Penetration testing, or pentesting, is a simulated cyberattack on your IT services to identify and exploit vulnerabilities. It can help you improve your security posture, comply with regulations, and protect your data and assets. But how can you plan and scope pentesting for IT services effectively? Here are some tips to help you.
Before you start pentesting, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure success. Your objectives should be aligned with your business goals, risk appetite, and security requirements. For example, you may want to test your IT services against specific threats, scenarios, or standards. You may also want to evaluate your security controls, policies, and procedures. Your objectives will guide your pentesting scope and methodology.
For an effective penetration test of IT services, one must carefully plan and define the scope, set clear objectives, identify the systems to target and establish testing methods that will lead to a comprehensive yet focused evaluation. Each step is critical, important, and imperative to ensure the expected results and add value to this process.
Estabelecer metas claras é fundamental antes de iniciar o pentesting, pois isso proporciona uma dire??o clara e um padr?o para avaliar o progresso e o sucesso da atividade. Suas metas devem ser específicas, mensuráveis, alcan?áveis, relevantes e com prazo definido, refletindo os resultados desejados em rela??o à seguran?a da informa??o e ao gerenciamento de riscos. Por exemplo, você pode definir metas relacionadas à identifica??o e corre??o de vulnerabilidades críticas, à melhoria da resiliência e robustez dos sistemas de TI, ou à conformidade com padr?es e regulamenta??es específicas da indústria.
Your scope defines the boundaries and limitations of your pentesting. It includes the target IT services, systems, networks, and applications that you want to test, as well as the ones that you want to exclude. It also specifies the type, depth, and duration of the pentesting, as well as the tools, techniques, and permissions that you will use. Your scope should be realistic, feasible, and agreed upon by all the stakeholders involved in the pentesting process.
Ask yourself: “Which applications and services (including business services) are critical for my organization?”. Identify the critical assets and business processes that need protection. Consider both technical and business aspects when scoping.
Your methodology is the framework and approach that you will follow to conduct your pentesting. It should be based on your objectives, scope, and industry best practices. There are different types of pentesting methodologies, such as black box, white box, or gray box, that vary in the level of information and access that you have about the target IT services. You should also consider the phases of pentesting, such as reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, post-exploitation, and reporting, and the steps and tasks that you will perform in each phase.
Your team is the group of people who will execute your pentesting. It should consist of qualified and experienced pentesters who have the skills, knowledge, and tools to perform the pentesting according to your objectives, scope, and methodology. You should also consider the roles and responsibilities of your team members, such as project manager, lead pentester, or junior pentester, and the communication and collaboration channels that you will use. You may also need to involve other parties, such as internal or external stakeholders, service providers, or regulators, in your pentesting process.
Your plan is the document that summarizes and outlines your pentesting project. It should include the details of your objectives, scope, methodology, and team, as well as the timeline, budget, deliverables, and expectations of your pentesting. Your plan should also address the risks, challenges, and contingencies that may arise during your pentesting, and the steps that you will take to mitigate them. Your plan should be clear, concise, and approved by all the stakeholders involved in the pentesting process.
Your plan is not a static document that you set and forget. It is a dynamic document that you should review and update regularly throughout your pentesting project. You should monitor your progress, performance, and results, and compare them with your objectives, scope, and methodology. You should also identify and report any issues, deviations, or changes that may affect your pentesting, and adjust your plan accordingly. Your plan should be flexible, adaptable, and responsive to your pentesting needs and outcomes.