Web Application Pentesting vs Network Pentesting… What’s the difference? Not all pentests are created equal. While it might seem like just ‘getting a pentest’ is adequate as a component of your business’s security strategy, choosing the wrong pentest type can leave you vulnerable to critical gaps, jeopardising sensitive data.
One of the most common confusions businesses looking to security test encounter is knowing whether a network pentest or a web app pentest is more suitable for their organisational needs. Simply put, both network penetration testing and web application penetration testing are vital components of any comprehensive pentesting program. However, it is crucial to apply each type appropriately based on its specific purpose, as their processes differ.
This blog will help security teams and technical decision makers determine when and where to implement network penetration testing versus web application penetration testing, with methodologies and best practice advice to help you in making optimal security decisions.
Network Penetration Testing vs Web Application Penetration Testing: A Comparison
| Aspect | Network Penetration Testing | Web Application Penetration Testing |
|---|---|---|
| Core Focus | • Infrastructure security: routers, firewalls, switches, servers, VPNs | |
| • Network segmentation and access controls | ||
| • Perimeter defences and internal network security | • Application-layer security: web apps, APIs, mobile backends | |
| • Business logic vulnerabilities | ||
| • Authentication and authorisation flaws | ||
| • Data validation and injection vulnerabilities | ||
| Common Attack Vectors | • Port scanning and service enumeration | |
| • Firewall misconfigurations | ||
| • Weak encryption protocols | ||
| • Unpatched systems and services | ||
| • Lateral movement opportunities | ||
| •Privilege escalation pathways | • OWASP Top 10: SQL injection, XSS, broken authentication | |
| • Insecure direct object references (IDOR) | ||
| • Business logic flaws | ||
| • API security issues | ||
| • Session management vulnerabilities | ||
| • File upload vulnerabilities | ||
| Typical Tools & Techniques | • Nmap, Metasploit, Nessus | |
| • Network sniffing and traffic analysis | ||
| • Exploitation of network services | ||
| • VLAN hopping, ARP spoofing | •Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, SQLMap | |
| • Manual code review and logic testing | ||
| • Authenticated vs unauthenticated testing | ||
| • API fuzzing and parameter manipulation | ||
| What Testing Reveals | • Whether attackers can breach your perimeter | |
| • How far they could move laterally once inside | ||
| • Vulnerable services exposed to internal/external networks | • Whether attackers can access/manipulate sensitive data | |
| • Authentication bypass opportunities | ||
| • Data exfiltration pathways | ||
| • Business logic exploitation risks |
The Key Differences: Web Application Pentesting vs Network Pentesting
Scope
Network penetration testing focuses on the infrastructure and network layers of an organisation’s systems to understand how a hacker may gain access to your business’s networks. In contrast, web application testing concentrates on the application logic and presentation layers.
Attack Surface
The environmental focus of web application testing is on browsers and responsiveness across devices, while network testing focuses on infrastructure connectivity, latency, packet loss, and bandwidth.
More simply, network pentesting focuses on your ports, services, and protocols. On the other hand, web application tests will prioritise assets such as input fields, APIs, and user workflows. Both are equally important as part of a security testing methodology.
Skill Sets Required
While many of your testing team may be certified in testing both network and web applications, the skillsets required to enact each test are surprisingly different. In order to evaluate an organisation’s network security, testers must have good infrastructure knowledge and protocol expertise.
With a web app, an understanding of coding knowledge and web technologies is essential. These distinctions ensure the efficacy of simulated attacks by targeting security vulnerabilities unique to each asset.
Impact of Vulnerabilities
The impact of network vulnerabilities encompasses everything from complete infrastructure compromise to malicious lateral movement within your networks, heavily affecting internal processes.
An exploited web application presents equally as unpleasant repercussions: Data breaches, account takeovers, and significant business disruptions.
Remediation Approach
- Network: Patch management, configuration changes, segmentation
- Web app: Code fixes, input validation, logic rewrites
Once the test concludes, the executive summary from your testing team will help you understand the key steps to resolve issues in your assets, so you can see the full picture of your current security posture and the practical steps needed to improve it.
When Do You Need Each Type?
You Need Network Pentesting If:
- You’re implementing new network architecture
- You are handling post-merger integration
- Your organisation has hybrid/multi-cloud environments
- Your remote work infrastructure has expanded
- You are aiming to meet regulatory requirements (PCI DSS, ISO 27001)
You Need Web App Pentesting If:
- Your organisation is launching new web applications or APIs
- You want to test your pre-production deployment security
- You have just had a major code release
- You are handling sensitive customer data
- You’re aiming to meet compliance requirements (GDPR, PCI DSS for web payments)
You Need Both If:
- You are running robust, forward-thinking security programmes
- Multiple attack surfaces exist, and you want to understand the potential impact.
- You are building comprehensive compliance requirements to win key stakeholders
- A full security posture assessment is needed
Can One Replace the Other?
Simply put, no. One testing type cannot replace the other.
Web application testing and network testing are distinct cybersecurity and quality assurance practices with different scopes, goals, and methodologies.
For example, a network penetration test would likely miss an application-layer SQL injection, which penetration testers working on a web application test would easily be able to identify.
Likewise, a web app pen test will fail to identify firewall misconfigurations (where a network pentest could). Recognising the differences and unique needs of your operating systems is key to ensuring your security measures are effective.
For truly functional testing, business owners should recognise the importance of both and recognise that testing relevance varies based on target systems.
Feel empowered in your security testing with OnSecurity
Securing your web applications and network infrastructure shouldn’t feel complicated. With OnSecurity’s platform-based pentesting, you can seamlessly manage multiple testing types, receive detailed analysis on findings, and resolve problems swiftly with our free retesting window.
Level up your security and integrate web application and network testing into your pentesting programme.
