
What is Penetration Testing?
Penetration testing, or pen testing, is a realistic cyberattack simulation by an ethical hacker to assess the security of computer systems, networks or web applications. Organizations use this technique to identify and verify system vulnerabilities and determine whether their security controls work effectively. Penetration testing involves a series of steps designed to simulate a modern attack behavior. The process starts with target reconnaissance and system mapping, followed by vulnerability scanning, and finally, exploitation and post-exploitation activities. The primary goal of penetration testing is to identify system weaknesses attackers are most likely to exploit to gain unauthorized access or cause damage.