Penetration testing involves the following five stages:
Plan – start by defining the aim and scope of a test. To better understand the target, you should collect intelligence about how it functions and any possible weaknesses.
Scan – use static or dynamic analysis to scan the network. This informs pentesters how the application responds to various threats.
Gain access – locate vulnerabilities in the target application using pentesting strategies such as cross-site scripting and SQL injection.
Maintain access – check the ability of a cybercriminal to maintain a persistent presence through an exploited vulnerability or to gain deeper access.
Analyse – assess the outcome of the penetration test with a report detailing the exploited vulnerabilities, the sensitive data accessed, and how long it took the system to respond to the pentester’s infiltration.
