What does Penetration Testing primarily do?

Penetration testing primarily focuses on exploiting vulnerabilities within a system to determine how an attacker could potentially access sensitive data or systems. This process simulates the techniques and methods that a malicious actor might use, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of existing security controls and the potential impact of a successful attack. By actively engaging with the systems in this way, penetration testing helps organizations understand their security posture and the specific vulnerabilities that need to be addressed to protect against real-world threats.

While discovering network devices, classifying vulnerabilities, and analyzing traffic are important components of a comprehensive security assessment, they are not the primary focus of penetration testing. Instead, these activities may be part of a broader vulnerability management or security assessment strategy that complements the findings from penetration tests. However, the hallmark of penetration testing lies in its hands-on approach to exploiting weaknesses, making it an essential tool for organizations aiming to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses.