The network penetration testing methodology followed by Risksols is a structured and multi-layered approach designed to assess the security posture of an organization’s internal and external network infrastructure. This process begins with a detailed planning and scoping phase, where Risksols works closely with the client to define the engagement boundaries, IP ranges, in-scope systems, test accounts, and objectives. The goal is to simulate real-world attack scenarios to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by external attackers or malicious insiders.
The testing process starts with reconnaissance and information gathering, which includes both passive and active scanning to enumerate hosts, open ports, services, and system fingerprints. Tools like Nmap, Netcat, and Shodan may be used to collect details such as OS versions, DNS records, service banners, and network architecture. This information is critical in building a complete map of the target environment and identifying weak points in the network perimeter and internal segments.
Next, vulnerability assessment is performed using automated scanners and manual techniques to identify known vulnerabilities in services, misconfigured devices, outdated software, and weak protocols. Risksols focuses on common issues such as open ports, default credentials, exposed administrative interfaces, outdated operating systems, insecure VPN setups, and firewall misconfigurations. Special attention is given to identifying vulnerabilities associated with SMB, RDP, FTP, SNMP, and other common enterprise protocols.
The first thing we do is define a clear scope of what the client needs us to do. We emphasize effective and clear communication with the client to create an environment where both parties are comfortable and we have a strong foundation to work on. During this phase, we:
In this phase, we use a range of automated tools and scripts to gather more intelligence and determine what attack vectors we can use. We look for exploits and lapses in security that we can use to gain access to the network, and generate a plan of attack based on this intel. Some of the things we look at include:
Once we have the intel we need and the plan is finalized, we initiate the systematic attack and exploit the vulnerabilities to assess just how far an attacker can get. Our engineers verify the existence of the vulnerabilities and attack vectors while ensuring the integrity of the network. During the attack, we may use the following attacks:
Risksols also offers remediation testing services to ensure that the client has patched the vulnerabilities pointed out in the assessment. This helps the client gauge whether the vulnerabilities were dealt with effectively or not, and also help find new vulnerabilities that might have arisen because of the updates such as misconfigurations or flaws in a new software implementation. We then update our previous assessment to reflect the current state of the system.
We also offer remediation testing on request after the client has plugged in the vulnerabilities to ensure that the security patches were implemented properly. This helps ensure that the remediation is effective.
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