01-pentesting-overview.adoc

Penetration Test Overview

Rationale

Penetration tests provide a relatable methodology that promotes critical thought and technical problem solving in all aspects of the Cyber domain. It promotes these things because the fundamental technical problems and tactics in a pentration test are nearly identical to offensive and defensive operations. Penetration testers and offensive operators use these skills, tactics, and knowledge to quietly exploit and pivot throughout a network. Defenders use these skills, tactics, and knowledge to prevent/detect/recover from intrusions, verify host integrity, and find/fix bugs in software and systems.

Penetration Test

What is a penetration test?

Phase 1: Mission Definition

• Define mission goals and targets.

• Determine scope of mission.

• Define RoE.

Phase 2: Recon

• Information gathering about the target through public sources.

Phase 3: Footprinting

• Accumulate data through scanning and/or interaction with the target/target resources.

Phase 4: Exploitation & Initial Access

• Gain initial foothold on network

Phase 5: Post-exploitation

• Establish persistence

• Escalate privileges

• Cover your tracks

• Exfiltrate target data

Phase 6: Document Mission

• Document and report mission details.

Penetration Test Reporting

• Operation Notes vs Formalized Reporting

Penetration Test Reporting

• Executive Summary

• Technical Summary

Penetration Test Reporting

• Reasons to report

• What to report

• Screen Captures