Computer security penetration tests, better known as Penetration Testing or Pentesting , are no longer impossible to learn and understand. Gone are the years when this kind of knowledge was reserved only for experts who had to design their own tools. Nowadays, using the right tools (and knowing what you have to do), we can do it in a matter of weeks without having to develop anything. Next, we will talk about what Pentesting is, what you can achieve and some tools to learn this attractive skill.
Pentesting manages to expose vulnerabilities through attacks on an organization or whatever objective. These tests are oriented to the area of IT (Information Technology), to check the security of the entire network and the different systems in the company. The results obtained help us to know what vulnerabilities we should not escape, and correct them as soon as possible. Thanks to Pentesting, we can know about what can be done about them to mitigate possible attacks, as much as possible.
On the other hand, it is possible to identify and quantify risks of everything we do. Not only does it allow you to create cybersecurity policies, but it also allows you to identify opportunities for future training. In addition to action plans to correct these vulnerabilities. Remember that cyberattacks, both people and organizations, occur with increasing frequency. Consequently, the value of what is lost is very high. Losing or exposing personal or other data can leave sequels difficult to cope with .
Just as there are many courses, workshops and tutorials to learn and improve, we must also share what we have learned and why not, our experiences. In this way, we contribute to the Pentesting scope can really improve. The skills and tools to face cyber attackers cannot be left behind. These are those who by leaps and bounds prepare to cause more and more severe damage.
Of course, we must pay attention when we disclose our results or Pentesting experiences. Since many data can expose personal or corporate information, which could generate unnecessary risks. For example, it can be shared in relation to the number of people in your team (if you have one). You can also the frequency with which you perform these tests and the chosen tools.
Recommendations of programs and tools for Pentesting
In this article we are going to make a list of fundamental programs and tools to start in the world of Pentesting, logically these tools are more than used and known by experts.
VMware and VirtualBox
Your main ally when doing Pentesting activities will be a virtual machine. Both VMware and VirtualBox will allow us to create virtual machines with real operating systems to train us, and also to install Pentesting-oriented operating systems such as Kali Linux and other Linux distributions with similar purposes. An important detail is that VMware is a payment solution, while VirtualBox is a completely free solution.
Both programs will be essential for testing and for learning, from their official websites you can find all the details about both solutions and download links.
Kali Linux
This is the operating system aimed at Pentesting and the best known Ethical Hacking. It has an extensive list of tools so you can get started. If you want to know what tools it contains, you can visit the official site where there is a detailed list of those that are available. Kali Linux has the following tools for performing computer security audits:
- To collect information
- Vulnerability scan
- Attacks on wireless networks
- Web applications
- To take advantage of vulnerabilities
- Computer forensics
- Stress testing
- Sniffing and spoofing
- Password Attacks
- Reverse engineering and more.
You can access the official site here to download the latest version and access the support you need for tools and procedures.
PentestBox
PentestBox is a penetration test tool that works directly on Windows operating systems. It is designed for simplicity and variety of options to execute our tests. It goes without saying that it has no cost, and is compatible with several popular tools such as WireShark , Nmap , John The Ripper and others. One of its peculiarities is that it is executed through the command line (cmd).
If you want to start with Pentesting faster, without going through the download and installation steps, it is a very good alternative if your main operating system is Windows.
In addition, it is portable. This means that your entire test environment can be taken with you when you need it, it does not need installation. It will not be necessary to make any type of adjustment in the configurations and dependencies. PentestBox itself will take care of that. You only have to choose the storage device that you will use to carry. It can even be a pendrive.
OWASP’s Testing Guide
If you are interested in entering the world of web applications, this book will be of great help. The acronym for OWASP stands for Open Web Application Security Project is an open community with global reach. It has the main purpose of improving application security, as well as making available to all interested parties what one must know to be successful in the field. The success of which we speak not only refers to when performing tasks, but also when making decisions if we are planning to implement some security measures.
All materials, including this one, are permanently free. In addition, they have the license so you can copy, distribute or disseminate freely. If necessary, you can modify or adapt the content in a way that suits the different audiences or needs, always respecting the roots and principles of OWASP.
Now, what good is a digital book? It is very useful because books, as well as the large number of courses available on the Internet, is one of the keys to achieving excellence.
Are you interested in more? You can access a large number of online courses on platforms such as Openwebinars and also Udemy, ideal for learning new techniques, or improving the techniques you already know. We are sure that with this guide you will have everything you need to get to the action. Remember, it is not necessary to cover the entire scope of Pentesting from the start. Rather, go forward with small groups of commands until you reach the level we want to reach.
