Penetration Testing

What Does Penetration Testing Mean?

Penetration testing (pen-testing or pentesting) is a method of testing, measuring and enhancing established security measures on information systems and support areas.

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Pen-testing is also known as a security assessment.

Techopedia Explains Penetration Testing

Pen-testing may be conducted to complement background investigations and ensure social engineering and networking safety.

Pen-testing is implemented by simulating malicious attacks from an organization’s internal and external users. The entire system is then analyzed for potential vulnerabilities. A plan that communicates test objectives, timetables and resources is developed prior to actual pen-testing.

Pen-testing is an invaluable process for a number of reasons, including the following:

  • Minimal security breach potential ensures system reliability.
  • Complies with regulatory or other agencies.
  • Demonstrates a good-faith effort to protect customer information

Pen-testing tools include:

  • Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or prebuilt equipment and/or software applications
  • Proprietary enterprise applications (EA)
  • Potentially compromisable phone and wireless systems
  • Physical controls
  • Websites
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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…