External Network Penetration Testing: A Comprehensive Guide for 2024

Have you ever wondered how secure your organization's external network is? It's a question worth asking.

This question has never been more pressing with threats looming from every corner of the internet.

According to the 2023 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, external actors perpetrated 83% of breaches, with 49% of these breaches involving the use of stolen credentials. This compelling insight emphasizes the importance of external network penetration testing (ENPT) in safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining operational resilience.

This blog will explore external network penetration testing as a critical cybersecurity measure. Continue reading! 

What is External Network Penetration Testing?

An external network penetration test detects safety breaches and other weaknesses in a network that malicious hackers could manipulate. It involves discovering vulnerabilities, exploiting them, and producing a report that offers risk assessment and remedy guidance.

The following are the importance of external network penetration testing:

• Identifying Vulnerabilities: It aids in identifying vulnerabilities in systems that are accessible from the outside before malevolent hackers may exploit them.
• Simulating Real-world Attacks: It offers insights into real security threats by simulating an attacker's approach to your network.
• Guiding Security Improvements: The findings and recommendations help firms prioritize and implement adequate security measures to protect against cyber threats.

Conducting External Network Penetration Testing

External network penetration testing evaluates the security of your organization's external-facing systems and infrastructure. Hence, this form of testing aids in identifying vulnerabilities that malicious parties may use to get unauthorized access.

Here are the steps to conduct external network penetration testing:

• Engage a Qualified Penetration Testing Firm

Select a trustworthy cybersecurity consulting firm with knowledge of external penetration testing. Make sure the testers can replicate actual attack scenarios and are qualified.

• Define Scope and Objectives

Clearly state the systems, IP addresses, and domains that must be tested as part of the test scope. In addition, you can set objectives such as identifying configuration problems, assessing the effectiveness of security measures, and identifying vulnerabilities.

• Gather Information

Conduct reconnaissance to obtain publicly accessible data about your company, including IP addresses, domain names, and network architecture. This mimics how an external attacker would gather initial intelligence.

• Scan and Enumerate

Scan the systems you've identified for open ports, services, and vulnerabilities using both automatic and manual methods. Then, you can list all of the services that were found in order to compile additional data that may be useful for exploitation.

• Exploit Vulnerabilities

Make an effort to take advantage of vulnerabilities found in order to show how they affect system security. This could include looking for common exploits, misconfigurations, or vulnerabilities in authentication systems.

• Document Findings

Record every discovery, along with the vulnerabilities found, their degrees of severity, and suggested fixes. Also, give concise, useful reports that rank vulnerabilities according to likelihood of exploitation and possible effect.

• Verify Remediation

Retest to ensure that vulnerabilities have been adequately mitigated. Additionally, check that no new problems have emerged after patches are implemented in accordance with the recommendations.

• Report and Review

Provide stakeholders with a thorough report that includes the test methodology, results, and suggested courses of action. Discuss the results with the technical and managerial teams to make sure everyone is aware of the security posture and what needs to be improved.

Following these procedures allows organizations to actively look into and upgrade their external defenses against potential cyber threats.

External Penetration Testing Checklist

Effective cybersecurity begins with comprehensive testing and strategic planning. A structured approach, like the external penetration testing checklist, confirms the systematic identification and mitigation of vulnerabilities across critical systems. 

Let’s have a look at the ENPT testing checklist:

• Define Scope: Outline targets and systems to assess
• Identify Assets: Prioritize critical assets and data
• Prioritize Vulnerabilities: Assess them by severity and impact
• Exploit Weaknesses: Test vulnerabilities with various tools
• Recommend Fixes: Provide actionable remediation advice
• Communicate: Stay in touch with IT teams
• Minimize Disruption: Test without causing harm
• Comply: Follow laws and ethical guidelines
• Document: Record findings and interactions
• Report: Compile a detailed assessment report

This external network penetration checklist ensures thorough testing and practical security improvements for external network systems.

What Should be Included in the External Network Pen Test Report?

A comprehensive report from a network penetration test is essential to assessing the cybersecurity readiness of a business. It provides a thorough understanding of weaknesses, their potential consequences, and actionable recommendations for enhancing them. This ensures that relevant information regarding the security posture of their publicly accessible systems reaches stakeholders.

Here's a list of essential elements to include in the External Network Pen Test Report:

1. Executive Summary

• Offers a high-level summary of the test's goals, methods, and important conclusions.
• Provides a rapid knowledge of the security state and important vulnerabilities to non-technical stakeholders.

2. Scope and Objectives

• Clearly defines what aspects of the organization's external network were tested, including systems, applications, and network segments.
• Reminds stakeholders of the testing goals and objectives, such as assessing external network security.

3. Methodology

• Provides transparency and repeatability by outlining the precise methods and equipment utilized in the penetration test.
• Includes phases for vulnerability evaluation, exploitation, post-exploitation, and scanning in order to mimic actual attack scenarios.

4. Findings and Vulnerabilities

• Provides comprehensive details about each vulnerability that has been found, such as the name, ID, description, level of severity, and supporting data.
• Gives precise remedial recommendations and describes the possible effects on availability, confidentiality, and integrity.

5. Risk Assessment

• Combines risks related to vulnerabilities found by employing a risk matrix and grading methodology.
• Aids in setting remediation priorities according to the seriousness and possible consequences of vulnerabilities.

6. Remediation Plan

• Outlines actionable steps for addressing vulnerabilities, including prioritization and assigned responsibilities.
• Includes a timeline with deadlines for implementing fixes and retesting to ensure effective risk management.

    7. Conclusion

• Outlines key conclusions and suggestions, highlighting essential security issues discovered.
• Delivers a brief summary of the organization's present network security posture and areas for improvement.

     8. Appendices

• Contains additional data, including technical details, raw data, and penetration test logs.
• Supports findings and methodology, offering additional context for stakeholders and technical teams.

    9. Signature and Approval

• Formalizes acceptance of findings and responsibility for addressing vulnerabilities by both the testing team and client representatives.
• Ensures accountability and commitment to improving cybersecurity posture in compliance with standards like the NIS2 directive.

External Penetration Testing Costs

When planning for penetration testing, keep in mind that expenses can vary depending on aspects such as engineer expertise and test scope complexity.

Now let’s examine the breakdown of average costs:

• Small Organization (Up to 10 hosts): Starts at approximately $3,350 for an external penetration test.
• Large Organization (50 or more hosts): Costs can exceed $8,000 due to increased assessment time.

These costs directly correlate with the duration and complexity of the assessment conducted by skilled engineers.

Understanding Penetration Testing Internal vs External

Companies usually debate between internal vs external penetration testing when assessing cybersecurity measures. Each category aims to evaluate and defend various parts of an organization's security posture.

AspectExternal Penetration TestingInternal Penetration TestingFocusTests external-facing systems and perimeter securityAssesses internal network security and insider threats.Targeted AreasPublic-facing assets like websites, web apps, FTP servers, etc.Internal systems, databases, employee behaviors, etc.Recommended if
i. Organization has new internet-facing assets.
ii. Recent security breach and need to strengthen external defenses.
iii. No previous thorough assessment of perimeter security.i. Concerns about overall infrastructure security.
ii. Previous internal security incident.
Need to evaluate risks from insider threats.Typical Scenariosi. Post-launch of new websites or applications.  
ii. Regular assessment of external security posture.i. Before and after cybersecurity awareness training.
ii. After external penetration testing to assess internal vulnerabilities.
OutcomeRecommendations for securing public-facing assets.Insights into employee behaviors and internal system vulnerabilities.

ResilientX: Strengthening Your Cyber Security Defenses

ResilientX is a Unified Exposure Management Platform that Unifies Attack Surface, Web,Network Security Testing,Cloud Security Automation, and Third-Party Risk Management.

Here are some of our key features: 

• Thorough Scope Definition: We collaborate closely with your team to determine the scope of testing, confining essential assets, domains, and IP ranges.
• Advanced Reconnaissance: We collect relevant data about your organization's external footprint by utilizing cutting-edge surveillance techniques, imitating how possible attackers might gather intelligence.
• Systematic Vulnerability Assessment: Our experts meticulously scan and enumerate specified systems, utilizing automated tools and manual techniques to discover vulnerabilities.
• Comprehensive Reporting: Our detailed reports contain clear findings, severity assessments, and prioritized suggestions for remediation, entrusting your organization to enrich its security posture effectively.

Conclusion

The increasing growth of cyber dangers makes external network penetration test an essential componenet. As a result, by locating and fixing weaknesses in your external-facing systems, you can greatly improve your company's security against future cyberattacks. ENPT offers critical insights, guides effective security improvements, and helps maintain operational resilience.

Securing your external network is an investment in your organization's future. So, don't wait for a breach to expose your vulnerabilities. Stay ahead of the threats and ensure your data and systems are well-protected.
Ready to secure your organization's external network? Book a free demo with ResilientX today and let our experts help you secure your defenses against potential cyber threats.

FAQ

1. What is an external network penetration test?

An external network penetration test finds vulnerabilities and other weaknesses in a network that malicious hackers could exploit. Penetration testers find vulnerabilities, try to exploit them, and then write a report with recommendations for fixing the risks.

2. How often should organizations conduct external network penetration test?

We recommend conducting annual external network pen tests to stay on top of the latest threat environment or whenever significant changes are made to your external network, such as adding a new company website.

3. What are some standard tools used in external network penetration test?

Standard tools used in external network penetration test include:

• Nmap: A network scanning tool that finds network hosts and services.
• Metasploit: A framework for creating and running exploit code against a remote target machine
• Burp Suite: An online vulnerability detector for identifying and taking advantage of vulnerabilities in web applications.
• Wireshark: A network protocol analyzer used for troubleshooting and analysis.

These tools can offer insightful information about a business's external network security posture when utilized by knowledgeable penetration testers.

4. How does external network penetration test help with compliance and regulatory requirements?

It enables enterprises to demonstrate compliance with requirements such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR by identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities that might result in breaches.