Penetration Testing Tools, few valuable insights of testing
10/12/2017
Penetration testing consists of gathering information, vulnerability and risk analysis, besides vulnerability exploits and final report preparation. There is a need to know the features of the tools that are available for penetration testing so that the right tool can be selected. Penetration testing tool evolves as a new threat and it seems that with every day dawn there is a cybersecurity latest attack, where hackers steal records and dollars in millions and billions. The only solution is to conduct penetration tests.
Penetration testing is intended to assess security prior to an attacker. These testing tools simulate the scenarios of real-world attack to discover as well as exploit security gaps leading to stolen records, intellectual property, compromised credentials, personally identifiable information, personal, cardholder data, data ransom, protected health information or other business outcomes. Penetration testing can exploit security vulnerabilities and determine how to mitigate and protect business data from cybersecurity attacks.
How can vulnerabilities be exploited?
Penetration testing may be done by experts in-house using the pen testing tools or outsourcing penetration testing also can help. A penetration test initiates as the security professional specifies target network to identify vulnerable systems or accounts. It implies each system scanning on the network is done to open ports. It is very rare that entire network service is configured correctly, protected properly with a password and fully patched. However, using a penetration testing tool, a knowledgeable penetration tester having network and vulnerabilities understanding will exploit the vulnerability trying to gain access.
How to test IT security chain?
Users experience risk factor and attacking a network is not new through human error or compromised credentials. The fact is that the easiest way to steal funds or data by entering a network is only through network users.
Compromised credentials are on the top attack. A part of this test job is about resolving the security threat caused due to user error. A pen tester attempts brute force password by gaining access to the applications and systems. A machine may lead to a breach, but an attacker in real life will use lateral movement to land on an asset.
Phishing attacks use communication methods to convince a target. For instance, a phishing attack may convince a user for "mandatory password reset". Thus phishing attack is the easiest to exploit network users.
How Does Penetration Testing Help a Business?
A penetration test is crucial to network security. Through these tests it is easy to identify:
- Gaps in information security
- Security vulnerabilities
Guidance to Actionable remediation
Penetration testing should be done by an expert security professional. He can only find and test multi-tier network architectures, web services, custom applications and other IT components security. These penetration testing services and tools help you in acquiring fast insight into highest risk areas so that you plan security budgets effectively. Testing the business IT infrastructure is very important while taking precautions aiming to stay secure from cybersecurity hackers, thereby they improve the response time even during an attack to an IT department.