Internal Penetration Testing is crucial for recognizing vulnerabilities and shielding an organization from breaches. Organizations must consider this activity to measure the strength of their internal network defenses. This blog will highlight various phases of internal penetration testing and explain their importance to each.
Phase 1: Reconnaissance or Information Gathering
Reconnaissance, being the very foundation of any security assessment, allows Red-Teamers and Pen-Testers to have an understanding of the target system and subsequently formulate a good plan on their next course of action. In internal network pentesting, the understanding of the network becomes paramount, leading us right into the next phase.
Phase 2: Scanning and Enumeration – Gaining Network Visibility
Scanning, therefore, implies interaction with network hosts to collect significant information. Pertinent questions need answering. Are the hosts alive? If they are, can we scan them for open ports, running services, and the operating system used?
To get answers to those questions, one must understand scanning techniques so that they may refine tools for accurate results. Such tools include NMAP; in particular, timing and performance scanning options under the T4 timing template scans are recommended for better performance, although it would be wise to customize the parameters of timing by any specific requirement.
After the scanning phase is finished, it is necessary to document all findings and share the information with the consultants so they can formulate a strategy focusing on the next phase, vulnerability identification.
What next after Nmap detects the presence of either port 149 or port 445? Further enumeration is necessary.
Another twist with an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) or with a Firewall is the challenge of how to work with them.
Phase 3: Vulnerability Scanning – The Blend of Manual and Automated Approaches for your internal pen test
All the relevant information pertaining to the network has been gathered during the previous phases, and vulnerability scanning is the next logical step in the progression. A variety of tools are available for this purpose, including OpenVas and Nessus.
During a recent engagement at a client site, we found an open port used for Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). There were tools and scripts made for querying this port, but the most fruitful testing indicates manual testing when needing to move into the next stage, exploitation.
Phase 4: Exploitation – A Tricky Endeavor
Exploitation is that phase when conventional exploitation tools may fail to exploit vulnerabilities. Hence, it becomes necessary at times to develop custom exploits and tests with a minimum number of test cases to prove their validity. Our modus operandi in RTSP exploitation demonstrated the relevance of this.
However, there are also cases where the simulation of an internal attack may justify attempts of data exfiltration, whereby client consent is required.
Phase 5: Reporting and Quality Assurance
Complete and very thorough documentation of every step taken is the basis for producing the final report. This final report should contain an executive summary summarizing findings in such a way that C-level and D-level executives can understand the said assessment and its implications.
For organizations considering internal pen tests, it is crucial to define the scope, testing timeline, and rules of engagement before conducting the pentest.
For organisations looking to conduct an internal penetration testing, define the proper scope, testing timelines and rules of engagement (RoE) clearly before commencing the pentest.
Above all, hiring competent consultants is essential in the successful execution of internal penetration testing. If you are looking for a good team for internal penetration testing, you are at the right place.
Bluefire Redteam conducts internal pen tests over 50 times a year with particular emphasis on simultaneous coverage for over 20 IP ranges. Schedule your internal pen test engagement with us today to strengthen your network defenses!