In the contemporary digital age, data security is of the utmost importance. Virtually every organization relies on networked systems for its daily operations, making it crucial for firms to frequently test their network’s security. External penetration testing, an approach to identify and mitigate potential weaknesses from outside the network, is one such crucial method. In this article, we will deep dive into what external penetration testing is, why it’s crucial for your organization, and how to select the best service provider for your requirements.
Understanding External Penetration Testing
Definition and Importance of External Penetration Testing
External penetration testing, also known as external network testing or external pentesting, is a method of evaluating the security posture of an organization’s externally facing assets. The goal is to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by external threat actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data.
In an external pentest, ethical hackers attempt to breach defenses from outside the network perimeter, simulating the methods used by real criminal hackers. This provides valuable intelligence on where security controls may be lacking or insufficient. Regular external testing is considered a best practice as part of a comprehensive vulnerability management program.
There are several reasons why regular external penetration testing is so important for modern organizations:
- Identifies unknown attack vectors and vulnerabilities – With new threats constantly emerging, pentests proactively hunt for weak points before they can be exploited by bad actors.
- Tests effectiveness of existing security controls – Provides empirical data on how well security tools and configurations are working.
- Demonstrates security due diligence – Auditors and regulators often require evidence of regular testing to ensure diligence.
- Prioritizes remediation efforts – By validating and ranking risks, pentests focus security teams on fixing the most critical issues.
Core Components of External Penetration Testing
While every pentest is tailored to an organization’s unique environment and objectives, most will include these core components:
- Reconnaissance – Testers gather information on the external footprint and attack surface by searching databases, crawling websites, running scans, etc.
- Initial access – Attempts are made to gain an initial foothold, often by exploiting public vulnerabilities or weak credentials.
- Lateral movement – The testers map internal connections to pivot between systems, escalating privileges when possible.
- Data access – Sensitive documents and resources are identified, with attempts made to extract them.
- Maintaining access – Backdoors may be installed to simulate long-term intruder access after the test.
- Analysis and reporting – All activities and findings are documented in a prioritized report for remediation.
The Difference Between Internal and External Penetration Testing
While related, external and internal pentests evaluate an organization’s security from different perspectives:
- External testing targets internet-facing assets like VPNs, websites, email servers, etc. It simulates remote attackers from the outside.
- Internal testing targets the internal network, simulating malware or a malicious insider. It often requires on-premise testers.
- External testing focuses more on breaching perimeter defenses, while internal testing looks to move laterally to critical assets once inside.
- External testing can potentially be performed covertly without internal knowledge, while internal testing requires some coordination.
- Threat actors will typically require external access before pursuing internal targets, making external testing a logical starting point.
- For comprehensive security, regular testing of both external and internal networks is recommended.
Why You Need External Penetration Testing Services
External penetration testing involves having ethical hackers attempt to breach your company’s external digital perimeter and gain access to your systems and data. This proactive testing identifies vulnerabilities that malicious actors could potentially exploit, allowing you to address them before your security is compromised.
There are several key reasons why regular external penetration testing is essential for any organization:
Identifying Possible External Threats
Skilled penetration testers use the same tools and techniques as real cyber criminals to find weaknesses in your Internet-facing infrastructure. This includes looking for flaws in your networks, applications, websites, cloud instances, wireless networks, and more.
By actively probing your systems in a controlled way, an external penetration test reveals vulnerabilities that could be leveraged in a real attack. You gain visibility into where you are exposed so you can take steps to reduce risk.
Ensuring Compliance With Regulatory Standards
Many government regulations and industry standards like PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 require frequent penetration testing to validate security controls. Failing to do sufficient testing can result in steep fines and damage to your reputation.
A comprehensive external penetration test provides evidence that you are proactively assessing risk and working to protect sensitive data. Having detailed reports also demonstrates diligence in case of a breach.
Mitigating Risks and Protecting Business Data
Ultimately, the goal of external penetration testing is to help minimize the chances of a damaging breach. Identifying and resolving vulnerabilities reduces opportunities for threat actors to exploit your systems and steal data.
The insights gained allow you to improve core aspects of your cyber defense, including correcting security misconfigurations, patching software, refining firewall rules, strengthening passwords, fixing coding errors in web apps, and improving staff security awareness.
Testing also helps justify security spending to the management team by quantifying exposures and providing metrics to measure improvements over time.
External penetration testing provides immense value for securing your digital infrastructure against constantly evolving threats. While no organization can be 100% secure, proactive testing enables you to find and fix external vulnerabilities before they can be used against you.
Selecting the Right External Penetration Testing Services
Choosing the right external penetration testing services is crucial for identifying vulnerabilities in your organization’s digital assets. With the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks, regular external pentests have become an essential component of a robust cybersecurity program.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Provider
When evaluating penetration testing companies, keep the following key factors in mind:
- Experience and Reputation – Look for an established provider with years of experience performing external pentests across diverse industries. Check reviews and client testimonials.
- Methodology – Ensure the provider follows a structured testing methodology like NIST, OSSTMM, or PTES. This ensures completeness and consistency.
- Expertise – Examine the qualifications, certifications, and skills of the penetration testers who will be assigned to your project. Look for offensive security experts.
- Reporting – The deliverable should provide an executive summary, detailed findings, risk ratings, and remediation advice for all discovered vulnerabilities.
- Compliance – Choose a tester that can perform PCI, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and other compliant pentests if needed.
- Price – Get price estimates from multiple vendors. Balance cost with value delivered rather than choosing the cheapest.
- Technical Capabilities – Select a vendor with experience testing mobile apps, networks, web apps, wireless, APIs, IoT devices and other assets.
By carefully vetting providers, you can find an external pentesting partner that provides maximum value.
Case Study: The Role of Google Entities in Effectively Securing Networks
Consider how Google leveraged external penetration testing to protect its core infrastructure:
- Program Scope – Google enlisted dozens of pre-vetted pentesting firms to conduct regular tests on its production systems and applications.
- Threat Modeling – Testers were provided with Google’s threat models to simulate realistic attacks based on Google’s risk profile.
- Testing Goals – The goal was to identify critical zero-day vulnerabilities before malicious hackers could find and exploit them.
- Methodology – Google required testers to follow a customized methodology based on PTES with an emphasis on infiltration and post-exploitation.
- Reporting – Pentesters provided Google with comprehensive findings, proof-of-concept exploits, and video recordings documenting successful breaches.
- Remediation – Google’s security engineers rapidly addressed vulnerabilities before applications went into production.
- Results – Google’s mature external pentest program is a key reason it has avoided major breaches despite being highly targeted.
This approach enabled Google to identify and remediate thousands of vulnerabilities before applications and services went live. By investing in rigorous penetration testing, Google bolstered the security posture of its expansive digital footprint.