What is Internal Penetration Testing?

Introduction

There’s a growing need for penetration testing in the cybersecurity world, now more than ever before. Things like Internal Penetration Testing is important to have for any business, which can show you the vulnerabilities and threats that you can fall victim to. Similarly to External Penetration Tests, Internal Pen Tests are necessary to keep your systems up to date and compliant with government regulations. Not only that, but it will give your customers peace of mind knowing that your business takes their protection seriously.

With the many different types of penetration tests, a penetration test company is an important thing to have. An internal pen test is something that goes well with an external pen test, but they can be performed separately. However, it is recommended to have both of these services performed, regardless of government regulation. They should be done at least once a year, but it’s better to get them done twice a year.

What is an Internal Penetration Test?

An Internal Penetration Test is a simulated attack on a company’s network or computer systems, usually trying to find vulnerabilities to get into sensitive information beneath an external perimeter. It is designed to test what a bad actor or rogue employee might have access to. While possible to get through securities protecting the inside of your network, there should be additional securities that defend against specific things inside.

Internal Penetration Testing can help protect you even if someone manages to get past outward security like firewalls and VPNs. If it should ever happen, internal securities will likely keep your information safe. These include checks on authorization, proper administrative levels, and various other checks and balances that come with operating the business. There are many factors that can assault internal security, so it’s always a good idea to get these tests done.

What happens during an Internal Penetration Test?

While it might seem intimidating or even scary to allow someone to simulate an attack on your company’s network, it is important to remember that no harm will come to your business in the course of a test. A professional and experienced cybersecurity firm will use highly-trained security analysts to fake an attack on your system in order to see what vulnerabilities can be exploited for threats to get in. This won’t affect any operations or business in the company that is being tested.

Scoping

The first step to purchasing any cybersecurity service or product is the scoping phase. A cybersecurity consultant will discuss the asset size, controls, and various other factors that need to be tested in the internal penetration test. There are many things that need to be considered for the security analyst to do the work that needs to be done. It’s always a good idea to have someone from your IT team in the discussion as well.

Planning

The second step to any penetration test is the planning phase. After the services have been confirmed, there is the process of discussing the test itself. The cybersecurity firm will go over everything dealing with the internal penetration test and what it involves. A scheduled day and time are discussed, depending on the size of the company. These are usually completed in a matter of hours, but can span over multiple days or multiple periods of time. Either way, it is a crucial step in performing the pen test and accurate information is necessary for proper testing to be done.

Scanning

Before any sort of penetration test begins, the security analyst will likely scan through a network or system in order to find vulnerabilities. This is similar to a vulnerability assessment, but the analyst will be doing everything manually to try to find exploits or useable threats on the system. If the system is properly up to date and in order, then it’s highly unlikely the analyst will be able to get in. With this information in hand, they move to the next phase.

Attacking

The simulated attack begins. The security analyst, after having gotten all of the information from the scans or various examinations, will attempt to get further into the network. They will try to find access to sensitive data and other various things, all while the company is largely unaware despite the people who know it’s happening. This won’t disrupt the business in a simulated attack, but a real attack could cause real damage. That’s why it’s important to do these sorts of tests, after all.

Reporting

After the penetration test is completed, there will be an analyzation and reporting phase. This is occasionally where cybersecurity firms can make or break a good penetration test, considering these reports are what the government and examiners look at to determine that compliance is being followed. A poor report could mean being written up by the examiners with the possibility of being fined. It is a very important step in the pen test process.

A security analyst will usually go through the report with the point of contact at the business. They will go over each portion of the report, usually showing more crucial threats and vulnerabilities that need attention. While a cybersecurity firm won’t do remediation, they will give advice on what to do with it. This is usually included with the entire penetration test package, but extra reports or retests may carry an extra cost.

Retesting

Depending on the package or service that is purchased, a retest may be done, as mentioned above. This is usually done after the vulnerabilities and threats have been noted and the company performs remediation. After the problems are fixed, there is a retest done to make sure everything has been taken care of. This is usually the report that is given to the examiner, considering there shouldn’t be any high-profile threats on it.

Difference Between Internal Penetration Test and External Penetration Test

While both penetration tests are similar to each other, both are usually necessary for government compliance. It does depend on the size of the business, but even if it isn’t required, it is recommended to be completely safe from bad actors on the inside and outside. That is the basic difference between these two tests: tests from outside of the network are external penetration tests, while tests from the inside are internal penetration tests.

On the outside, things like firewalls and VPNs protect your network from bad actors and hackers. These are things that an external penetration test is for. Security analysts will simulate an attack in order to try to get through these defenses. However, that’s just half of the story when it comes to protecting your networks from outside forces. You also have to consider the inside.

Internal penetration tests will take care of what’s inside and behind a network’s defenses. If a bad actor gets through those defenses or if a rogue employee goes for your network, there are things that need to be in place to keep them from doing more damage or taking sensitive information. An internal penetration test will show the vulnerabilities that come with this, checking authorizations, logs, and other various things that allow access.

Conclusion

There are many different penetration tests that you can get for your business. Some of them are required by the government, but they should be done regardless. It is always in the company’s best interest to protect not only their customers, but their employees as well. Penetration tests are some of the best ways that you can keep your assets safe, making sure that bad actors can’t get through your perimeter and into your network.

Internal penetration testing is an important cybersecurity service to have. It will test the inside of your network to make sure that everything inside is protected against those hackers that get through the outer security. However, it also extends to employees, considering there is a possibility of one going rogue. If they don’t have access to more than they should, it is possible to keep sensitive information safe.

Either way, the it’s important to get one at least once a year. Most recommend getting these tests done twice a year, but some even need it quarterly, depending on the asset size of the business. The more employees, controls, and networks there are, the bigger possibility of something going wrong. With penetration tests and security awareness training, your cybersecurity posture will protect you and your customers.