What Is an External Network Penetration Test?
External penetration testing, or external network penetration testing, involves assessing the security of an organization’s perimeter systems. These systems are directly accessible from the internet, making them highly vulnerable to attacks since they are exposed to potential threats.
How Can an External Network Pentest Benefit You?
Identify External Vulnerabilities
External network penetration testing helps uncover vulnerabilities that are exposed to the internet, such as open ports, misconfigured services, or weak authentication mechanisms. By identifying these weaknesses, organizations can strengthen their defenses against potential attacks from external sources.
Simulate Real-World Attacks
This type of testing simulates the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by real-world attackers. By understanding how an adversary might exploit vulnerabilities, organizations can better prepare their incident response plans and improve their overall security posture.
Assure Compliance and Risk Management
Many industries require regular penetration testing as part of their compliance obligations. Conducting external network penetration tests helps organizations demonstrate their commitment to security, manage risk effectively, and avoid potential fines or reputational damage from security breaches.
Understanding the most sensitive components of your external network is crucial for executing an external pentest. If you’re curious about what kind of information we’d need to know, we’ve got some FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
If you’d like a more in-depth explanation, feel free to contact us!
Case Studies
Here are two examples of companies that experienced security incidents due to the lack of external network penetration testing:
Wireless Company
2021
Incident Details
This company experienced a breach that exposed the personal data of over 40 million former or prospective customers and 7.8 million current customers. The compromised data included Social Security numbers, driver’s license information, and other personal identifiers.
Cause
The breach occurred due to a vulnerability in an external gateway used for testing, which had not been properly secured. A lack of external penetration testing meant that this vulnerability went unnoticed, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to the company’s internal databases.
Impact
This company faced regulatory scrutiny, class-action lawsuits, and the loss of customer trust. It also had to offer credit monitoring services to affected customers.
Major Airline
2018
Incident Details
This company suffered a data breach that exposed the personal and financial information of about 500,000 customers, including credit card numbers, names, and addresses. The attack was conducted via a compromise in their online booking system.
Cause
Attackers injected malicious code into the company’s website via an external vulnerability, which had not been detected due to a lack of comprehensive external network penetration testing. The attack allowed cybercriminals to siphon off payment information directly from customers as they made bookings.
Impact
The breach resulted in a fine of £20 million from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under GDPR rules, along with substantial damage to the company’s reputation and loss of customer confidence.
