Often referred to as "pen testing" or "ethical hacking," penetration testing is a systematic process of probing an organisation's computer systems, networks, and applications for vulnerabilities. Using the same techniques and tools that malicious hackers employ, ethical hackers—hired by the organisation—attempt to breach the system's defences, not to cause harm, but to identify and report potential weak points.
The goal of penetration testing is to uncover security flaws before they can be exploited by actual threats, ensuring that sensitive data remains protected and systems remain uncompromised. It's a proactive approach to cybersecurity, emphasising the importance of staying one step ahead of potential attackers.
On average about 2 200 attacks happen a day. Hackers try their luck at any system they can get their hands on.
From Malware, to phishing, to DDOS, to DNS Tunnelling, the options are endless. In order to protect your data, you have to put your own systems to the test regularly, ensuring they are strong enough to withstand hackers. It is important not only to be one step ahead but many steps.
Depending on your use case is what type penetration test is used and to what degree your systems are tested. Penetration testing can be applied to:
Penetration testing comes in three primary types: