Penetration Testing Regensburg

A penetration test, or "pentest" for short, is a security check that emulates an attack by a malicious party on a network or application to identify security vulnerabilities. This test is coordinated in advance and conducted in such a way that no system is damaged. At the end of the test, you will receive a report that includes the problems and vulnerabilities found, along with suggestions on how to fix them.

In black-box testing, the pentester attempts to attack the target without any prior knowledge of addresses, systems, applications and processes. The main argument for this approach is that this scenario comes closest to the real world and thus simulates a real attack scenario. However, this is only partially true because a real attacker does not have just a week or two like a contracted pentester, but has the entire time, including months or years, to prepare the attack. In fact, some of the most successful hacker attacks have taken place over a period of up to 12 months.
This bias means that black-box testing is often inconclusive and gives customers a false sense of security. Redlings therefore recommends black-box testing only in exceptional cases. The argument that attackers (must) implement a black-box approach also only works to a limited extent, since a long preparation time can lead to extensive internal informtions.

At the beginning of the process, we try to familiarize ourselves with your company and the scope of work so that we are able to provide an accurate quote. We gather this information on purpose so that we don't come back and ask for more testing time (and additional costs). The more information you are willing to share with us, the better we can provide an estimate.

However, some customers want a black box approach, where only a limited amount of information is provided, to simulate a real attack and the response to it. In this case, we still need to capture the size/complexity, that is required for testing, and therefore have some fundamental questions about scope.

Both penetration testing and automated vulnerability scanning are useful tools for identifying technical risks and security vulnerabilities. Although they are different testing methods, they complement each other and should both be performed.

A vulnerability scan is an automated, low-cost method for testing common network and server vulnerabilities. This is sometimes referred to as automated pen testing. There are many automated tools available, and most can be easily configured by the end user to scan for published vulnerabilities on a scheduled basis. While an automated vulnerability scan is very efficient and cost-effective at identifying common vulnerabilities such as missing patches, service misconfigurations, and other known vulnerabilities, they are not as accurate at verifying the correctness of vulnerabilities, nor do they fully determine impact through exploitation. Automated scanners are more prone to reporting false positives (falsely reported vulnerabilities) and false negatives (unidentified vulnerabilities, especially those affecting web applications). Automated vulnerability scanning is mandated by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).
Well-known vulnerability scanners include and OpenVAS. Examples of scanners that specialize in finding web application vulnerabilities are Netsparker Security Scanner and Acunetix Vulnerability Scanner.

A penetration test focuses on the environment as a whole. In many ways, it picks up where scanners leave off to provide a comprehensive analysis of the entire security posture. Although scripts and tools are used by a penetration tester, their use is largely limited to reconnaissance activities. The majority of a penetration test is manual in nature. A penetration test identifies vulnerabilities that scanners cannot detect, such as vulnerabilities in wireless systems, vulnerabilities in web applications, and vulnerabilities that have not yet been disclosed. In addition, a penetration test involves attempts to securely exploit vulnerabilities, escalate privileges, and ultimately demonstrate how an attacker could gain access to sensitive information assets. Penetration testing also often involves the use of company-specific "test scenarios."

Penetration testing and automated vulnerability scans both serve a purpose, and both types of tests belong in a comprehensive vulnerability assessment program. Automated vulnerability scans should be performed at regular intervals, ideally at least weekly, while network penetration tests should be scheduled quarterly or when significant changes to the environment are planned.

This can vary - depending on the type of pentest. However, the following points are often part of the scope or the mutually reached agreement:

- Target systems (IP/host name) or IP address spaces
- Test periods as well as contact persons

Cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, and Google have provided blanket consent forms for certain areas, but this may vary by provider. In principle, one must be available if the systems to be tested are not on your own infrastructure. It is often useful to involve the system managers concerned in the planning process at an early stage so that the "pentest" is not perceived as an attack but as a potential analysis for improving IT security. To be honest, we are not interested in showing that we can hack a company, but to uncover potential for improvement in the IT landscape in a collaborative working atmosphere, deriving and prioritizing measures and improving IT security as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Similar to cost, the duration of penetration testing depends on several factors. Penetration testing is a hands-on assessment that does not lend itself to short, quick sprints. At Redlings, we tend to have pentesting projects start at week or so, but many projects can extend over a much longer period of time. extend over a significantly longer period of time.