The cyber threats keep changing at an alarming pace, and they are directed at web-based platforms and corporate networks. The hackers can no longer do it with the point of attack where they exploit all the vulnerabilities they are likely to find, starting with the web forms and continuing to the exposed servers. Compared to the competitors, it is necessary that organizations integrate web application penetration testing and external network penetration testing to establish the weaknesses and correct them before they become a point of entry of data breaches. This is a two-step testing methodology that will keep your applications to the customer and the infrastructure itself secure against current cyberattacks.
Web Application Penetration Testing.
Web application penetration testing is a simulation that will mimic real-life attacks on your websites, portals and APIs to reveal vulnerabilities that can be exploited. These vulnerabilities are usually caused by poor coding, poor authentication or improperly configured servers.
In a test, the ethical hackers apply sophisticated methods when identifying weaknesses like:
• SQL Injection: Using SQL to exploit confidential information
• Cross-site scripting (XSS): Introducing malicious codes into reliable web pages
• Broken Access Controls: This refers to the ability of un authorized users to gain access into restricted areas
• Weak Session Management: This allows attackers to steal running sessions.
• Security Misconfigurations: Presenting internal directories or confidential configuration files.
It is not merely to find the vulnerabilities, but also to know the way they can be linked in bigger attacks.
What Is External Network Penetration Testing?
As much as the front end of your digital presence is the web applications, the perimeter of your digital presence is the external network, which links everything to the internet. External network penetration testing also tests the security of your external-facing systems such as web servers, email gateways, and VPNs, in case of external attacks.
This process involves:
• Port and Service Enumeration: Open port and service enumeration
• Firewall and Perimeter Analysis: Checking improper firewall configurations or old firewall rules.
• DNS and SS Evaluation: Making sure the encryption and domain security.
• Exploit Simulation: The attacker tries to penetrate the network without interference with the network.
• Reporting and Recommendations: To give practical measures to reduce identified vulnerabilities.
Through this testing as an attacker, this is an evaluation of how precisely a hacker can gain access to your systems.
Why combine Web and External Network Testing?
The majority of the cyberattacks begin with web applications and spread to the network after an initial infection. When your web platform or APIs are linked to your internal systems, one single vulnerability can destroy your whole environment.
Web application penetration testing can be combined with external network penetration testing to offer:
• End-to-End Protection: Protects the application and infrastructure layers.
• Conformity: Conforms to ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and GDPR.
• Proactive Risk Management: Prevents vulnerabilities by detecting and countering them before they are exploited.
• Improved Trust: Shows a high level of cybersecurity to stakeholders.
Comprehensive Testing Process at Aardwolf security.
Our experts at Aardwolf Security have a structured and ethical hacking model that comprises both network-level and application-level testing.
Our process includes:
1. Planning & Scoping: Determining the scope of all the assets, applications and endpoints.
2. Enumeration & Discovery: Visualizing possible attack vectors.
3. Vulnerability Exploitation: It means simulating real world attacks to find out the exposure to risk.
4. Post-Exploitation Review: Reviewing the possible internal access and data extraction.
5. Remediation Reporting: Serving as an insight source at the technical and executive level of mitigation.
We will use automation and manual checking to make sure that all the results are correct, pertinent, and practical.
Benefits of Dual Testing
• Whole system Risk Visibility: Learn how to see vulnerabilities in the front-end and back-end systems.
• Enhanced Incident Preparedness: Improve on your detection and reaction provisions.
• Minimized Downtime: Find a way to avoid interruption as a result of vulnerabilities that are not patched.
• Regulatory Alignment: Adhere to international data security.
Conclusion
Contemporary cybercriminals use the web layer as well as the network layer to attack organizations. With the combination of web application penetration testing and the external network penetration testing, businesses can be fully informed of the digital risk environment. It is no secret that by having Aardwolf Security in place, your ethical hackers will not only test, but also protect your systems against the changing threats in this world, this is confidence, compliance, and protection where it counts.
