Cybersecurity threats are a serious risk to businesses of all sizes and industries in today’s rapidly changing digital landscape. Organizations must implement a thorough cybersecurity program that includes frequent network security audits and penetration testing to safeguard against these threats. In this article, we’ll look at the value of network security audits and the role penetration testing plays in ensuring the safety and compliance of network infrastructure for an organization.

What are Network Security Audits? 

A security audit examines an organization’s policies, controls, and measures to identify vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with laws and standards. Network security audits allow companies to evaluate their workforce’s security awareness and implement training initiatives to improve security procedures. Moreover, network security audits are crucial for locating potential network infrastructure vulnerabilities like weak passwords or outdated software.

What is Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing, also called pen testing, is an essential procedure that simulates a cyberattack on a network or system to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen security measures. Penetration testing is essential to network security audits because it helps identify vulnerabilities and potential attack points an attacker might use. It helps to find any openings that potentially let in malicious actors and offers insightful information about the network security posture of an organization.

Types of Penetration Testing

There are a variety of recognized classifications for conducting penetration testing. Below are some of the types:

Black Box Testing

Black box testing is penetration testing where the tester knows nothing about the system or network being tested. This simulates a situation in which an attacker attempts to breach a network without any prior knowledge of it.

Gray Box Testing

Gray box testing is penetration testing in which the tester knows something about the network or system being tested. This mimics a situation in which an attacker is aware of the network they are trying to hack.

External Network Testing

This entails assessing the security of systems accessible from the outside, such as web servers and email servers, to find any potential security flaws that outside attackers might try to exploit.

White Box Testing

White box testing is penetration testing where the tester has complete access to the system or network under test. This makes it possible for the tester to find vulnerabilities more quickly and precisely.

Internal Network Testing

Internal systems and networks must be subjected to security testing to find any potential flaws that internal users or outside attackers with access to the network could exploit. This method of web application penetration testing is crucial for businesses that handle sensitive data. For example, testing an employee’s computer that has access to the company’s financial records.

Stages of Penetration Testing

When it comes to performing a penetration testing engagement, there are generally four distinct phases that are involved. These include the following;

Research And Preparation

This phase aims to learn as much as you can about the target network or system. Identifying the target’s IP addresses, domain names, web applications, and operating systems may fall under this category. Passive and active strategies, including network mapping, port scanning, and social engineering, are frequently used during reconnaissance.

Enumeration And Scanning

Scanning and enumeration are steps in a penetration testing engagement’s second stage. Potential vulnerabilities in the target network or system will be found during this stage. This step uses manual techniques to collect user accounts and gather data on the target.

Exploitation And Gaining Access

In this stage, the penetration tester uses flaws found in earlier stages to gain access to the target network or system without authorization. This could entail trying to crack passwords using brute-force techniques or exploiting code to exploit a known vulnerability.

Post-Exploitation Investigation and Reporting 

The final stage of a penetration testing engagement is post-exploitation and reporting. In this phase, the penetration tester records their findings and offers suggestions for correction. The penetration tester might try to increase their access privileges and navigate laterally through the target network or system to find more vulnerabilities. After the testing, the penetration tester provides the target organization with a comprehensive report outlining the vulnerabilities and recommendations for improving its security posture.

Benefits of Penetration Testing in Network Security Audits

Conducting penetration testing as part of network security audits can yield numerous advantages for organizations. So, it’s important to keep in mind several advantages, including:

Check Security Measures

Organizations can assess the effectiveness of their security controls with the aid of penetration testing. Pen testers simulate network attacks to test security measures. This helps businesses locate weaknesses in their security measures and enhance their overall security posture.

Conforming to Regulation

Organizations must perform penetration testing, identify security vulnerabilities, and provide concrete evidence of compliance to comply with regulations.

Discover Security Vulnerabilities

Security flaws can be found using penetration testing before they are used maliciously. Pen testers can identify vulnerabilities by simulating network attacks that may go undetected by automated tools or conventional security assessments.

IKEv2 Protocol 

Internet Key Exchange version 2, also known as IKEv2, is a VPN protocol that can be utilized as a part of a penetration testing strategy to assess the security of network environments. Penetration testers can establish a secure remote connection to the target network through IKEv2 VPN. System evaluations can be done beyond network boundaries by simulating attacks from an outsider’s perspective, leading to a more comprehensive testing process.

Challenges and Limitations of Penetration Testing

Although penetration testing is a useful evaluation method, it’s crucial to understand its limitations and conditions for proper execution. Here are a few limitations to keep in mind when conducting penetration testing:

• Scope Constraints –Penetration testing has limitations and may not uncover all vulnerabilities in a system.
• Illusion Of Security – It’s crucial to remember that a penetration test only represents a single moment in time and that new vulnerabilities can appear anytime.
• Cost – Penetration testing can be costly, particularly if done frequently. Smaller businesses might not have the funding for consistent testing, which could put them at a security disadvantage.

Key Considerations for Penetration Testing

Thorough penetration testing is undoubtedly essential for businesses to identify potential security vulnerabilities. However, it’s crucial to consider certain factors before embarking on this process. For instance;

• Scope: Before starting a penetration test, organizations should specify its parameters. This entails deciding which systems will be tested, and the tests run, and the testing goals.
• Reporting: Reports from penetration tests should be comprehensive and useful. They should thoroughly explain the vulnerabilities, impact, and remediation suggestions.
• Timing: Regular penetration testing should be performed to ensure that the network remains secure over time. The organization’s risk profile and regulatory requirements will determine how frequently tests are conducted.
• Remediation: The importance of the vulnerabilities found during penetration testing should determine how organizations should prioritize their remediation efforts.

Conclusion

Network security audits rely on penetration testing to find vulnerabilities and potential points of exploitation that attackers might use as targets. Organizations should conduct regular penetration tests and keep enhancing their network security posture in response to the findings to maintain a strong network security posture. By doing this, they can reduce the chance of cyberattacks and shield private data from danger