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  Gaining access – Once they create a detailed map of the organization’s system and gain a deep  understanding of its vulnerabilities, the ethical testers will use various techniques to gain unauthorized access. This stage may involve a combination of social engineering , exploitation of software vulnerabilities, and password cracking. Once the ethical attackers are inside a system, they will focus on digging deeper by collecting data like privileged information or credentials that may enable them to expand their control. This could include “privilege escalation” — or elevated rights, permissions, entitlements, or privileges beyond what is normally assigned for the user — in addition to creating “back doors” that may enable an attacker to return to the system at a later point and continue to move deeper, capturing even more layers of sensitive data. During this phase, the testers will mimic a malicious attacker by covering their tracks by disabling security controls, clearing ...

Additional types of tests include attacks through social engineering or IoT (Internet of Things) devices.

  Additional types of tests include attacks through social engineering or IoT (Internet of Things) devices.  Some organizations may also commission a “red team attack,” where penetration testers employ a multi-layered assault simulation that simultaneously measures the effectiveness of network and application security, human security awareness, and physical security. A penetration test typically includes five phases: Reconnaissance – During the first phase of the test, the “white hat attackers ” will gather detailed information about the target system. This stage includes using network scanning tools to identify open ports, running services, and other access points.  The testers will also scan for known vulnerabilities in the system. The testers may also comb through publicly available information, including social media accounts, company websites, and other public domains, to identify usernames and information that may help the testers to crack login or passwords a...