🟢 Penetration Testing Process – Notes

Definition

• Process = sequence of events, flexible not fixed.
• Pentest process = successive steps to reach predefined objectives.
• Must be adaptable (every client/network is unique).

Stages of Penetration Testing

1. Pre-Engagement
   • Define objectives, scope, timeline.
   • Contracts: NDA, Rules of Engagement.
   • Client education + clarifications.
2. Information Gathering
   • Collect info about company, tech stack, infra.
   • Identify potential attack surfaces.
3. Vulnerability Assessment
   • Analyze gathered info for known vulns.
   • Manual + automated checks.
   • Assess threat level & attack vectors.
4. Exploitation
   • Execute attacks against identified vectors.
   • Gain initial access to systems.
5. Post-Exploitation
   • Maintain access.
   • Privilege escalation.
   • Pillaging: hunt credentials, sensitive data.
   • Demonstrate impact to client.
6. Lateral Movement
   • Move inside internal network → more hosts.
   • Iterative with post-exploitation.
   • Example: foothold → priv esc → creds → DB server → more data.
7. Proof-of-Concept (PoC)
   • Document chain of vulnerabilities.
   • Show clear attack path.
   • Create scripts for reproducibility (if feasible).
8. Post-Engagement
   • Prepare detailed report (admins + execs).
   • Walkthrough meeting with client.
   • Clean traces, archive data.
   • Optional retest after remediation.

Key Takeaways

• No fixed “recipe”, process must be flexible.