Redazione RHC : 22 July 2025 19:27
Penetration testing is an increasingly widespread practice in the field of cybersecurity. It is a real simulation of a cyber attack, conducted by a team of security experts, in order to identify and assess the vulnerabilities of a computer system or network.
In this way, possible threats can be identified and the necessary countermeasures can be implemented to protect the system from external intrusions.
In this article, we will delve into the various aspects of penetration testing and its benefits, the difference between manual and automated activities, and their integration into ICT Risk Management processes with the aim of fully understanding their importance in ensuring information security in an era of increasingly widespread digitalization.
Penetration tests are essential to ensure the security of IT systems and corporate networks. Their main purpose is to identify vulnerabilities and any security gaps by simulating a real cyber attack. This allows you to identify attack vectors and system weaknesses and implement the necessary countermeasures to prevent any external intrusions.
The benefits of penetration tests are many. First of all, they allow you to identify system vulnerabilities before they are exploited by malicious attackers. Furthermore, they help evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s current security measures and identify any gaps in their implementation. This allows for the necessary corrections to be made and the overall security posture to be improved.
Furthermore, penetration tests are an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of cybersecurity among company employees and train them on how to recognize and manage external threats. This promotes a culture of cybersecurity within the organization.
Finally, penetration tests are often required by cybersecurity regulations and can be useful for demonstrating compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In short, penetration tests are a fundamental tool for ensuring the company’s IT security and protecting sensitive information from external threats.
Penetration testing, precisely because it simulates a real cyber attack, defines what are called “attack vectors” against a computer system. Attack vectors are the ways in which an attacker can penetrate a system or network by exploiting a series of security vulnerabilities.
Attack vectors can include exploits to use software vulnerabilities or misconfiguration, but also many other techniques used by malicious hackers to penetrate a system.
In other words, penetration tests seek to verify whether the vulnerabilities identified in the system can actually be exploited to generate an attack vector that can compromise the Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability (RID) of the system.
Nowadays, attempts are being made to create systems that simulate a penetration test activity. These systems are called Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS), even if the technology still seems immature today.
Once the attack vectors have been identified during the penetration test and the vulnerabilities to be remediated have been identified, it will be necessary to define recovery plans that allow the organization to restore resilience within its ICT infrastructures.
Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing are two activities that focus on evaluating the security of computer systems, but they have some important differences.
Vulnerability assessment is an activity that consists of identifying, classifying, and evaluating vulnerabilities in corporate networks. This process is usually automated and uses a series of tools to scan the system for known vulnerabilities, such as security bugs, misconfigurations, or unauthorized access. The primary goal of vulnerability assessment is to identify vulnerabilities and provide a detailed report on the system’s security status.
Penetration testing, on the other hand, involves identifying “attack vectors” (as seen previously) through a simulation of a real cyber attack conducted by a team of IT security experts. During the test, the experts attempt to identify system vulnerabilities and exploit them to gain unauthorized access to the company’s data or systems. The primary objective of penetration testing is to evaluate the effectiveness of the security countermeasures adopted by the company and identify any weaknesses.
The main difference between the two methods is that vulnerability assessment limits itself to detecting existing security vulnerabilities, while penetration testing focuses on measuring the effectiveness of security countermeasures through a field simulation of a real attack.
It is not enough to simply perform a vulnerability assessment because, even if it identifies vulnerabilities in the system, it does not provide a complete evaluation of the effectiveness of security countermeasures. In fact, it is possible that the system has some vulnerabilities but the countermeasures adopted are sufficient to prevent cyber attacks. Conversely, it is possible that the system has few vulnerabilities but the countermeasures are insufficient to prevent a cyber attack. Only a penetration test can provide a complete assessment of system security and identify any gaps in security countermeasures.
An ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Risk Management program is a set of processes and activities that a company or organization implements to identify, assess, manage, and mitigate the risks associated with the use of information and communication technologies.
In particular, an ICT Risk Management program involves the definition of specific policies and procedures to manage IT risks, systematically and continuously assessing risk, implementing adequate security controls, and implementing incident response plans.
Some of the specific activities that an ICT Risk Management program may include:
In this context, penetration tests are a fundamental and operational part that allows you to verify the security of a system and the adoption of the security measures defined in the Risk Assessment phase.
Furthermore, penetration tests can be used as a tool for verifying compliance with IT security regulations and for evaluating the performance of IT security service providers, for example on the hot topic of supply-chain.
In summary, penetration tests are an important component of the ICT Risk Management process as they allow you to identify system vulnerabilities and evaluate the effectiveness of the security measures adopted by the organization.
In general, a penetration testing activity can be divided into the following phases:
Penetration tests can be carried out by internal company personnel or by companies specialized in this type of activity. In any case, it is important to carry out the tests in a controlled manner and with the consent of the system or network owner, in order to avoid damage to the systems or the network itself.
Penetration tests can be performed by internal company personnel, such as members of the company’s Read Team, or by specialized IT security companies that offer penetration testing services.
Ethical hackers, or “ethical hackers,” are those who perform penetration tests. They are expert IT security professionals who use hacking and penetration testing techniques to identify and fix any vulnerabilities in systems and networks. Ethical hackers have in-depth knowledge of programming, networks, operating systems, databases, and IT security in general.
Furthermore, ethical hackers must have a thorough knowledge of IT security laws and regulations to ensure their work is legal and ethical. Ethical hackers must be able to use the same tools and techniques used by malicious hackers, but unlike the latter, their goal is to find vulnerabilities and fix them, rather than exploit them for illegal purposes.
Once a penetration test has been performed, it is important that the company or organization takes the right actions to resolve the identified vulnerabilities and improve the security of the system or network.
Typically, at the end of the penetration test, a detailed report is prepared describing the vulnerabilities identified and recommendations for resolving them. It is important that the company or organization take these recommendations seriously and implement the necessary actions to improve the security of the system or network.
The actions the company can take depend on the specific vulnerabilities identified, but may include correcting security configurations, updating software, implementing stricter access controls, training staff in cybersecurity, etc.
Furthermore, it is important to conduct penetration tests regularly to verify that the actions implemented are effective and to identify any new vulnerabilities that may emerge over time. This way, the company can constantly improve its IT security and prevent potential cyber attacks.
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