Pentest: what is it, how does it work and what is it for?
Every day we hear more and more about Pentest, a method capable of evaluating the security of a system or network by simulating an attack from a malicious source. In this article, we will provide some details about the importance of the method today and its applications for your business.
The connected world is already a more than consolidated and irreversible reality, and as new resources emerge that aim to promote greater comfort, ease and agility in the daily lives of people and companies, new vulnerabilities also emerge.
The latest advances in technology and the speed at which data is disseminated on the web make our scenario even more delicate. This means that flaws, loopholes and vulnerabilities can be exploited en masse in a short space of time, causing great damage.
For this reason, it is increasingly important to adopt measures to assess, resolve and prevent security breaches.
What is Pentest?
Pentest is one of these vulnerability assessment and prevention measures. The term comes from the English “ penetration test ”, in direct translation, or intrusion test, in adapted translation.
This test, in short, is a method capable of evaluating the security level of a system or network, simulating a hacker attack. In other words, through it it is possible to hunt and find vulnerabilities in systems.
Therefore, companies of all sizes and sectors require this service a lot, as data security has become a requirement, both due to current regulations and the expectations of customers and other interested parties.
Applications of a Pentest
In short, the test works as follows: a specialized team analyzes the system based on an initial set of information. Pentesters then identify vulnerabilities in the structure and develop plans to exploit them.
Therefore, the idea is to create a realistic attack scenario to measure vulnerability levels, find weak points and understand how the target behaves when faced with invasions.
Pentests also often include all parts of the infrastructure: networks, applications, connected devices, and even physical security elements.
Types
Black box
The team begins the work “blindly”. No information is provided about the system, its characteristics or structure, and it is up to the team to discover these details in order to plan their attack.
White box
The team has access to virtually the entire infrastructure before planning the attack. This means they can plan their work considering all the characteristics of the system. When relevant, this saves time and resources.
Grey box
The team is given some knowledge about the target infrastructure or system, which may be related to its structure, organization, security, or even the habits of its human operators. It is up to the team to use the information to locate vulnerabilities and define attack strategies.
Furthermore, depending on the client’s needs, tests can be external or internal, simulating attacks coming from outside or inside the network itself.
Talk to those who understand
Pentesting is one of Resh’s specialties. You can request our services and prevent your company from being a victim of attacks.
If you want to understand more about the topic, get in touch with Resh.
