Designing A Successful Penetration Test

* Perform a vulnerability assessment scan on the targeted IP subnet to discover what the weakest link in the system.

* Check existing security scan reports, from WireShark and NetWitness Investigator, and see if we can identify data leakage, and setup new policies and procedures for monitoring web servers and applications.

Companies should develop a control that requires that routine vulnerability assessment of their customer facing web sites, network infrastructure, and associated systems (such as database systems). Vulnerability assessment can help identify potential weaknesses to systems and also provide a sort of feedback to the organization’s IT department on their current operational policy and security posture. The cost of performing a routine vulnerability assessment is considerably less than that of an actual data breach.

Our company is looking for security threats inside and outside their network. The best way to see what our network is vulnerable to is to use penetration testing (pen-testing) to find the leaks in and out of our network. Penetration testing is a network security approach that simulates an attack from an intruder trying to get unauthorized access to the infrastructure. With this type of testing the intent is to discover flaws in the security settings of the system before they can be exploited. Information Assurance Research Corporation (IARC) should conduct penetration testing on a regular basis, so we have the ability to locate weaknesses in the hardware and software, check the security controls currently established and determine if the

Penetration testing is the attempt to identify security weaknesses within the IT infrastructure of an

There are two common strategies for integration testing. These strategies are top-down & bottom-up. The top-down approach tests the highest-level code first down to the lowest level codes. This show defects at the top level of the software earlier in the process. The bottom-up integrated testing method test from the sub-units to the main-units of the program.

Discuss approaches to a penetration test and vulnerability scan in terms of black box, white box and gray box tests.

The penetration tools provided in this document allow us to review our network from a security standpoint. This paper focused predominantly on phase two of a penetration test, the exploitation phase; however, a successful penetration test typically starts with the reconnaissance phase. In this phase, the tester attempts to gain as much information about the target company and its network as possible. He or she will test the physical infrastructure (how do people gain access to the building?) and other organizational aspects of the company to find a weakness and a way to get in. Also during this portion of the test, the penetration tester will use tools such as NMAP, whois.com, and other resources to obtain information regarding the network

We should perform Attack and Penetration tests to identify vulnerabilities in our network which can be accessed by hackers. Attackers sniffing on the network look for weak points in the network, thus knowing the weak points using internal and external attack and penetration tests will make our network more secure.

10. There are four phases of penetration testing, according to NIST. They are planning, discovery, attack, and reporting. In the planning phase, rules are identified, management approval is finalized, and testing goals are set. The discovery phase starts the actual testing. Techniques commonly used in the discovery phase include port scanning, DNS interrogation, whois queries, search of the target organizations web servers, search of the LDAP, packet capture, NetBIOS enumeration, and Banner grabbing. While vulnerability scanners only check that a vulnerability may exist, the attack phase of a penetration test exploits the vulnerability, confirming its existence. The reporting phase occurs simultaneously with the other three phases of the penetration test.

3.1.6 Vulnerability testing: by conducting vulnerability tests allows the organization to see if the system can be penetrated and if there are any weak areas in the system. If vulnerabilities are found this allows the organization time to fix the problem.

A pen tester is someone who attempts to exploit security vulnerabilities in web-based applications, networks, as well as systems. Pen testers must conduct physical assessments of servers and network devices, design and make new penetration tools and tests, and work on improvements and find new ways to improve security services, including numerous enhancements to different systems.

Penetration testing is when a company pays a specialist to try and break into their network and relay back to them any vulnerabilities they may find. Now

This report contains an overview of the testing process and issues that were found, details of the testing process, results found, the risks associated with the vulnerability and recommendations for rectifying the vulnerability. The results of the test can be of assistance to Ernst & Young when making decisions regarding information security.

Web applications are nowadays serving as a company’s public face to the internet. This has created the need to identify threats and attacks directed to data servers and web applications. Hackers exploit vulnerabilities in input validation and authentication affecting the web application in order to gain illegal access and disclose sensitive data or manipulate it to their benefits.