penetration test
Authorized hacking exercise
A penetration test is a simulated cyberattack on a computer system, network, or application to identify security vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them.
Security professionals—often called pen testers or ethical hackers—attempt to breach defenses using the same techniques real attackers would use: The company hired a firm to conduct a penetration test on their new banking platform.
Often shortened to pen test.
Notable act or abuse
- reconnaissanceInformation-gathering before action
- footprintingPre-attack information gathering
- enumerationSequential listing of items
- scanningSystematic visual examination
payload · attack vector · social engineering · red team · white hat · black box · gray box · white box
Formal accounts examination
- HIPAAMedical privacy statute
- GDPREU data protection law
- certificationAttestation of qualification
- regulatoryInvolving official oversight
Openness to harm
- misconfigurationIncorrect system setup
- buffer overflowExceeding allocated memory bounds
- open portUnrestricted maritime entry point
- default passwordPreconfigured authentication string
exploit
Notable act or abuse
- reconnaissanceInformation-gathering before action
- footprintingPre-attack information gathering
- enumerationSequential listing of items
scanning · payload · attack vector · social engineering · red team · white hat · black box · gray box · white box · scope
audit
Formal accounts examination
- HIPAAMedical privacy statute
- GDPREU data protection law
- certificationAttestation of qualification
vulnerability
Openness to harm
- misconfigurationIncorrect system setup
- buffer overflowExceeding allocated memory bounds
- open portUnrestricted maritime entry point
network
Interconnected system
- web applicationBrowser-accessed remote software
- APISoftware communication standard
- wirelessUntethered signal transmission
mobile app · IoT · database · firewall · endpoint · server · VPN · container
Hydra
Multi-headed mythical serpent
- EmpireSovereign's extensive domain
- Data Securitydata protection, encryption key, data security, password, passwords
- hackinghacker, exploit, hacking, dictionary attack, backdoor
- Security Auditssystem audit, audit trail, audit log, audit report, internal audit
- software testingclosed beta, open beta, playtesting, assertion, assert
- electionsballot, ballots, voter registration, candidates, polls
- securitysecurity guard, security cameras, alarm system, security system, lock
penetration testcyberattack
Malicious digital intrusion
ransomware attack · hacking · security breach · data breach · exploitation
penetration, penetrate, penetrated, penetrating, penetrative, penetrator, impenetrable, test, tests