Design a robust security posture that mitigates risk and builds trust. Manage and grow your security program as your business matures. Find out why Strike Graph is the right choice for your organization. What can you expect? Learn the core phases of penetration testing from compliance experts, including tailored approaches for different industries. Explore pen testing timelines and schedules to help you stay on top of each phase and monitor your testing progress effectively. Penetration testing, or pen testing, is a security test where experts run a fake cyberattack to uncover weaknesses.
It helps organizations find issues, improve defenses, identify security gaps and meet regulatory requirements before real attacks happen. Most penetration tests include the same broad phases. They start by defining the scope and pre-engagement rules with the client. Testers gather information during reconnaissance, run vulnerability scans, and attempt to exploit weaknesses.
Finally, they clean up traces of their work and deliver a report. Pen testers use different methods based on the type of system they target, but all follow the same general process. Here's an overview of the main phases in all pen tests, with a general time estimate for each phase in a typical two- to three-week pen testing process.
Please note that the timeline varies based on the scale of the test, the environment, and the client's needs. Each phase of penetration testing includes important steps. Testers define the scope and set rules with the client on what to test and when.
They run targeted vulnerability scans based on the client's needs and use the results to guide their exploitation efforts. In the pre-engagement phase, the client and pen testing team agree on the scope, timeline, and targets. They also draft rules of engagement and address legal or ethical requirements. This phase can be time-consuming and usually isn't included in the formal pen testing timeline.
