Why it is essential to carry out the Internal Penetration Test as well as the external one: a complete guide to IT security

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

In an increasingly connected and digitized world, cyber security has become a major concern for businesses. An effective protection system must provide for the implementation of both external and internal measures to ensure maximum security of data and company resources. In this article, we will explore the importance of performing Internal as well as external Penetration Testing and how Secure Online Desktop‘s Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing service could enhance corporate security.

Introduction to Penetration Testing

Penetration Testing, or “pentesting“, is a computer security assessment process that aims to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in a system, network or application. The goal is to simulate a hacker attack to discover any security holes and fix them before they can be exploited by malicious people.

External Penetration Test

The external penetration test focuses on the identification and analysis of vulnerabilities present in the corporate network visible from the outside, ie from the Internet. This type of testing seeks to exploit flaws in perimeter security systems, such as firewalls, routers, web servers, and email servers. External pentesting is essential to protect the company from external attacks and ensure the security of corporate data and resources.

Internal Penetration Test

The internal penetration test, on the other hand, focuses on analyzing the vulnerabilities present within the corporate network. This type of test simulates an attack by an attacker who has already breached perimeter security barriers or has physical access within the enterprise. Internal pentesting is essential to identify and correct internal security flaws, thus preventing data theft or sabotage by disgruntled employees, former collaborators or visitors.

Why it is useful to carry out the Internal Penetration Test as well as the external one

Carrying out the Internal Penetration Test in addition to the external one is essential for a number of reasons:

1. Comprehensive Protection: A comprehensive analysis of corporate vulnerabilities should include the identification and correction of both external and internal vulnerabilities. It’s not enough to protect your business from external attacks if there are internal vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors.
2. Insider Threat: Statistics show that a significant percentage of cyber attacks originate within organizations. Dissatisfied employees, former collaborators or visitors may try to exploit internal vulnerabilities to harm the company or steal sensitive data. The internal penetration test allows you to identify and fix these flaws before they can be exploited.
3. Threat evolution: The attack methodologies used by hackers are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated. Regularly carrying out the internal penetration test as well as the external one allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of the security measures adopted and to adapt them to new threats.
4. Regulatory Compliance: In many cases, compliance with data protection or information security regulations requires conducting internal penetration tests as well as external ones. Performing both tests ensures compliance with information security laws and regulations.

How hackers can exploit internal vulnerabilities by being outside the corporate perimeter

Hackers are always looking for ingenious ways to exploit companies’ internal vulnerabilities, even when they are outside the security perimeter. Here are some examples of how they might do it:

1. Phishing and social engineering: Phishing attacks and social engineering techniques aim to deceive users to obtain login credentials, sensitive information or install malware within the corporate network. Once gaining access, hackers can exploit internal vulnerabilities to further spread malware, gain access to sensitive data, or compromise other systems.
2. Zero-day Vulnerability Exploits: Zero-day vulnerabilities are security flaws that have not yet been discovered and fixed by software vendors. Hackers can exploit these vulnerabilities to penetrate the corporate network and gain access to sensitive resources and data.
3. Supply Chain Attacks: Supply chain attacks aim to compromise the software or hardware used by companies, by inserting malware or backdoors before the products reach the organization. Once installed, these compromised components can be used to gain access to the internal network and exploit existing vulnerabilities.
4. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks: MitM attacks occur when a hacker intercepts and modifies traffic between two communicating parties, such as a user and a server. This type of attack can be used to steal login credentials, intercept sensitive data, or inject malware into the corporate network.

The Secure Online Desktop Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test service

The Secure Online Desktop offers a complete and customized Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test service for companies, which includes both external and internal tests. Here’s how the service can help improve the IT security of companies:

1. Vulnerability identification: The Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test service allows you to identify security flaws present in company systems, networks and applications, both externally and internally.
2. Fixing Vulnerabilities: Once vulnerabilities are identified, Secure Online Desktop experts provide detailed recommendations on how to fix them and improve overall company security.
3. Continuous monitoring: The Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test service provides continuous monitoring of vulnerabilities and threats, thus ensuring constant and updated protection of corporate resources.
4. Training and awareness: Secure Online Desktop also offers training and awareness services for staff, in order to improve the safety culture within the organization and reduce the risk of attacks based on deception or human error.

Conclusion

In conclusion, carrying out the Internal Penetration Test as well as the external one is essential to guarantee the IT security of companies in an increasingly digitized and connected world. The Secure Online Desktop Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test service allows you to identify, correct and monitor external and internal vulnerabilities, offering complete and up-to-date protection of corporate resources.

Useful links:

• External SOC
• Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration testing
• Penetration testing standards and best practices: everything you need to know to protect your business