Penetration Testing for Networks

What is Network Pen Testing

Network penetration testing is an attempt by an ethical hacker to breach an organization’s network without harming it. The objective is to identify security weaknesses in the network and its security controls, report on them, and allow the organization to remediate them.

Modern networks are extremely complex, with a combination of WAN, LAN, and wireless networks, a large number of endpoints including servers, workstations, mobile devices and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and security technologies like firewalls and intrusion prevention systems (IPS). Any of these could be a weak link that allows attackers to penetrate the network.

A network penetration test takes the perspective of an outside attacker, scanning the network to identify vulnerabilities, and exploiting them to prove their possible impact on the business.

Network Security Threats and Attacks

Here are some of the common threats that can be tested with network penetration testing.

Malware

Malware is malicious software that can be used to attack computer systems. Trojans, ransomware, and spyware are common examples of malware. Hackers can use malware to steal or copy sensitive data, block access to files, and compromise or damage operational systems and datasets.

Phishing

Phishing is a tactic in which attackers impersonate a reputable entity or individual through email or other forms of communication. Attackers often use phishing emails to distribute malicious links and attachments that can further their goals. These links or attachments typically send the user to a malicious website or directly deploy malware. The end goal of phishing is to extract login credentials, account information, or other sensitive information from victims.

Traditionally most phishing attacks were conducted by email, but attackers are increasingly performing attacks via other forms of communication, including social networks, SMS messages, and even voice calls.

DDoS Attacks

In a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, multiple infected computer systems attack a target, denying service to the system’s legitimate users. DDoS can target servers, websites, or other network resources. It is performed by creating a large number of fake connection requests, malformed packets, or other illegitimate traffic that floods a target system and can cause it to slow down, crash, or shut down.

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)

An APT is a long-term targeted cyberattack that allows an intruder to gain access to a network and remain undetected for a long period. APT attacks are typically aimed at stealing data rather than disrupting the target organization’s network.

The goal of most APT attacks is not to get in and out as quickly as possible, but rather to achieve and maintain continuous access to the target network. Because executing APT attacks can be very labor-intensive and resource-intensive, hackers often choose high-value targets such as countries and large corporations, from which they can steal information over an extended period. APT attacks are commonly conducted by large, organized cybercrime groups or state-sponsored hackers.

Drive-by Downloads

In a drive-by download attack, malware is accidentally downloaded to a user’s computer or mobile device, leaving them vulnerable to cyberattacks. This attack is especially severe because the user does not need to click anything or open a malicious email attachment to get infected, so it can affect even security-conscious individuals.

Drive-by downloads exploit vulnerabilities in applications, operating systems, or web browsers (these may be zero-day vulnerabilities not yet addressed by the vendor, or known vulnerabilities where the user or the organization failed to apply a security update).

DNS Attack

A DNS attack is a vulnerability that could allow an attacker to exploit Domain Name System (DNS) vulnerabilities.

Although DNS is very powerful, it is designed for ease of use, not security. There are many types of DNS attacks in use today. Some attacks manipulate communication between a DNS client and a server. Others use stolen credentials to log into your DNS provider’s website and redirect DNS records to malicious websites.

Network Penetration Testing Process

Network penetration testing typically follows four stages: reconnaissance, discovery, exploitation, and analysis. The following process holds for both external penetration testing, as well as internal testing is similar.

1. Reconnaissance 

The reconnaissance stage involves scanning systems and uncovering potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities like an external attacker would do. This has two aspects:

• Technology vulnerabilities— the penetration tester looks for weaknesses in network ports, peripherals, software, or network services hackers can use to get into your systems. This process is very useful for vulnerability assessment and provides an external perspective on security weaknesses in the environment.
• Human vulnerabilities— social engineering vulnerabilities include common phishing scams and theft of login credentials. Penetration testers can try these tactics and see if the company’s employees are vulnerable to social engineering. This can help identify problems and raise awareness of security policies among employees.

2. Discovery

During the discovery phase, penetration testers use information from the reconnaissance phase to perform real-time testing using pre-coded or customized scripts to identify possible security issues and see if they are easily exploitable. The objective is to identify the possible attack vectors and decide which one the tester will use during exploitation.

3. Exploitation

In the exploit phase, penetration testers use the information obtained in the discovery phase, such as vulnerabilities and entry points, to begin testing exploits on vulnerabilities they discovered in network devices or IT systems. The goal of the exploit phase is to break into the network environment, evade detection, and demonstrate a capability to do damage (for example, by gaining access to sensitive data).

4. Analysis

At the end of the test, the penetration tester documents their process and findings and prepares a penetration test report. In most cases, reports include vulnerabilities identified and exploited, sensitive data accessed, and how long ethical hackers managed to avoid detection.

Pen Testing Report Structure?

A pentester must provide a detailed report on the testing process and the vulnerabilities discovered. A penetration testing report is the only tangible product of a pentest. The whole purpose of a penetration test is to identify vulnerabilities and security issues the organization can remediate—and these are communicated via the report. Thus, a penetration tester must ensure they create the best possible report.

A good penetration testing report provides an executive summary of findings, summarizes the vulnerabilities and their business impact, and provides recommendations to fix them. Successful penetration testers use a methodical approach and document their methodology as part of the report.

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