Penetration Testing Methodology
Overview
Penetration testing is an authorized security assessment that identifies and validates vulnerabilities, following a repeatable set of phases from planning through remediation validation.
Key concepts
- Planning through remediation validation phases
- MITRE ATT&CK
- Cyber Kill Chain
How it works
Penetration testing is an authorized security assessment that identifies and validates vulnerabilities in systems, applications, or networks — focused on finding weaknesses and showing their potential security impact.
Assessment phases
| Phase | What happens |
|---|---|
| Planning | Defining objectives, scope, rules, timeline, contacts, and approved testing methods. |
| Reconnaissance | Collecting information about the target before deeper testing begins. |
| Scanning | Identifying live devices, open ports, services, software versions, and possible weaknesses. |
| Enumeration | Gathering detailed information about discovered systems, accounts, services, directories, and configurations. |
| Vulnerability analysis | Reviewing discovered information to identify potential weaknesses. |
| Exploitation | Safely validating whether a vulnerability can be used to gain unauthorized access or perform an unauthorized action. |
| Post-exploitation | Determining the impact of successful access — what data, systems, or permissions could be reached. |
| Reporting | Documenting findings, risks, evidence, and recommended fixes. |
| Remediation validation | Confirming identified vulnerabilities have actually been fixed after the assessment. |
Common frameworks
| Framework | What it is |
|---|---|
| MITRE ATT&CK | One of the most widely used frameworks — follows the attack patterns of experienced attackers, letting defenders and testers formulate strategy around common steps of attack. |
| Cyber Kill Chain | Developed by Lockheed Martin — outlines 7 common steps attackers move through during an attack. |