External Penetration Testing is an essential part of any business’s cybersecurity strategy. It helps to identify potential weaknesses in business networks and data systems so that those vulnerabilities can be thoroughly addressed. It can provide an in-depth analysis of the potential threats to an organization by simulating a real-world attack from malicious users on the external networks and systems. Through External Penetration Testing, businesses can gain insights into their defensive posture against cyber threats, allowing them to improve their cybersecurity measures and protect themselves from potential data and system compromises. The testing process also helps organizations understand their exposure to external risks and take proactive measures to reduce these risks.
1. What is External Penetration Testing?
External Penetration Testing is a process of actively assessing the security of a computer system, application, or network from outside the organization. It focuses on exploiting weak points in an organization’s Internet facing applications and systems to gain access. The goal of external penetration testing is to assess an organization’s cyber security posture, comply with cybersecurity regulations, and protect confidential and propriety information.
External penetration testing is carried out by white-hat, or ethical, hackers, armed with the techniques and tools used by malicious attackers. These ethical hackers probe for weaknesses in the digital environment, uncovering any identified vulnerabilities. They then report the results, including the number and severity of the vulnerabilities, and offer advice on how to mitigate these risks. This knowledge can help businesses protect their information from attack and protect their customers from data theft. Uncovering threats and vulnerabilities before a malicious actor discovers them can save an organization significant time and money.
2. Benefits of External Penetration Testing
Increased Security
External penetration testing is an important tool for protecting your network against cyber-attacks. By proactively testing for vulnerabilities before an attacker can exploit them, you can fortify your network against external threats. This testing helps identify malware, misconfigurations, and insecure ports, which can prevent your data from being taken or corrupted.
Improved Compliance
Compliance requirements, such as GDPR, require companies to take measures to protect customer data. External penetration testing can ensure that your network meets these standards and is compliant with the latest regulations. Additionally, regular testing can provide valuable insight to uncover any unexpected issues or weaknesses in the security posture of your organization. Unnumbered List:
- Help your organization remain compliant
- Allow you to maintain an up-to-date security status
- Assist in strengthening your security posture
- Identify potential threats before attackers can exploit them
By engaging in periodic external penetration testing, you can ensure your data is protected and your organization adheres to the latest regulations. This can help give you the peace of mind that your data is secure and that your organization won’t suffer any legal repercussions due to negligence.
3. How to Perform an External Penetration Test
Performing an External Penetration Test
Conducting an external penetration test involves looking for potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited in your external environment. To do this, penetration testers use automated tools that identify weaknesses and potential targets. Here are the steps to get started:
- Gather Information – Penetration testers start by collecting information about the target environment. This can include hardware, software, network topologies, network ports, system configurations and more.
- Perform Vulnerability Scan – Using automated tools, the penetration tester will conduct a detailed scan of the target environment. This scan looks for known vulnerabilities that may be present.
- Identify Weaknesses – During the scanning process, the penetration tester will identify any potential weaknesses that could be exploited. These can range from weak passwords to misconfigured network services.
- Vulnerability Exploitation – After the weaknesses have been identified, the penetration tester will begin to attempt to exploit them. This will involve attacking the system through the identified vulnerabilities.
- Test Results – After the vulnerability exploitation is complete, the penetration tester will analyze the results of the test and provide a detailed report of all findings.
The goal of an external penetration test is to expose weaknesses and provide actionable advice to help improve your security posture. By following the steps outlined above, you can conduct an external penetration test to make sure your environment is secure and protected against potential attackers.
4. Steps to Reduce Vulnerability
1. Develop preventive measures
Effective preventive measures are critical for reducing vulnerability to malicious threats. Invest in the installation of anti-malware software and firewalls that detect and prevent malicious activities. Educate employees about the latest cybersecurity threats and create guidelines to follow when accessing and using company data. Regularly update passwords and enforce secure authentication protocols.
2. Secure data and systems
Secure your data and systems to reduce vulnerability. Manage and contain access to sensitive information so it is not available to everyone. Ensure critical systems are up-to-date and protected by regularly patching holes and vulnerabilities. All data should be encrypted, backed up and properly monitored. Regularly audit systems and account access to identify any irregularities.
Q&A
Q:What is External Penetration Testing?
A:External Penetration Testing is a type of security testing that is used to check for potential weaknesses in a company’s public-facing networks, websites, and applications that could be exploited by malicious hackers.
Q:What happens during an External Penetration Testing?
A: During an External Penetration Testing, a team of professionals will use a variety of specialized tools, techniques, and procedures to try to gain unauthorized access to any potential weaknesses. These tests can also be used to identify any potential vulnerabilities, such as outdated software or insecure configurations.
Q:Who performs External Penetration Tests?
A:Companies usually hire an ethical hacking team or security consultants to conduct External Penetration Testing. These professionals are highly skilled in understanding and exploiting network security weaknesses and managing security risks.
Q:Why should I get External Penetration Testing?
A:External Penetration Testing is a great way to make sure that your public networks, websites, and applications are secure and up-to-date. It can help you identify and fix potential weaknesses before they are exploited by malicious hackers. Having discussed external penetration testing, it is clear that it can be a time consuming and possibly costly process for you as an organization to guarantee your system is secure. A simple but effective approach to prevent external penetration testing is to add an extra layer of defense with an auto-login and SSO solution such as LogMeOnce. LogMeOnce.com helps your customers protect their identities online by providing a secure and privacy-protected account with secure access and single sign-on capabilities, preventing attackers from exploiting vulnerabilities. Begin your journey to secure access and privileged accounts today and create a FREE LogMeOnce account for external penetration testing.