8 types of penetration testing and the security issues they help solve

Also referred to as pen test, penetration testing is the intentionally planned attack on the hardware or software system, which exposes different inherent security flaws, which violate the system integrity and compromise the user's confidential data.

The penetration test's scope is derived from the type of operation, which is explored on the specific target system. Also, the security tester should execute thoroughly, after which they decide on the penetration tests of the relevant kinds. Penetration testing services is primarily divided into five different categories, such as client-side tests, web application tests, network service tests, wireless network tests, social engineering tests, to name a few.

Client-Side Tests

The ultimate objective of security testing services is pinpointing different security threats, which are present locally. There might be certain flaws within the software app, which are executed on the workstation of the potential audience, which the hackers can exploit. There might be applications or programs, such as browsers, Sniffers, Git Clients, Putty, browsers such as Firefox, Chrome, Opera and IE.

Apart from the third party software, you will find that threats are home growth. With the use of open-source software or uncertified OSS, you need to extend or create homemade apps, which result in different threats, which people do not anticipate. Such kind locally developed tools try to pass via the penetration test cycle.

Network Security Tests

Such kind of pen test is essential for penetration testers. Such testing aims to discover different gaps and vulnerabilities present in the client's network infrastructure. As the network possesses different external and internal access points, it is essential to locally execute the tests at the client site.

The tester should target the different network areas within the penetration tests, such as stateful analysis testing, firewall-config testing, IPS deception, Firewall bypass testing, and DNS level attack, which are inclusive of routine-based zone transfer testing, network parameter testing.

There are the set of different software modules covered by the penetration testing, which include the FTP client and server tests, SMTP mail servers, network databases such as MYSQL/SQL server, SSH client/Server tests, to name a few.

Web Application Tests

It is primarily of the targeted test, detailed and more intense. Besides this, different areas such as browsers, web applications and different components such as Scriplets, Plug-ins, Applets, Active X belong to the category of pen-testing. This kind of testing helps examine the different endpoints of every web application, which the user needs to interact, regularly. Hence, it is necessary to perform time investment and thorough planning.

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Social Engineering Tests

Social engineering test is an integral part of the penetration testing. It is known to pave the ways to verify the business enterprise's 'Human Network'. Also, such testing helps in imitating different attacks, which the business enterprise's employees attempt to initiate the breach. You can also split it into two different subcategories, such as physical tests and remote tests.

Such kind of testing needs direct contact with the specific subject for the retrieval of the sensitive details. It is inclusive of different human handling techniques, such as Imitation, Dumster Diving, Intimidation, through phone calls.

You should remember that you should provide information to the appropriate people before performing the social engineering penetration testing. You need to keep in mind to emulate the real-world exploit to play the specific movie scene.

Remote Tests

It is meant to trick the employee or the engineer into making a compromise on the confidential data through different electronic means. Here, the tester needs to perform the attack through the phishing email campaign.

White box penetration testing

Also referred to as Clear Box Testing, the tester boasts full access and knowledge to the web app's software architecture and source code. Owing to this, it is possible to perform the White Box Test faster than the Black Box Testing.

The primary benefit of white-box penetration testing is that they can complete the Pen Test. However, such kind of approach comes with its set of different drawbacks. As the software tester has accomplished knowledge, it might take additional time in deciding what should be focused on the component analysis and testing. If you want to perform such a kind of testing, different sophisticated tools are necessary, like the debuggers and the analyzers.

Black Box Penetration Testing

The hacker does not have the prerequisite information of the different ins and outs of the business enterprise's IT infrastructure. Owing to this, the intruder might launch the all-out brute force attack against the specific IT infrastructure.

Also, in such kind of testing, no specific information is present about different internal workings of the specific Web app. It takes a prolonged time for such kind of testing. Hence, the software tester will depend on the automated processes, which helps uncover different vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Such kind of testing is known as the trial-and-error approach.

 Gray Box Penetration Testing

This kind of testing is the prerequisite combination of the White Box Test and the Black Box Testing. The testers executing this kind of testing have the prerequisite knowledge of the web application's internal workings. Most of the times, it gets restricted to seeking access to the system architecture diagrams and the software code.

With the aid of the Gray Box Test, it is possible to use both the automated and manual testing processes. Owing to this approach, the penetration tester will emphasize the primary efforts, focusing on different web App areas. With the aid of such a process, there are primary chances that it is hard to find different security holes.

Summary

Penetration testing plays an integral role in revealing different exploitable and actual security threats. Besides this, it offers the prerequisite mitigation. With the execution of penetration testing, you can recognize the crucial vulnerabilities.

Indium Software is a Specialist QA & Software Testing Services provider. Our comprehensive suite of testing services covers test automation services, security testing services, performance testing services, mobile testing services and compatibility testing services.

Indium Software is helping clients globally transform their QA services function to achieve zero production defects, reduce QA cycle times up to 80% and lower overall QA costs up to 60% with its Next-Gen Testing Solutions, Modern Testing Approach, Skilled Teams and Global Delivery Model. We are also an ISO 9001:2008 & ISO 27001:2013 certified company.