If you’re in charge of securing a network, then you need to be aware of network penetration testing. This approach can really assist you in discovering flaws in your network’s infrastructure. Don’t worry if you don’t know where or how to begin. We’re going to cover all of that information for you in this article, as well as provide you with a list of five awesome tools to help you get started.
What is network penetration testing?
Network penetration testing is the process of attempting to break through a network’s defences and find security flaws in doing so. It’s a way for you to identify weaknesses in the network infrastructure before someone with malicious intent does.
Once those flaws are identified, you can take steps to fix them and improve your overall security. If it sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is! The process takes time and money, but it’s well worth the investment when you consider how much more secure your data will be afterwards.
Who needs network penetration testing?
Everyone needs their network tested by professionals regularly. Even if your organization is small with only one server running on-premise or cloud-based applications serving remote employees over VPN connections – without proper tools such as vulnerability scanners (like Astra Pentest), penetration testers could still find ways to gain unauthorized access into your network infrastructure.
4 reasons to consider pentesting your network:
1. To Protect Your Data
The number one reason to do this type of testing is to protect the data that’s stored in your systems and networks from cyberattacks. If an attacker can get their hands on confidential information like customer passwords or credit card numbers, they could cause irreparable damage to both you and them financially speaking. It’s important for everyone who runs any kind of business online today because we live in an era where hackers seem omnipresent – always ready with new tricks up their sleeves when it comes time for another big payday! So as long as there are people out there willing (and able) to steal your data, you need to be doing everything in your power to keep them at bay.
2. Improving Overall Security
Not only do you need to protect your data from theft and destruction, but also leakage. In other words, an unauthorized person gaining access to your systems could leak sensitive information out into the open which would then be used by blackmailers or identity thieves for their own gain. This is why improving the overall security of your network infrastructure should always be one of your top priorities. And what better way than through regular penetration tests?
3. Meeting Compliance Requirements
Almost every organization these days has some sort of compliance requirement that they must adhere to – whether it’s PCI DSS for credit card handling, HIPAA for healthcare providers, or FISMA for government agencies. While meeting these compliance requirements is necessary to keep your business running legally, it’s also important from a security standpoint. After all, if you’re not following the mandated safety and security protocols then you’re making yourself a prime target for cyberattacks!
4. Regular Maintenance
Even after your network has been successfully patched (which hopefully is often)., new updates keep rolling out for various systems. You will need to continue testing your network regularly to ensure no new threats have popped up, and if they have, get them fixed immediately.
Now that we know why network penetration testing is so important, let’s move on to talking about some of the steps involved in this process.
Steps to perform network penetration testing:
Reconnaissance:
The first step is usually to gather information on target systems. This can be done through passive means such as using Google Hacking, whois databases and social media sites like Facebook or LinkedIn.
Discovery:
Once enough information has been gathered, network discovery can be carried out by using network scanners to probe for open ports and services as well as looking for known vulnerabilities that can be exploited. An attacker may use tools like Nmap, or Aircrack-ng which can scan entire networks in search of weak spots.
Hacking:
Here the tester is going to try to break into your network. They could do this either through brute force attacks against weak passwords or exploiting known software bugs. Once an attacker has gained access to a system, they can start to do whatever they want with it – including stealing data, deleting files, or installing malware.
Post-Exploitation:
After the tester gains access to your systems, they will typically run a few commands that allow them to gain more privileges on the machine. This means that they can do things like reading files, delete them and even install software without being noticed by the user.
Reporting:
The final step is for the tester to write up an overview of what happened during their testing process so that you are aware of whether any vulnerabilities were found in your network infrastructure or not. This report will be sent back to you along with suggestions on how best to fix those vulnerabilities.
5 best network penetration testing tools
1. Astra Pentest:
This tool is designed to help you test your network against various threats. It has a firewall to protect and monitor your network. Simply block an IP if it’s flagged for anomalous activity via the tool. Additionally, you get remediation tips on how to fix each flaw that it detects. Risk scores also give you an idea of how well your current security measures are working. Astra Pentest tests against thousands of known vulnerabilities and is managed by a leading cybersecurity company, Astra Security. They’re available for chat support 24/7 in case you run into any problems.
2. Nikto:
Nikto can detect potentially dangerous server-side files such as PHP shell scripts that could be used in an attack on your website or web app. It also checks for outdated software versions which may contain known security vulnerabilities.
3. Nmap:
Nmap is a tool for network exploration that may be used to discover hosts and services, as well as the OS version and open ports, on a network.
4. Wireshark:
Wireshark is a packet sniffer that can be used for capturing and analyzing packets from networks to find security issues.
5. Aircrack-ng:
Aircrack-ng is a tool for testing the security of wireless networks by capturing packets and then trying to decrypt them to get access to the data they contain.
Each of these tools has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to know what you’re trying to achieve before selecting one. For example, if your focus is on detecting vulnerabilities, then Astra Pentest or Nmap would be a good choice. If your goal is to break into networks, then Aircrack-ng or Wireshark would be more suitable.
What to know before selecting a tool:
Network penetration testing is not just about using the right tools, but it also involves understanding what information each of these tools can provide you with and when they should be used for your testing process to be effective.
- When picking a tool, be sure to first understand your needs and the goal of the evaluation.
- Make sure that the tool you select is capable of meeting those requirements within the time frame that you can manage.
- Finally, always test the tool on a lab or virtual environment before using it on a live network.
Conclusion
Penetration testing can seem daunting at first, but with the right tools and knowledge, it’s something that anyone can do. By using the tools and techniques described in this article, you can help to secure your network against various threats. Make sure you’ve got all bases covered by performing regular security audits with Astra Pentest and other industry-leading products. This will give you peace of mind knowing everything about your network has been tested and is safe from malicious actors. Remember to always stay up-to-date with the latest news on cybersecurity threats so you know what’s going on out there.
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