Penetration Testing

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Penetration Testing, often called “pen testing” or “ethical hacking,” is a security exercise where a cybersecurity expert attempts to find and exploit vulnerabilities in a computer system. The purpose of this simulated attack is to identify any weak spots in a system’s defenses which attackers could take advantage of.

Here are some key points about Penetration Testing:

1. Simulation of Real-World Cyber Attack: Penetration testing is the simulation of a real-world cyber attack to test an organization’s cybersecurity capabilities and expose vulnerabilities⁵.
2. Ethical Hacking: Penetration testers are security professionals skilled in the art of ethical hacking, which is the use of hacking tools and techniques to fix security weaknesses rather than cause harm².
3. Uncover Critical Security Vulnerabilities: By staging fake attacks, pen testers help security teams uncover critical security vulnerabilities and improve the overall security posture².
4. Types of Pen Tests: There are several types of pen tests, including open-box tests, closed-box tests, covert tests, and external tests¹.

In summary, Penetration Testing is a proactive security measure that helps organizations identify and fix security vulnerabilities to prevent unauthorized access or data breaches.