A penetration test, also called a pentest, is a comprehensive and methodical security analysis. To ensure an accurate and secure assessment, we follow a rigorous methodology divided into clearly defined phases that simulates the approach of a real attacker, from initial information gathering to demonstrating the impact of a vulnerability.
A pentest involves three stages: preparation, planning and execution. Before a penetration test can begin, the client must be fully informed of the entire process to avoid any miscommunication between the parties. We need to understand the client’s business objectives with regard to the intrusion test. If this is their first intrusion test, what has led them to seek out this service? What exposures are they most afraid of? Are there any fragile devices that we should take care with during the tests?
This is the initial investigation phase. The goal is to collect as much publicly available data as possible about the target organization. Using Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) techniques and other research methods, we map the organization’s digital “attack surface”, such as domains, IP addresses, employee email addresses, and technologies used, without directly interacting with the systems.
With the preliminary information, we proceed to an active scan of the client's infrastructure. We use specialized tools (scanners) to identify active systems, open communication ports, and running services. The result is a detailed map of the technological architecture, allowing us to understand where to focus our efforts.
In this phase, we cross-reference the mapping data with databases of known vulnerabilities. By using a combination of automated scanners and manual analysis, we look for security flaws in operating systems, network services, web applications, and other technologies. The goal is to create a list of all potential security breaches.
This is the phase where we attempt, in a controlled and safe manner, to exploit the vulnerabilities we have discovered. The goal is not to cause damage, but rather to validate whether the flaws are actually exploitable and determine the level of access an attacker could obtain. This can include accessing a server, extracting sample data, or escalating user privileges.
Once initial access has been gained, the analyst attempts to understand the true impact of an intrusion. In this phase, we assess how far one could penetrate within the network (lateral movement), what critical information could be accessed or modified, and how a malicious actor could maintain their presence in the environment.
The final phase is summarizing all work into a clear and actionable report. This document describes all vulnerabilities found in detail, classified by criticality, and provides evidence for each exploited vulnerability (step-by-step instructions and screenshots). Above all, the report contains specific technical recommendations so that the client's IT team can fix the identified problems.
Integrating social engineering into your intrusion tests takes the simulation of attacks to the next level, uncovering vulnerabilities that might otherwise go unnoticed, while also training your team to defend themselves against real-world cyber threats.
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Companies that regularly carry out pentesting with social engineering show a 50% reduction in the number of successful attacks.
Involve human action, such as phishing, social engineering, and human error. Pentesting can identify up to 4 times more vulnerabilities.
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success”
Napoleon Hill
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