“Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing Methodology”
Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing methodology involves a systematically identifying, assess, and mitigate security vulnerabilities. While specific methodologies may vary among security professionals and organizations.
Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing Methodology
- Pre-engagement:
Scope Definition: Clearly define the scope of the assessment, including the systems, networks, and applications to be tested.
Rules of Engagement: Establish rules and limitations for the testing, including the extent to which systems can be probed or exploited.
- Information Gathering:
Passive Reconnaissance: Collect publicly available information about the target, such as domain names, IP addresses, and organizational details.
Active Reconnaissance: Use tools to actively scan and gather information about the target’s network and systems.
- Vulnerability Analysis:
Vulnerability Scanning: Employ automated tools to scan the target for known vulnerabilities.
Manual Analysis: Conduct a manual review of the results to identify false positives and prioritize vulnerabilities.
- Threat Modeling:
Identify potential threats and attack vectors based on the vulnerabilities discovered. Consider how an attacker might exploit these vulnerabilities to compromise the system.
- Penetration Testing (PT):
Exploitation: Actively attempt to exploit identified vulnerabilities to assess their real-world impact.
Privilege Escalation: Seek to escalate privileges to mimic the actions of a determined attacker.
- Post-Exploitation:
Pivot and Lateral Movement: Explore the network further, moving laterally to access additional systems and data.
Data Exfiltration: Simulate the extraction of sensitive data to understand the potential impact of a successful breach.
- Reporting:
Documentation: Compile a detailed report summarizing findings, including identified vulnerabilities, their risk levels, and potential impact.
Remediation Recommendations: Provide actionable recommendations for addressing vulnerabilities and improving overall security.
- Remediation:
Prioritization: Collaborate with the organization to prioritize and address high-risk vulnerabilities.
Verification: Confirm that remediation efforts effectively resolve identified issues.
- Documentation and Knowledge Transfer:
Document the entire VAPT process, from initial scoping to remediation. Provide knowledge transfer to internal teams for ongoing security improvements.
- Continuous Monitoring and Improvement:
Establish continuous monitoring processes to detect and respond to new vulnerabilities and emerging threats.
Conduct periodic follow-up assessments to ensure ongoing security effectiveness.