How do you choose between depth and breadth in penetration testing?

1 What is depth and breadth in penetration testing?

Depth and breadth are two dimensions of penetration testing that measure how thoroughly and extensively you explore the target environment. Depth refers to how deep you go into a specific vulnerability or attack vector, while breadth refers to how many different vulnerabilities or attack vectors you cover. For example, a deep test might focus on exploiting a single web application flaw, while a broad test might scan for multiple flaws across different web applications, servers, and network devices.

2 Why are depth and breadth important in penetration testing?

Depth and breadth are important in penetration testing because they affect the quality and quantity of the findings and recommendations you produce. A deep test can provide more detailed and accurate information about a specific vulnerability, its impact, and its remediation. A broad test can provide more comprehensive and holistic information about the overall security posture, the attack surface, and the potential threats. Depending on your objectives, scope, and budget, you might want to prioritize depth or breadth, or balance both.

3 How to choose between depth and breadth in penetration testing?

When it comes to choosing between depth and breadth in penetration testing, there is no single definitive answer. Several factors should be taken into consideration, such as the purpose of the test (compliance, satisfaction, discovery, or simulation), the scope (limited or extensive), the budget (time, money, resources), and the testers' skills. Based on these factors, you can decide whether to focus on depth or breadth, or to combine them in different phases. For instance, you may begin with a broad test to identify critical vulnerabilities and then progress to a deep test to exploit them and measure their severity. Alternatively, you may conduct a deep test on a high-value or high-risk target and then perform a broad test on the rest of the environment.

4 Tips for achieving depth and breadth in penetration testing

No matter what approach you take to penetration testing – depth or breadth – there are a few tips that can help you get the best results. It's important to define your objectives and scope clearly and communicate them to stakeholders, clients, or partners. Additionally, using a combination of automated and manual tools and techniques to scan, exploit, and verify vulnerabilities is essential. A standard methodology such as the Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES) ensures consistency and completeness. You should also document your findings and recommendations in a clear, concise, and actionable report. Finally, it's important to review and update your tools, skills, and knowledge regularly to keep up with the ever-changing threat landscape.

5 Benefits and challenges of depth and breadth in penetration testing

Depth and breadth in penetration testing have both benefits and challenges that you should be aware of and prepare for. For example, depth can provide more insight and value to the target and the tester, as it can reveal hidden or complex vulnerabilities and demonstrate their impact. On the other hand, breadth can provide more coverage and assurance to the target and the tester, as it can identify and prioritize the most common or critical vulnerabilities. However, depth can be time-consuming, costly, and risky as it can require more specialized tools, skills, and permissions. Additionally, breadth can be superficial, incomplete, and misleading as it can miss or overlook some vulnerabilities and generate false positives or negatives.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?