When it comes to pen testing, it’s easy to get confused about the differences between an external network pen test and a web application pen test.
In this video, I sit down – via zoom – with Chief Operating Officer Bonnie Smyre to discuss the differences between the two.
Here’s a quick overview of the two tests.
What is an external pen test?
An external network penetration test is fairly broad and looks at the overall corporate cybersecurity environment. It is an attempt to find all the ways someone could get into your network without having any type of access. Testers look for any gaps they can find and explore ways they might exploit them.
What is a web application pen test?
A web application pen test is much more focused on the application itself, exploiting it in ways that were never thought of during the development stage. For example, testers will start trying to find ways into different areas using credentials that have different access points. They want to know if different credentials can get them into areas where they may not belong, while also searching the application for any other vulnerabilities.
So which pen test do you need? Hopefully, the answer is much clearer now. If you have a web application and you want to vet it thoroughly, you need the web application pen test. If you are looking for any vulnerability that might give a hacker access to your data, you should consider the external pen test.
One of the many advantages to having a third party like Raxis come in and test is that it offers you a new perspective and a fresh set of eyes. Raxis testers come in with no expectations other than information they want.
A Raxis penetration test will assess your security posture using a combination of tools, techniques and mischief in pursuit of gaining full control of your network. But Raxis doesn’t stop there. Once weaknesses are found, the Raxis team is here to help you make corrections and secure your network. Find out more about our pen testing experience, or contact us to learn more.