Penetration tests expand on the work completed in vulnerability assessments and provide additional insight into how the vulnerabilities identified in your network could be exploited. They are a simulated attack on a system, network, or infrastructure, to identify and exploit vulnerabilities, and assess the security posture of the target environment. The purpose of a penetration test is to uncover potential security weaknesses before malicious actors can exploit them, and to provide recommendations for improving the security posture of an Organization. The methodology, tooling, and attack vectors of penetration testing depends on the system, network, or infrastructure to be assessed, but the process of penetration testing can be applied to internal networks, external networks, cloud environments, web applications, and even physical locations.

A vulnerability Scan and Assessment is your first exposure to Offensive Security services. It is an automated discovery and cataloging of vulnerabilities to give you an overview of your infrastructure’s security posture.

Penetration tests on external networks involve assessing the security of systems and infrastructure accessible from outside the organization, typically from the internet, to identify vulnerabilities and potential entry points for attackers.

These tests focus on evaluating the security of systems, servers, and devices within an organization's internal network, aiming to uncover vulnerabilities that could be exploited by insiders or attackers who have gained internal access.

Penetration tests on cloud environments evaluate the security of cloud-based infrastructure, services, and applications, examining potential weaknesses or misconfigurations that could compromise data stored or processed in the cloud.

This type of penetration test involves assessing the security of web applications, examining their code, functionalities, and interfaces to identify vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, or insecure authentication methods.

Penetration tests on mobile applications assess the security of apps designed for smartphones or tablets, scrutinizing potential weaknesses in the app's code, data storage, authentication mechanisms, or network communication that could be exploited by attackers.

This form of testing focuses on evaluating the security of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), which facilitate communication and data exchange between different software systems. API penetration testing aims to identify vulnerabilities in how APIs handle requests, access controls, authentication mechanisms, and data protection, ensuring the secure and reliable operation of the interfaces.