Penetration testing, commonly known as pen testing, is a cybersecurity practice that involves simulating real-world cyberattacks on an organization’s IT infrastructure, applications, or networks. Through pen testing, security teams seek to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.
Penetration testers, who are also referred to as ethical hackers, use a variety of techniques to test security defenses, including exploiting software flaws, misconfigurations, and weak authentication mechanisms. Pen testing can fall into several categories. Black-box testing refers to cases in which testers have no prior knowledge of the system they’re assessing. On the other hand, white-box testing is when testers have full knowledge of the systems in question. Finally, gray-box testing can represent a mix of both.
Organizations use pen testing to assess security weaknesses, improve defensive strategies, and comply with industry regulations, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), ISO 27001, and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines. The results of a penetration test are documented in a detailed report that provides risk assessments, vulnerability findings, and remediation recommendations. Regular pen testing is crucial for maintaining a robust cybersecurity posture and preventing potential cyberattacks.
Pen testing is not a replacement for mobile application security testing (MAST) but rather a complementary approach. By combining pen testing and mobile application security testing (MAST), like Quokka’s Q-mast, organizations can significantly strengthen their mobile app security posture. Learn more about how Quokka’s Q-mast integrates with CI/CD & DevSecOps tools to ship secure mobile apps – faster.
