RESEARCH OF PENETRATION TESTING METHODS

Abstract

The article examines penetration testing methods as a vital tool for identifying vulnerabilities in modern information systems and networks. The attention is drawn to improving security in the face of a growing number of cyberattacks and analyzing ethical hacking to prevent intruders’ threats. An overview of the main approaches to penetration testing, such as Black Box, White Box, and Gray Box, is provided. Each method assesses system security at different levels, depending on the information available about the network under test. The classification of penetration testing by the tested aspects, such as testing of applications, networks, physical systems, and social engineering methods, is considered. The authors emphasize that web applications require special attention, as they are the main target of many attacks. The article also presents a systematic approach to penetration testing, which includes six main stages: planning, information gathering, vulnerability detection, penetration attempt, analysis and reporting, and cleanup. The authors emphasize the importance of each stage for effectively protecting information resources and ensuring their resilience to attacks. The article provides an overview of popular penetration testing tools, such as Kali Linux, Metasploit, Nmap, and Wireshark, and analyzes their application at different stages of the pentest. The international security standards used to develop a penetration testing methodology are discussed. The conclusions emphasize the importance of penetration testing to identify and eliminate vulnerabilities in information systems. The authors note that effective penetration testing requires the professional skills of ethical hackers who can use the same methods as attackers but aim to strengthen system security.