Penetration testing services

Yalantis follows a structured approach to deliver expert pentesting services without any disruptions. It consists of the following stages:

Stage #1 Pre-engagement

Yalantis cybersecurity specialists start by identifying a client’s objectives, scope, and specific requirements for penetration test service. This involves:

• interviewing stakeholders to clarify goals, target systems, and any constraints or limitations
• addressing all necessary legal and compliance requirements, such as obtaining authorization to perform testing and adhering to relevant regulations and standards

Stage #2 Reconnaissance

Next, our pen test company collects information about target systems with active and passive reconnaissance processes to define the most likely attack vectors.

Active reconnaissance includes gathering information about the infrastructure and product, which can be useful in identifying the attack surface and potential entry points. We gather the following information:

• IP addresses
• domain names
• related information

Passive reconnaissance is focused on using OSINT techniques to gather additional information about the target product without directly interacting with it. Types of information collected include:

• leaked data
• publicly available documents
• social media profiles

This helps to tailor attack vectors and improve testing effectiveness.

Stage #3 Vulnerability assessment

Once necessary information is gathered, Yalantis security specialists perform an in-depth vulnerability assessment using automated and manual approaches. This includes:

• network scanning
• web application scanning
• database scanning
• reviewing business logic

The purpose of this assessment is to identify potential entry points for exploitation. Scanning also helps in identifying open ports and services, as well as understanding the network topology to determine potential attack vectors.

Stage #4 Exploitation

The exploitation stage involves the pen test services itself. Yalantis experts will attempt to exploit identified vulnerabilities and weaknesses to identify their impact on the product and your business. This includes using techniques such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and remote code execution.

Once a vulnerability is proved, the test engineer simulates actions that a malicious actor might take, such as extracting data (data exfiltration), escalating privileges, and moving laterally within the network. This demonstrates the potential impact of a successful cyberattack on your systems.

Stage #5 Reporting

After conducting tests, Yalantis penetration test company provides you with a detailed technical report that includes a comprehensive analysis of each vulnerability, along with recommended remediation steps and best practices for improving the product’s overall security posture.

You will receive:

• a clear and concise executive summary written in non-technical language that all employees can understand, highlighting key findings, risk exposure, and recommendations
• a detailed report documenting all identified vulnerabilities, exploited weaknesses, and recommendations for remediation
• a security score for each vulnerability, considering factors like exploitability, business impact, and ease of remediation

Stage #6 Post-engagement

During this stage, you engage in a debriefing session with Yalantis experts to discuss findings, answer questions, and provide guidance on remediation efforts. If you require further assistance and ongoing support with remediation, the Yalantis team can assist you in leading those efforts and addressing any additional concerns or questions that arise.

What are the benefits for businesses that choose Yalantis as their penetration testing company?

Choosing Yalantis as your penetration testing services vendor has several benefits for your business:

• Expertise. Yalantis pentest company experts are professionals certified in ethical hacking by OSCP and EC-Counsil and have extensive experience in cybersecurity, ensuring thorough assessments and accurate findings.
• Comprehensive assessments. You will get comprehensive evaluations of your systems, applications, and network infrastructure to identify vulnerabilities and will get actionable recommendations for improvement.
• Real-world simulations. The Yalantis cybersecurity team simulates real-world attack scenarios during penetration test exercises following the best ethical hacking methodologies to assess the effectiveness of your security controls and help you understand potential risks.
• Regulatory compliance. Yalantis is an ISO 27001- and ISO 27701–certified pentesting company. Our services can help you meet regulatory requirements and demonstrate due diligence in protecting sensitive information.
• Continuous improvement. By establishing a cycle of regular testing and continuous improvement, Yalantis experts can assist you in staying ahead of emerging threats and strengthening your defenses over time.

What vulnerabilities can be detected by examining your systems at a pen testing company?

Pentesting services are a proactive approach to identifying security vulnerabilities in a system, application, or network infrastructure. By performing penetration testing, you can uncover a lot of potential weak spots, such as:

• Weak authentication mechanisms. Penetration testers often find weak or default passwords, a lack of multi-factor authentication, or poorly implemented authentication mechanisms that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to systems or accounts.
• Unpatched software. Failure to install security patches and updates can leave systems vulnerable to known exploits. Pentesting identifies outdated software versions with known vulnerabilities that need to be addressed.
• Insecure network configurations. Misconfigured firewalls, routers, and other network devices can create security gaps that attackers can exploit. Penetration tests assess network configurations for weaknesses that could be exploited to gain unauthorized access or disrupt services.
• Injection flaws. Injection flaws, such as SQL injection and command injection, occur when untrusted data is sent to an interpreter as part of a command or query. Penetration testing identifies areas where input validation is lacking, allowing attackers to manipulate queries and commands.
• Cross-site scripting (XSS). XSS vulnerabilities occur when web applications fail to properly sanitize user input, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages. Pen test identifies XSS vulnerabilities that could be used to steal session cookies, deface websites, or perform other malicious actions.
• Sensitive data exposure. Pen tests identify instances where sensitive data is stored or transmitted insecurely. This includes insecure storage, lack of encryption, and improper access controls.
• Security misconfigurations. Misconfigured security settings, resulting in services running unnecessarily or improper access controls, can create opportunities for attackers to exploit. Penetration testing identifies and helps remediate these misconfigurations.
• Insecure direct object references (IDOR). IDOR vulnerabilities occur when an application exposes internal objects to users, allowing them to manipulate data they should not have access to. Penetration testing identifies instances where inadequate access controls could lead to data leakage or unauthorized access.
• Denial of service (DoS) vulnerabilities. Pen testing assesses systems for vulnerabilities that could be exploited to perform DoS attacks, such as resource exhaustion, improper error handling, or lack of rate limiting.
• Missing or inadequate logging and monitoring. Effective logging and monitoring are essential for detecting and responding to security incidents. Penetration testing assesses the effectiveness of logging and monitoring mechanisms and identifies areas for improvement.

Three approaches to penetration testing services: Finding out how to combine them for the best result

Depending on the weaknesses to be addressed and the depth of organizational information gathered, pentesting services use one of three approaches: black box, gray box, or white box penetration testing. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.

Black box penetration testing

In black box testing, the tester has no prior knowledge of or access to the internal workings of the system being tested. They approach the assessment as an external attacker would, with only publicly available information.

Advantages of black box testing:

• Mimics a real-world scenario where attackers have no insider knowledge
• Provides an unbiased assessment of the organization’s security posture from an external perspective

Disadvantages of black box testing:

• May overlook certain vulnerabilities that require internal knowledge or context
• Takes longer due to the need for reconnaissance and information gathering

Best suited for:

• Testing public-facing systems such as websites, web applications, and network infrastructure
• Assessing the effectiveness of perimeter defenses and identifying vulnerabilities that can be exploited without internal knowledge
• Simulating real-world attack scenarios where the attacker has no insider knowledge

White box penetration testing

White box testing provides the tester with full knowledge of the system’s architecture, source code, and internal configurations. This allows for a comprehensive assessment of all components and potential vulnerabilities.

Advantages of white box testing:

• Allows for a deeper and more thorough assessment, as testers can analyze the system from both external and internal perspectives
• Can uncover vulnerabilities that may be missed in black box testing

Disadvantages of white box testing:

• May not accurately represent the perspective of an external attacker
• Requires cooperation and access from the organization being tested, which may not always be feasible or practical

Best suited for:

• Assessing complex systems, applications with intricate architectures, and environments with strict regulatory compliance requirements
• Businesses looking for a comprehensive assessment of their internal and external security controls, including those with sensitive data or critical infrastructure

Gray box penetration testing

Gray box testing falls between black box and white box testing. Testers have limited knowledge of the system, typically including some high-level details or credentials, but not full access or deep internal knowledge.

Advantages of gray box testing:

• Strikes a balance between realism and comprehensiveness
• Allows the organization to focus on any areas of concern while still simulating an external attacker’s perspective

Disadvantages of gray box testing:

• May not provide the depth of analysis achievable with white box testing.
• Requires coordination between the testing team and the organization to ensure that the limited information provided is relevant and realistic

Best suited for:

• Businesses that want to focus on specific areas of concern while still simulating an attacker’s perspective
• Testing scenarios where some level of insider access is plausible or where certain information can be provided to enhance testing effectiveness

For optimal results and comprehensive coverage, pen testing experts recommend to conduct penetration testing in multiple stages, beginning with black box testing, followed by gray box testing, and concluding with white box testing. This approach ensures a thorough evaluation of the system’s security by leveraging the varying levels of knowledge and access associated with each testing phase.