T H E   A B S O L U T E   B A S I C S   O F  

P E N E T R A T I O N   T E S T I N G

Penetration testing is a way for you to simulate the 
methods that an attacker might use to circumvent 
security controls and gain access to an organization’s 
systems. Penetration testing is more than running scan-
ners and automated tools and then writing a report. 
And you won’t become an expert penetration tester 
overnight; it takes years of practice and real-world 
experience to become proficient.

Currently, there is a shift in the way people regard and define penetra-

tion testing within the security industry. The 

Penetration Testing Execution 

Standard (PTES)

 is redefining the penetration test in ways that will affect 

both new and experienced penetration testers, and it has been adopted by 
several leading members of the security community. Its charter is to define 
and raise awareness about what a true penetration test means by establishing 
a baseline of fundamental principles required to conduct a penetration test. 
If you’re new to penetration testing or unfamiliar with PTES, visit 

http://

www.pentest-standard.org/

 to learn more about it.