Cybersecurity Glossary
Penetration Testing
A person, not a tool, attempting to break into your systems with permission.
What Penetration Testing means
A penetration test is an authorised attack. A tester chains together small weaknesses in the way a real attacker would and shows what they could reach. The value lies in the reasoning and the report, not in the volume of findings.
Why Penetration Testing matters for small businesses and nonprofits
Scanners find known flaws; testers find the combination of a forgotten test site, a reused password and an over privileged account. For a small organisation, a focused test of the internet facing systems is usually the right scope.
What to do about Penetration Testing
- Define the scope tightly rather than paying for a broad and shallow test
- Ask for a retest after fixes, and budget for it in advance
- Read the recommendations, which usually matter more than the individual findings
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