What is External Penetration Testing?

Introduction

When looking for cybersecurity services and products, penetration testing will appear a lot. One of the most important and most common penetration tests is an external penetration test. External penetration testing is a way to test and manually exploit known vulnerabilities and threats that a network or system may have. A security analyst will simulate an attack, impersonating a bad actor who is trying to get into your business’s network.

There are many types of penetration tests that are available to businesses across the world. Not only are there external penetration tests, but there are also internal pen tests, web application pen tests, and more. Many of these are required by the government to protect consumers, so compliance is an important topic among companies. An external pen test is usually the first step needed to start a cybersecurity roadmap.

What is an external penetration test?

An external penetration test is a type of penetration test that examines the perimeter of the network’s security from the outside. It is a simulation of a bad actor trying to get in, who will attempt to exploit vulnerabilities and other holes in a business’s security. After the test is done, the business will know what sort of updates and security measures that need to be fixed.

These vulnerability scans are manually performed by a security analyst, going through each server and access point. This includes web servers, mail servers, firewalls, and other aspects of a company’s systems. Since these scans are manual, they are a step above automated scans and will provide a lot more details. Where automated scans will only follow a specific guideline, a manual scan will be able to look at each piece and look deeper into certain things if necessary.

What happens during an external penetration test?

At the beginning of the service, a kickoff engagement will occur. This is where the time and scheduling are agreed upon by the company and the penetration test company. It is usually scheduled for the future, but in some rare cases, it can be done sooner than later. It realistically depends on the schedule for the cybersecurity firm and the openings for their customers.

The next step is scoping. A scoping interview is usually conducted with the cybersecurity firm’s team member and whoever is in head of the company’s IT or cybersecurity department. There are various questions relating to the network's size, the types of defenses already in place, and more. These aren’t hard questions, but it can be extensive depending on the size of the company and how many employees there are.

After that, the test starts on the proper day. The security analysts will try to break through the network's perimeter, using modern and current methods available to bad actors. These can range from infiltration programs, social engineering, and more. Of course, this is simply a simulation, so no real danger is posed to your network in the process. It is possible that you might not know it is your cybersecurity firm doing the attack, though. It all depends on the scoping that was done.

When the test is finished, a report is usually produced by the cybersecurity firm. This report should be thorough and detailed, showing every vulnerability or security issue that the network may have. If the report is satisfactory and there aren’t any big issues, it’s possible that a rescan might not be needed. It will be good enough for the examiner.

However, if there are big issues, it is up to the business to fix them. At that point, a rescan may be done in order to check to see if these issues have been fixed. With this, a new report can be generated and be given to the examiner that will come in for government compliance. It is important to be as thorough as possible, even if it might seem too technical for those that receive the service.

Difference Between External Penetration Test and Internal Penetration Test

There are many different types of penetration tests, but both external penetration tests and internal penetration tests are necessary for many companies. This is especially true for financial institutions, who are heavily scrutinized by examiners and the government. However, the biggest difference between these two penetration tests is the location of the bad actor.

An external penetration test takes place on the outside of a company’s network and IT system. Think of it like a big security fence. In this sense, there would be sensitive information and more behind this fence, so it’s important to keep everything secure. The security analyst will look for any holes or gaps that might be in that security fence. The analysts will also make sure that all software and firmware updates are current and active, which is an important factor for any network or computer system.

An internal penetration test, however, is a step further—it’s a penetration test from the inside of the security fence. A simulated attack is performed from inside of a network or computer system, having gained access to it. This test is good for seeing what a bad actor will have access to if they get through the outside perimeter. However, while this might seem only for a bad actor outside of the company, an internal penetration test can also provide protection from a rogue employee.

With various checks and validations through authorization, access, and security protocols, an internal penetration test is just as important as an external penetration test. Both may be necessary, depending on how big the company is, but both are certainly recommended. Having both an external penetration service and an internal penetration service will be sure to greatly improve your cybersecurity posture.

Penetration Tests and Vulnerability Assessments

Lastly, one of the bigger questions that is asked is the difference between penetration tests and vulnerability assessments. They are somewhat similar, but the biggest differences between these to cybersecurity services are the detail and depth. One is relatively automated and the other is manual. It is basically a real person going in to find those security holes versus an automated scan with specific things that were put in.

There is a big discussion to be had on automation versus manual testing, but the latter will always be a better choice. With a real person behind the tests, you will always be able to talk to the analyst and discuss the report that comes with it. Not only that, but if something comes up as a false-positive or if something may be affecting something else, a real person will be able to let you know these things.

A vulnerability test has preset parameters, meaning that it will only check the things that it is told to check. It is more likely to miss things if it isn’t included in the initial scan. If false-positives arrive, there’s no way to know if it is one or not without knowing what to look for. In some cases, this automated scan is acceptable to some examiners and compliance reviews, but it won’t give you as good of a picture as a penetration test or a real person.

Conclusion

External penetration testing is a necessary test for many businesses, especially if they deal with customer information. It is a simulated attack on the outside protections of a network or computer system where vulnerabilities and threats are trying tog et through. A security analyst will use many real-world methods to get into a business’s systems. These methods are agreed upon before the penetration test is performed and no disruption of service or hampering will happen to the system.

These penetration tests are required by the government in many cases. External and internal penetration tests will cover most of the information needed to cover these regulations. Either way, examiners will check to make sure that they are being complied to, checking reports and verifications that things are being done. These tests can be expensive, but in some cases, the government gives special grants for cybersecurity.

Penetration tests are also deeper in detail than vulnerability assessments. While some smaller businesses may be able to skirt regulation with these scans, a penetration test is usually required to be compliant. However, it isn’t a bad idea to get both of these things, as vulnerability scanners are usually free tools provided by the government or trusted cybersecurity firms. It never hurts to get in contact with one!