In today’s digital-first world, organizations are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks. In fact, according to a recent report by Cybersecurity Ventures, global cybercrime costs are projected to reach $10.2 trillion annually by 2025.
As such, external penetration testing is a critical component of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. It provides a proactive approach to identifying vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors before malicious actors can exploit them. In this write-up, we will explore its applications and differences in techniques. So, let’s get started!
What is External Penetration Testing (EPT)?
External penetration testing is a process that simulates real-world attacks originating from outside of your organization’s networks and systems. It is conducted by an external security team free of biases an in-house team may have and encompasses a detailed source code review and manual inspections.
It is often conducted on targets such as web and mobile apps, cloud infrastructures, network & IOT devices with varying depths, depending upon the scope of testing and your security needs.
Note: Penetration testing of systems accessible via the internet is also often called external penetration testing. These external systems typically include web applications, networks, routers, switches, subdomains, and login systems. This type of testing is commonly known as Network penetration testing.
Internal vs External Pentesting
| Features | Internal Penetration Testing | External Penetration Testing |
|---|---|---|
| Team | Internal penetration testing is done by in-house security experts. | External penetration testing is done by an independent team of security researchers. |
| Cost | It can be costly to maintain a full-time security team. | It is cost-effective to outsource security testing. |
| Perspective | Since in-house security researchers know the ins & outs of a system, they often struggle to look at it from a hacker's perspective. | External penetration testing offers a fresh perspective on the system's security and is great at emulating a hacker’s behavior on the target system. |
| Frequency | Internal penetration testing requires less planning and can be done more frequently. | Since it’s an outside engagement, it is time taking to conduct frequently. Check out this blog to get an idea of how much penetration testing costs. |
| Compliance | Internal penetration testing does not suffice in compliance requirements. | External penetration testing is necessary to comply with various compliances. |
Why Astra is the best in pentesting?
- We’re the only company that combines automated & manual pentest to create a one-of-a-kind pentest platform.
- Vetted scans ensure zero false positives.
- Our intelligent vulnerability scanner emulates hacker behavior & evolves with every pentest.
- Astra’s scanner helps you shift left by integrating with your CI/CD.
- Our platform helps you uncover, manage & fix vulnerabilities in one place.
- Trusted by the brands you trust like Agora, Spicejet, Muthoot, Dream11, etc.
Steps in External Penetration Testing
1. Pre-engagement:
The first phase of external penetration testing methodology is where the tester & the client decide on the terms of the engagement, pentesting methodology, types of tests, security objectives, & outcomes to avoid any mismatches.
To make the most of an external pentest, you (the client) must have answers to these questions ready:
- Why do I need pentesting
- What am I trying to achieve from it
- Will I need additional tests
- What approach I am looking at? Black-box, white-box, gray-box
- What assets are crucial to my organization and should be prioritized
- Do I have certification requirements, and so on.
Once you’ve everything working for you, you can flag off the penetration testing after closing the deal and signing an NDA (Non-disclosure agreements).
2. Scope defining or Reconnaissance
Scope defining is where you recognize your assets (web pages, user roles, APIs, networks, etc.) that would undergo the pentest. This is also the part where both the parties share necessary details & access.
It is generally during this step, security researchers & the organization decide on the type of penetration test to conduct.
For instance, if your organization needs its network to be tested, you may need network penetration testing, if you need to test your web app, you need web app pentesting, and so on. But since most organizations have a little more complex structure, you may likely need a combination of these tests to fulfill your security objectives.
3. Exploitation
Exploitation is the most exciting and important part of penetration testing. This is where pentesters try to penetrate your system with a series of attacks.
Your application or network is tested for attacks such as SQLi, privilege escalation, XSS, etc. Pentesters use some sophisticated tools to quicken some scanning activities during the test.
For example, our automated vulnerability scanner scans an application or network for 2500+ vulnerabilities. Some of them are shown in this picture:
Vulnerabilities flagged by Astra’s pentest scanner
Other than Astra’s pentest scanner, here are some pentesting tools (in no particular order) that come in handy during this process:
NOTE: The tests in this step vary from application to application. You may need to add/remove certain tools to cater to the unique requirements of an organization.tools with you.
4. Reporting & Remediation
After the test, the tester documents the findings in a detailed yet crisp report. An ideal penetration testing report should contain details of the vulnerabilities, CVSS score, steps to reproduce, steps to fix, etc. A penetration testing report should also sum up the core insight of the report in a short & comprehensible summary that can be reviewed at a glance.
Here’s a sample report by Astra Security for your reference.
Coming to Remediation, the organization needs to fix the reported vulnerabilities. Fixing the vulnerabilities well within the engagement’s validity will mean the tester will retest the deployed fixes. Failure to meet the deadline would require a new engagement or additional costs for the rescan.
Most pentesting reports help with patching, some pentesting companies like Astra Security even offer direct assistance to developers in fixing the vulnerabilities. Deploy those fixes and implement best security practices as suggested.
For example, at Astra, we share detailed steps to fix as well as a platform to ask doubts in our dashboard.
5. Re-Scan & Certification
EPT ends with the penetration tester testing the fixes and best practices implemented by you. If the vulnerabilities are patched effectively, the security team/company will issue a pentest certificate to your organization.
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External Penetration Testing Checklist
| Step | Details |
|---|---|
| Scope Definition | Define targets, applications, systems to assess. |
| Asset Identification | Identify critical assets and sensitive data. |
| Vulnerability Prioritization | Prioritize vulnerabilities by severity and impact. |
| Exploitation | Exploit vulnerabilities using various techniques. |
| Recommendations | Provide actionable remediation steps. |
| Communication | Maintain ongoing communication with IT. |
| Protection | Avoid disruption or damage to systems. |
| Compliance | Adhere to laws, regulations, and ethical guidelines. |
| Documentation | Record all interactions and findings. |
| Report | Prepare a comprehensive report with detailed findings. |
How Much Does An External Pentest Cost?
The cost of an external pentest can range between $5,000 and $50,000, depending on the size and complexity of your organization’s external-facing systems and networks, compliance needs, and the scope of the pentest.
External Pentesting or Vulnerability Scanning?
| Type | External Penetration Testing | Vulnerability Scanning |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Penetration testing is an evaluation of your current security status through a series of systematic manual & automated tests. | Vulnerability Scanning is out and out an automated process that detects all possible exploitable surfaces in a system. |
| Process | Penetration testing is a thorough process of identifying vulnerabilities and determining their impact. It involves the exploitation of vulnerabilities to see the complete picture. | Vulnerability Scanning deals with just the basic inventory of vulnerabilities and does not involve exploitation to gauge impact. |
| Expertize | Penetration testing is a complex and intricate process. One needs to have the proper education & experience to conduct it successfully. | Vulnerability Scanning is easy and pretty straightforward to conduct. One can conduct vulnerability scanning with a basic idea of the right tools and steps. |
| Time Consumed | Conducting penetration testing, that too external penetration testing is a time-taking affair, and can take several days to several weeks to complete. It's harder to replicate the entire process every week, or on-demand so to say. | Vulnerability Scanning takes a few seconds to a couple of minutes to complete. So, you can conduct vulnerability scanning regularly, without much planning & pain. |
| Cost | Since penetration testing involves long hours of manual effort and is high on human intelligence, it invariably costs more. | Vulnerability Scanning is a little more cost-effective. |
| Reporting | The reporting in external penetration tests provides a detailed explanation of the vulnerabilities found, including proofs-of-concept, CVSS score, bug bounty loss, steps to reproduce & steps to fix. | Vulnerability Scanning reports usually just list the vulnerabilities in order of severity, without going too deep into explaining each vulnerability. |
How Can Astra Help?
Astra Security’s comprehensive external pentesting suite offers a hassle-free and in-depth solution. With over 10,000 manual and automated tests, Astra Pentest provides an intuitive dashboard for real-time vulnerability reporting, management, and collaboration.
Some other key benefits of Astra’s external penetration testing audits include hacker-style penetration testing, a CXO-friendly dashboard, real-time reporting, direct collaboration, vulnerability PoCs, and selenium scripts, fixing advice, rescans, detailed reports, and publicly verifiable certificates.
Final Thoughts:
In conclusion, external penetration testing is a vital security assessment to identify and address vulnerabilities in an organization’s external systems. It involves a detailed process, including pre-engagement, scope definition, exploitation, reporting, and re-scan.
Moreover, it differs significantly from vulnerability scanning and internal pentesting in terms of depth, complexity, cost, and reporting comprehensiveness. So get your external scan today!
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FAQs
1. How long does an external pen test take?
An external pentest takes one to two weeks on average, but the exact length depends on various factors, including the size and complexity of the organization’s network and the number of systems and applications to be tested.
2. How much does external penetration testing cost?
The cost of an external penetration test (EPT) can vary widely, ranging anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000. The final cost is dependent on various factors such as your organization’s size, complexity, specific testing requirements, and depth along with frequency.
3. What is the difference between internal and external penetration testing?
Internal penetration testing assesses security vulnerabilities from within a network, simulating an insider threat. External penetration testing evaluates security risks from outside the network, mimicking an attacker’s perspective. Both methods are crucial for identifying security weaknesses and improving overall system protection.
