External Pentest Discover the External Pentest by Ziwit

Test Objectives

The test objectives should be clearly defined before the test begins. Objectives may include:

• Identify and remediate security vulnerabilities in the organization's external infrastructure.
• Demonstrate compliance with safety standards and regulations.
• Improve employee security awareness.

Test scope

The scope of the test must also be precisely defined. The scope defines the systems, applications and data that will be included in the test. It is important to define the scope broadly enough to identify the most important vulnerabilities, but not so broad that the test is uncontrollable.

Constraints

The test constraints must also be defined. Constraints may include time, budget and available resources. It is important to define the constraints realistically so that the organization and the pentest provider have realistic expectations.

Expectations

Test expectations should also be set. Expectations may include frequency of testing, depth of assessment, and format of the test report. It is important to set expectations clearly so that the organization and pentesting provider are on the same page.

Planning documents

The results of the planning phase must be documented in planning documents. These documents must include the following information:

• The objectives of the test.
• The scope of the test.
• The constraints of the test.
• Test expectations.

Launch meeting

A kick-off meeting should be held at the end of the planning phase. This meeting allows the organization and the pentest provider to discuss the planning results and address any questions or concerns.

Objectives of reconnaissance

The objectives of reconnaissance are as follows:

• Understand the infrastructure of the organization.
• Identify systems, applications and data exposed to the public.
• Identify potential entry points.
• Determine the organization's security policies.
• Discover known vulnerabilities.

Reconnaissance techniques

Pentesters use various reconnaissance techniques to gather information about the target organization. These techniques may include:

• Web search: The pentester searches the web for information about the organization, such as its domain names, IP addresses, and social networks.
• Port Scan: The pentester scans the organization's IP addresses to identify open ports and determine the services hosted there.
• Vulnerability Scanning: The pentester uses tools and databases to scan for known vulnerabilities in the organization's exposed systems and applications.
• Code analysis: The pentester analyzes the source code of web applications to identify security vulnerabilities.
• Network Observation: The pentester monitors the organization's network traffic to identify unusual behavior or security vulnerabilities.

Limits of reconnaissance

Reconnaissance is a passive technique that does not allow pentesters to penetrate the organization's infrastructure. However, it is essential to provide pentesters with an understanding of the organization's environment before moving on to the next phases of testing.

Objectives of Vulnerability Assessment and Exploitation

The objectives of vulnerability assessment and exploitation are:

• Check if the vulnerabilities can be exploited by a real attacker.
• Assess the severity of vulnerabilities.
• Determine ways to mitigate vulnerabilities.

Vulnerability Assessment and Exploitation Techniques

Pentesters use a variety of techniques to assess and exploit vulnerabilities. These techniques may include:

• Manual Exploitation: Pentesters manually exploit identified vulnerabilities to assess their severity and determine whether they can be exploited by a real attacker.
• Automated Exploitation: Pentesters use automated tools to exploit identified vulnerabilities.
• Social engineering testing: Pentesters use social engineering techniques to deceive users into obtaining sensitive information or gaining access to systems or applications.

Reporting objectives

The objectives of reporting are as follows:

• Document test results.
• Provide information to fix vulnerabilities..
• Help the organization improve its security posture.

Report structure

The pentest report should be clear and concise and should provide sufficient information for the organization to remediate vulnerabilities effectively. The report must include the following information:

• Summary: A summary of the test results, including the test objectives, test scope, techniques used, and vulnerabilities identified.
• Vulnerability Details: A detailed description of each identified vulnerability, including the severity of the vulnerability, ways to exploit the vulnerability, and recommendations for remediating the vulnerability.
• Recommendations: Recommendations to correct the identified vulnerabilities.

Counter-audit objectives

The objectives are as follows:

• Ensure vulnerabilities have been addressed appropriately.
• Identify vulnerabilities that have not been patched properly.
• Provide information to improve vulnerability remediation.

Execution

The auditor should follow the pentest report's recommendations to test the exposed systems and applications and ensure that they are no longer vulnerable to the identified vulnerabilities.

Results

The results of the validation of the correct remediation of vulnerabilities must be documented in a report which is provided to the organization. The report must include the following information:

• The conclusions of the validation.
• Recommendations to improve vulnerability remediation.

Please note that the Ziwit teams remain available between carrying out the pentest and the counter-audit, at no additional cost, to advise the client on remediation choices.

At Ziwit, we provide certification attesting to the good IT security of an Information System. This certificate is issued when the IS no longer presents vulnerabilities. It serves to reassure employees that the solution exposed does not present any security vulnerabilities.