the test and determine the type of test that will be conducted.
There are three main categories of pen testing:
- Black Box: Simulates an external attack where testers have no prior knowledge of the system, essentially assessing security from an outsider’s perspective.
- White Box: Assesses the internal workings of the system with detailed information about the system.
- Gray Box: Combines elements of both black and white testing. Testers have limited knowledge of the system’s components.
Test
The testing phase involves reconnaissance and discovery, where pen testers gather as much information as possible about the target network.
- Reconnaissance: This is a preliminary phase where ethical hackers collect information about the target network by scanning for open ports, identifying network services, and mapping the network topology.
- Discovery: This is the process of using the gathered reconnaissance information to identify problems, and to help pinpoint the exact vulnerabilities in the system. It includes vulnerability scanning, analyzing system configurations, and identifying weaknesses in security protocols.
Access Network
In the access phase, pen testers attempt to exploit the identified vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to the network.
This can involve using exploit scripts or custom-developed code to breach security defenses. The goal is to simulate a real-world attack and determine how far an attacker can penetrate the network.
Here are some techniques commonly used in the process:
- Evasion techniques
- Brute force attacks
- Configuration analysis
- Wireless network attacks
- MitM attacks
- Denial of Service (DoS) attacks
This phase often requires creativity and a deep understanding of various hacking techniques to effectively exploit the vulnerabilities.
Analyze
The final phase involves analyzing the results of the penetration test. Here’s what this report includes:
- Executive Summary: It is a report prepared for executives and stakeholders that gives a summary of risks and their impact on the organization’s security posture.
- Technical Risks: The report shares details about the identified vulnerabilities, their severity, and how they were exploited during testing.
- Potential Effects of Vulnerabilities: The analysis report needs to explain the potential consequences like data breaches, service disruptions, or unauthorized access, if malicious hackers bypass the system.
- Suggestions for Vulnerability Remediation: After the analysis, ethical hackers carrying out pen testing offer actionable recommendations to mitigate the identified risks. This includes prioritization based on severity, implementation steps, and the best practices for enhancing overall security.
Final Words
Pen testing is a method that assesses and identifies any problems in the security system of your organization. This ensures all the vulnerabilities are proactively corrected, to minimize the risk of data breach.
The process is conducted by contractors or ethical hackers with extensive experience and certification for pen testing. As important as it is to regularly get pen testing, it is equally crucial to hire only highly skilled and reliable people.
Cyberlynx.com is a company offering IT and cybersecurity services. We take care of all your security needs, so you can fully focus on the business growth. Reach out to us now, and stay safe!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is network pentest vs web pentest?
Network pentest and web pentest cover different layers of the Open Systems Intercommunication or OSI model. This is a conceptual model that represents how a network works in seven layers.
The lower four layers, i.e., physical, data link, network, and transport are covered by network pentest. On the other hand, the higher layers like application, presentation, and session are covered by web app pentest.
What is the methodology of network penetration testing?
Pentest methodology can be summed up into four steps, which are as follows:
- Reconnaissance
- Mapping of the target system
- Discovery of vulnerabilities
- Exploitation of vulnerabilities