Penetration testing, or pentesting, is the practice of testing a computer system, network, or web application to find security vulnerabilities that an attacker could exploit. Pentesting is like locking up your house and inviting a friend to test the possibility of a burglary. You want to know what an attacker could see and how they might try to get in.

There are different types of pentests: white box pentesting, black box pentesting, and grey box pentesting. In this article, we will discuss each type in detail and explain how each can be used to secure your business.

We will also take a look at the penetration testing process – step-by-step – and show you how to get started with pentesting. Finally, we will introduce you to the best penetration testing firms and highlight some of the features they offer. So, let’s get started!

3 Different types of pentesting

White box pentesting is a type of security assessment where the tester has full knowledge of the system being tested. This includes information such as network architecture, source code, applications, and data. White box pent testing is also known as clear box testing, internal testing, or glass box testing.

White box pentesting is best suited for organizations that want to test their in-house developed applications. This type of pentest can also be used to assess the security of open source software.

Advantages:

– The tester has complete knowledge of the system, which means they can test all aspects of the system.

– White box pentesting can find hidden security flaws that other types of pentests may miss.

In black box pentesting, also known as blind testing, the tester has no knowledge of the system being tested. This type of pentest is best suited for organizations that want to assess their external defenses, such as a firewall or web application firewall.

Advantages:

– Black box pentesting can find security flaws that other types of pentests may miss.

– Testers are not biased by prior knowledge of the system, which means they can approach the test with fresh eyes.

Grey box pentesting is a type of security assessment where the tester has partial knowledge of the system being tested. This includes information such as network architecture, applications, and data. Grey box pentesting is also known as partial knowledge testing or blended testing.

Grey box pentesting is best suited for organizations that want to test their in-house developed applications. This type of pentest can also be used to assess the security of open source software.

Advantages:

– The tester has some knowledge of the system, which means they can focus on specific areas of the system.

– Grey box pentesting can find hidden security flaws that other types of pentests may miss.

What are some important use cases of penetration testing?

• To find security vulnerabilities in systems before attackers do
• To assess the effectiveness of security controls
• To comply with security policies and industry best practices
• To educate employees about safe computing practices.

Any internet-facing business, regardless of its size, shape, and industry vertical can benefit from penetration testing. No website is free of vulnerabilities. Especially when applications are used for financial transactions, the chances of attacks are never zero. An automated vulnerability scan can help you detect common vulnerabilities but penetration testing is the only way to identify business logic errors and payment gateway hacks.

The pentesting process: Step-by-step

Now that we have a better understanding of pentesting, let’s take a look at the penetration testing process.

Before starting a pentest, it is important to understand the scope of the test. The scope will define what systems or applications will be tested, as well as the goals of the test. Once the scope has been defined, the next step is to choose the right type of pentest for your needs.

After the pentest has been planned, the next step is to execute the test. This is where the tester will attempt to exploit the vulnerabilities they find. Once the test has been completed, the tester will produce a report that details their findings.

The final step in the penetration testing process is to follow up on the findings from the report. This includes patching any vulnerabilities that were found, as well as implementing new security controls to prevent similar attacks in the future.

So, if we summarize the various phases, we get

• Planning and scoping: Determining the areas to be tested and the assets to be left alone
• Information gathering: Learning about the target organization through various
• Vulnerability scanning: Detecting common vulnerabilities with an automated tool
• Exploitation: Probing the vulnerabilities to draw insights into their severity
• Post-exploitation: An attempt to figure out if a vulnerability allows an attacker privilege escalation over time
• Reporting: Documenting the findings along with a remediation strategy
• Remediation: Developers and security experts collaborate to fix the detected issues.
• Rescan: To confirm that the issues were fixed.

Now that we’ve gone over the basics of penetration testing, let’s take a look at some of the best penetration testing firms.

Astra Security

Astra Security offers a pentest suite that is designed for comprehensive vulnerability assessment and penetration testing. This penetration testing firm is well known for its products around website protection and pentesting. Apart from ensuring world-class security testing their solutions have been made with a keen focus on the user experience. From the vulnerability management dashboard to the compliance-specific scans it is a well-rounded product.

Key features

• CI/CD integration
• Continuous testing
• Scan behind the logged-in pages
• Publicly verifiable certification
• Zero false positives

Cobalt.io

Cobalt.io is a security platform that helps organizations automate their pentesting process. Cobalt.io’s on-demand penetration testing services are designed to help you find and fix vulnerabilities in your web applications before they can be exploited by attackers.

Key features

• On-demand pentesting
• Continuous monitoring
• Web application firewall
• Application security policy management
• Integrated vulnerability management
• Secure code development training

Intruder

Intruder is a cloud-based pentesting platform that provides you with all the tools you need to conduct a comprehensive penetration test. With Intruder, you can launch attacks from anywhere in the world and get real-time results.

Key features

• Cloud-based pentesting
• Real-time results
• Intelligent automation
• Detailed reporting
• Centralized asset management

Burp Suite Professional

Burp Suite is an integrated platform for performing security testing of web applications. Its various tools work seamlessly together to support the entire testing process, from initial mapping and analysis of an application’s attack surface to finding and exploiting security vulnerabilities.

Key features

• Web application vulnerability scanner
• Interactive site map browser
• Web application Proxy
• Web application fuzzer

Spiderfoot HX

Spiderfoot HX is an all-in-one pentesting tool that provides you with everything you need to conduct a comprehensive assessment of your web applications. With Spiderfoot HX, you can launch attacks from anywhere in the world and get real-time results.

Key features

• All-in-one pentesting tool
• Real-time results
• Advanced reporting
• Integrated vulnerability management

Conclusion

Penetration testing is an important part of any organization’s security strategy. By hiring a reputable firm to conduct regular tests, you can ensure that your systems are secure and compliant with industry best practices. In this article, we have looked at the basics of penetration testing and the top five firms that offer comprehensive pentesting services.

Source: Plato Data Intelligence: PlatoData.io