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Cyber Risks · Cisco Talos

Introduction to Network Penetration Testing

Summary: Cisco Talos published a high-level overview describing a network penetration test as repeated iterations of three steps: reconnaissance, exploitation, and penetration. The post names nmap for finding listening ports and Nessus for vulnerability scanning, notes that most Nessus tests do not actually perform an exploit, and states that information leakage is often the largest contributor to a successful pentest.

Why it matters: The post draws a line between a penetration test, which seeks depth of access, and a vulnerability assessment, which seeks breadth of vulnerabilities - a distinction that determines what you are actually buying when you commission either one.

Read the original at Cisco Talos ↗

Topics
Malware
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