Testing methods
Penetration Testing
Also: Pentest · Ethical hacking
Penetration testing is an authorized, simulated attack on an application, network, or system, performed to discover vulnerabilities and demonstrate their real-world impact. Unlike automated scanning, a pentest investigates, chains weaknesses, and proves exploitability - but traditional manual pentests are point-in-time and cannot keep pace with continuous deployment.
Key points
- Authorized, goal-driven simulation of a real attacker.
- Proves impact by chaining and exploiting, not just flagging.
- Manual pentests are periodic; continuous and autonomous testing closes the gap.
FAQ
How often should you run a penetration test?
Compliance often requires at least annual and post-significant-change testing, but applications ship far more frequently than that. Continuous or autonomous penetration testing covers the gap between scheduled engagements, testing new code as it deploys.
Related
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