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Penetration Testing.
Introduction.
Organizations, companies, firms, and other big entities that deal with vast amounts of sensitive data stand a high-security risk. The security risks emanate from the public domain and are unavoidable. In most cases, as experienced before, many companies do not understand the complexities of communication structures, thus have no control over them. It is through this ignorance that they suffer data loss or leak into unsafe hands. Furthermore, taking into consideration the computing infrastructure upon which applications run makes the risk even more significant. If the threats are not detected and prevented in good time, they may lead to substantial financial losses.
Under normal circumstances, computer security can be guaranteed, and this has worked before. Specific protection mechanisms that include prevention, detection, and response can be set into action. Prevention pertains to burring intruders from gaining access to the stored resources in the system. Detection, on the other hand, occurs at the time an intruder has succeeded or is in the process of trying to extract data from the system. Lastly, the response comes into action as an aftereffect mechanism. This tries to act/respond after the failure of the first two mechanisms.
However, to understand the risks that exist, assessing the security state of the system is a continuous and necessary task. This is achieved by conducting security tests. One of the common ways of evaluating and reducing risks is through penetration testing. Pentest, as referred to by other experts, is a controlled way to try and penetrate a system in a bid to identify possible vulnerabilities. This test applies a similar technique to what hackers do. By so doing, loopholes may be identified and appropriate measures taken (Bertoglio & Zorzo, 16).
Pentest Methodology.
Different cybersecurity companies and bodies have postulated various ways of undertaking penetration testing exercises. The methodology, as proposed by the InfoSec Institute, comprises; Conducting a reconnaissance, vulnerability testing, risk assessment, and rating, and finally reporting (Rita, 72).
Reconnaissance/ Information Gathering- This can be both active and passive or either of the two depending on the organization’s agreement on the level of contact. This is a vital stage as it gives the pen testers a better understanding of the software applications in use or the general network structure. The collected information at this stage is used to determine exploitable areas.
Vulnerability Testing- Involves system, software, or network examination, for possible security breaches. The tests that are carried out in this docket include input validation testing, Authentication Testing, Configuration, and Deployment Management Testing, Error Handling, Business Logic Testing, Cryptography, and Client-Side Testing. All these tests are meant to ensure that there is maximum security against penetration into the system.
Risk Assessment- This involves establishing the impact the identified vulnerabilities will have on the company if there be any.
Reporting- This involves a complete compilation and documentation of everything that was performed during the penetration exercise. This report, therefore, determines the action to be taken to ensure maximum system security.
Importance of Penetration Testing.
According to (Nuno and Vieira, 37), penetration testing is an essential aspect that should be carried out regularly due to the numerous and fast changes in technology. Technological advances are on the rise, and a secure system today may be vulnerable tomorrow. Carrying out penetration testing is thus crucial because; first, it helps the involved companies understand the level of security. This is mostly attached to those companies with technological resources like internal networks and computers. Secondly, it helps highlight how security problems may surface and the best way forward in curbing them. Another important reason that makes this testing important is that companies are better placed in terms of allocating resources for security beef-up. Lastly, as a way of compliance with governmental regulations, some companies require penetration testing to comply with the set standards. An example of this is the companies that deal with online payment gateways and credit cards.
Challenges on Pentest.
One main challenge regarding penetration testing is the process of vulnerability assessment efficacy. Another vital, challenging research area is on the way to providing tools and models that would ensure maximum security in specifically targeted scenarios. These challenges are related to other secondary problems such as the complexity of attacks, evolving vulnerabilities, and fast technological advancements (Aileen,. et al. 67)
Furthermore, the automation process for the execution of penetration tests can also be considered a challenge. Automation may help in avoid bias by the testers but again can be used by hackers to crack a system. One last challenge lies in the lack of specific models set to be used to address the penetration test process.
Conclusion.
In conclusion, penetration testing relevance is clear from the research point of view. Researchers of testing and safety have targeted and invested in this subject due to the increase in the number of vulnerabilities and flaws. This research paper thus focused majorly on penetration testing methodology, its importance, and the related challenges while carrying out the testing.
Work Cited.
Dalalana Bertoglio, D., and A. F. Zorzo. “Overview and open issues on penetration test.” Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society 23.1 (2017): 1-16.
Heimes, Rita. “Global InfoSec and Breach Standards.” IEEE Security & Privacy 14.5 (2016): 68-72.
Antunes, Nuno, and Marco Vieira. “Penetration testing for web services.” Computer 47.2 (2013): 30-36.
Bacudio, Aileen G., et al. “An overview of penetration testing.” International Journal of Network Security & Its Applications 3.6 (2011): 19.