Network Penetration Testing

Network penetration testing is a proactive security assessment method that simulates real-world attacks on your network infrastructure. This comprehensive approach aims to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in your network systems before an attacker can exploit them.


External Network Penetration Testing (ENPT) by Securityium conducts a thorough analysis of your publicly accessible network assets and network devices. Using a combination of proprietary automated tools and internally developed vulnerability scanning scripts, comprehensive network scanning is performed to identify potential security weaknesses.

Internal Network Penetration Testing (INPT) by Securityium assesses your internal network's security. This penetration testing service identifies vulnerabilities and detects insider threats using advanced vulnerability scanning and manual analysis. Detailed reports provide recommendations to strengthen your defenses, ensuring a secure internal environment.

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Common Vulnerabilities in Network Penetration Testing

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    Open ports and services

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    Outdated software versions

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    Clear text protocols

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    Default and weak credentials

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    Unpatched Windows systems

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    SMB 1.0 protocol

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    Default SNMP community strings

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    Insufficient network segmentation

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    Insecure remote access

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    Misconfigured firewalls and ACLs

Securityium’s Network Penetration testing Approach

Securityium offers a detailed network penetration testing service to evaluate your public & private accessible network devices and interfaces.

External Network penetration testing includes basic Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) to map the attack surface of assets and domains on the internet, gathering passive reconnaissance data. Both automated scans and manual testing techniques are used to discover endpoints and internet exposed services, such as subdomain and any exposure of sensitive data, email on third-party websites.

Securityium’s approach to network penetration testing is quick and thorough, designed to uncover vulnerabilities in your network infrastructure. Here’s a detailed look at our key steps:

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    Preparation

    The first step in network penetration testing is to define the scope and objectives of the assessment. This involves gathering detailed information about the network infrastructure to understand what needs to be tested and how. By clearly establishing the parameters of the network penetration testing, Securityium ensures that the assessment is focused and effective. This preparation phase is critical for setting up a successful network pentesting process, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive evaluation of network security.

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    Reconnaissance

    During the reconnaissance phase of network penetration testing, Securityium conducts passive open-source intelligence (OSINT) to collect data on potential attack surfaces. We also perform active scanning, including port scanning and fingerprinting, to identify active services and systems within the network. This dual approach in network penetration testing helps us gather critical information about the network’s vulnerabilities and potential points of entry. The goal is to build a comprehensive map of the network that informs the next steps in the penetration testing process.

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    Enumeration and Analysis

    In this stage of network penetration testing, we identify open ports, running services, and potential vulnerabilities. Securityium carefully analyzes these findings to discover possible attack vectors and entry points that could be exploited. By conducting detailed enumeration and analysis during network penetration testing, we can pinpoint the specific weaknesses in the network infrastructure that could be targeted by attackers. This analysis is crucial for understanding the scope and impact of potential security breaches.

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    Exploitation

    The exploitation phase in network penetration testing involves attempting to exploit discovered vulnerabilities, such as unpatched software or weak authentication methods. Securityium’s goal is to confirm if these vulnerabilities are real and assess their potential impact on the network. By simulating real-world attacks, we can determine how effectively the network can withstand exploitation attempts. This step provides valuable insights into the security posture of your network and highlights areas that require remediation.

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    Post-exploitation

    After gaining access through network penetration testing, Securityium focuses on establishing persistence to maintain access. We also try to escalate privileges and pivot to other systems, if possible, to understand the extent of the potential damage. The post-exploitation phase is critical for assessing the full impact of a security breach and identifying further vulnerabilities within the network. This comprehensive approach helps in evaluating the overall security resilience of the network and provides recommendations for enhancing protection.

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Securityium’s detailed methodology for network penetration testing ensures a thorough evaluation of your external network infrastructure, identifying and addressing vulnerabilities to strengthen your overall security posture.

A range of advanced tools is used by Securityium for network penetration testing to ensure thorough assessments. Nmap is employed for network scanning, allowing us to discover open ports and services. enum4linux is utilised to gather information from Windows systems, aiding in the identification of vulnerabilities. Metasploit provides a robust framework for penetration testing, enabling us to exploit vulnerabilities to evaluate their impact. Nessus performs detailed vulnerability assessments, detecting potential security weaknesses across the network. These tools are vital for both external network pentesting and internal network pentesting. For more information or to schedule a penetration test, please contact Securityium. We will help uncover vulnerabilities and enhance your network's security.

Benefits of Network Penetration Testing

Network penetration testing provided by Securityium offers crucial insights into your network’s security by simulating real-world attacks. This approach identifies and mitigates potential weaknesses, ensuring your network is well-protected against threats. Here’s how network pentesting benefits your organization:

  1. Strengthened Network Defenses: Through network penetration testing, you can enhance your network’s security by identifying and addressing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. This proactive measure helps in fortifying your overall network defenses. By engaging in network penetration testing, you ensure that weaknesses are addressed early, thereby strengthening your network’s ability to withstand potential cyber attacks.
  2. Identification of Critical Vulnerabilities: Network penetration testing is essential for detecting and evaluating critical vulnerabilities within your network infrastructure. This step ensures that significant security gaps are identified and addressed before they lead to breaches. By conducting thorough network penetration testing, you can uncover and rectify vulnerabilities, thus preventing potential security incidents and protecting your network from exploitation.
  3. Assessment of Active Directory & Network Pivoting: An integral part of network penetration testing involves assessing your Active Directory setup and policies. This assessment ensures that your configurations are secure and aligned with best practices to avoid security misconfigurations. Effective network penetration testing includes examining Active Directory to ensure that foundational security components are properly protected. Additionally, Securityium performs network pivoting tests to identify how an attacker might move laterally within the network once access is gained. This thorough assessment helps in identifying and mitigating potential weaknesses in both Active Directory and overall network architecture.
  4. Compliance with Security Standards: Network penetration testing helps ensure adherence to crucial security standards, such as PCI DSS. Compliance with these standards is vital for meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining industry-specific security practices. By incorporating network penetration testing into your security strategy, you can achieve and demonstrate compliance, safeguarding your organization’s data and enhancing its reputation.
  5. Enhanced Incident Response Readiness: One of the key benefits of network penetration testing is improving your ability to respond to security incidents. By identifying weaknesses and developing effective response strategies, you enhance your readiness to tackle potential threats. This preparation ensures that with network penetration testing, your organization can respond quickly and efficiently to incidents, maintaining operational continuity and minimizing risk.

 

By leveraging the benefits of network penetration testing, organizations can significantly enhance their network security posture and be better prepared for cyber threats. Contact Securityium today to take advantage of expert network pentesting and ensure your network infrastructure is fortified against potential vulnerabilities.

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Contact us today to schedule your External Network Penetration Testing and secure your network against potential threats

Certifications

Our team holds prestigious certifications, including CREST, CERIN, CEH, OSCP, OSCE, CRT, and CPSA, ensuring high-quality and professional testing services.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Network pentesting, also known as network penetration testing, is a crucial security practice that involves simulating real-world attacks on your network infrastructure. The primary goal of network pentesting is to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in both internal and external networks. This process includes techniques like network scanning and leveraging open-source intelligence to uncover potential security gaps. By mimicking both insider threats and external attacks, network pentesting helps evaluate the security of your network and allows you to address issues before malicious actors can exploit them. This proactive approach is essential for fortifying your network’s defenses and ensuring robust security against potential threats. By regularly conducting network penetration testing, you can stay ahead of vulnerabilities and enhance the overall resilience of your network infrastructure.

Network penetration testing encompasses both external and internal assessments to ensure comprehensive network security. External network pentesting focuses on evaluating the security of publicly accessible network infrastructure, including internet-facing servers and web applications. The primary goal of external network pentesting is to identify vulnerabilities that external attackers could exploit. This helps in safeguarding assets that are exposed to the outside world.

In contrast, internal network pentesting assesses the security of internal network segments, such as servers and workstations within the organization. Internal network pentesting is crucial for identifying potential insider threats and internal weaknesses. By conducting both external and internal network pentesting, you can address different aspects of network security, ensuring that both external and internal threats are mitigated effectively. This dual approach is essential for a robust and comprehensive security strategy, providing a thorough evaluation of your network’s defense mechanisms.

Network penetration testing employs various tools and techniques to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in network infrastructure. For external network pentesting, tools like Nmap, Nessus, and Metasploit are commonly used. These tools scan for open ports, detect vulnerabilities, and help exploit weaknesses in publicly accessible network systems. This process ensures that your internet-facing servers and applications are secure against external threats.Internal network pentesting involves techniques such as privilege escalation, lateral movement, and network sniffing to explore and exploit vulnerabilities within an organization's internal network. Tools like enum4linux may also be used to gather information about network shares and user accounts. These methods help in identifying and addressing security weaknesses in internal servers and workstations. Both external and internal network pentesting approaches are vital for a comprehensive security assessment, ensuring that all aspects of your network are protected against potential threats. By utilizing these tools and techniques, network pentesting provides a thorough evaluation of your network's security posture.

Network pentesting often reveals critical vulnerabilities in both external and internal network environments. During external network pentesting, common issues include misconfigured firewalls, unpatched software, and weak authentication mechanisms. These vulnerabilities can expose internet-facing servers and web applications to potential attacks, making them prime targets for external threats.

In contrast, internal network pentesting typically uncovers problems such as weak password policies, outdated software, and insufficient access controls. These vulnerabilities can compromise the security of servers and workstations within an organization, making it easier for insider threats to exploit these weaknesses. Both types of network pentesting are essential for identifying and addressing these vulnerabilities, thereby enhancing the overall security posture of your network. By conducting regular network pentesting, organizations can ensure that both external and internal security measures are robust and effective in mitigating potential threats.

To prepare for network pentesting, organizations should begin by defining clear objectives and the scope of the assessment. It is essential to obtain necessary permissions and inform relevant stakeholders about the upcoming test. Both external network pentesting and internal network pentesting are crucial for identifying critical vulnerabilities in internet-facing and internal network segments.

By conducting these assessments, organizations can gain insights into weaknesses and prioritize remediation efforts, thereby strengthening their overall security posture. This proactive approach helps reduce the risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches by addressing both insider and external threats through comprehensive network pentesting. Regular network pentesting ensures that both external and internal security measures are robust, effectively mitigating potential threats and enhancing the organization's resilience against cyber-attacks.

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