Sometimes referred to as 'internal infrastructure tests', or 'internal network tests', internal penetration tests are the backbone of any thorough cybersecurity audit.
The primary purpose of internal pentesting is to investigate just how much damage can be done once a hacker has gained access to the inside of your network. Whether it be gaining access through chain exploits, or bypassing authentication to sensitive data, internal pentesting is all about finding the vulnerabilities that could lead to malicious exploits, in a safe and controlled way.
What is internal penetration testing?
Internal penetration testing is a method of ethical hacking which supports assessing the strength of a business's cybersecurity protocols by simulating malicious attacks from within its network. These attacks seek to identify each and every way a malicious hacker could gain an advantage over your business if they had hypothetically, already infiltrated your internal network.
True to its name, an internal network penetration test places its focus on the internal network, rather than external threats. Once provided with internal access, a penetration tester will simulate attacks to try and gain access to privileged (admin) accounts and sensitive information, or bypass security controls.
How does internal penetration testing strengthen your security posture?
Internal penetration testing utilises the knowledge and experience of skilled penetration testers to scope any security vulnerabilities your internal network might have. Using their understanding of system insecurities, a pentesting team will test- and then report upon- all identified security weaknesses. An internal penetration test is a critical step in strengthening your organisation's security posture due to its identification of hidden vulnerabilities.
It provides organisations with crucial intelligence to address identified vulnerabilities and strengthen existing cybersecurity protocols. This ensures a significantly enhanced security posture, reducing risks while boosting resilience to any possible real-world attacks.
How does internal pen testing differ from external penetration testing?
Internal penetration testing differentiates significantly from external penetration testing.
External penetration testing focuses on attacks originating from outside of your organisation's network, to exploit external vulnerabilities and gain internal access. External penetration therefore utilises any public-facing networks owned by your organisation to generate intel and hack into your business.
Internal penetration testing, contrastingly, assumes that a malicious hacker has already somehow infiltrated your network. Adopting the mindset of a malicious hacker, the pentesters might brute-force user accounts, or exploit known vulnerabilities in local software, all attack methods which specifically target your organisation's inner workings.
Together, the two pentesting approaches can cover all potential attack vendors, providing invaluable insights into your network security and providing your organisation with the intel necessary to make effective remediations.
What is the internal pentesting process?
Internal penetration testing follows a thorough methodology to ensure vulnerabilities are identified and addressed efficiently. The steps are as follows:
Planning and scoping
The planning and initial scoping phase of an internal network penetration test are where objectives are defined and the scope of the test is agreed upon. During this phase, pentesters will collaborate with your organisation to determine which areas of your internal infrastructure may need testing, based on potential risks.
Network mapping and reconnaissance
The network mapping and reconnaissance stage utilises the information garnered from the planning phase to begin examining your organisation's internal environment. With the help of tools such as Scan and Radar, they will work to identify accessible systems.
This phase provides insight into potential attack paths and weak points, forming a roadmap for the testing phase.
Vulnerability analysis and exploitation
Having generated enough intel on your organisation's internal environment, vulnerability analysis can begin. Using a broad skill set and understanding of common weaknesses, pentesters will analyse your network security through complex testing techniques, looking for unpatched systems, misconfigurations, or weak credentials.
They will then simulate exploiting these vulnerabilities to see just how much damage a malicious attacker could enact in a real-world scenario.
Documentation and reporting
Once all vulnerability analysis has been completed, pentesters will compile an executive summary of their findings, downloadable on the OnSecurity platform. This will outline all found vulnerabilities to provide your organisation with the insight needed to make actionable improvements.
What is the internal pentesting process?
Internal penetration testing follows a thorough methodology to ensure vulnerabilities are identified and addressed efficiently. The steps are as follows:
Planning and scoping
The planning and initial scoping phase of an internal network penetration test are where objectives are defined and the scope of the test is agreed upon. During this phase, pentesters will collaborate with your organisation to determine which areas of your internal infrastructure may need testing, based on potential risks.
Network mapping and reconnaissance
The network mapping and reconnaissance stage utilises the information garnered from the planning phase to begin examining your organisation's internal environment. With the help of tools such as Scan and Radar, they will work to identify accessible systems.
This phase provides insight into potential attack paths and weak points, forming a roadmap for the testing phase.
Vulnerability analysis and exploitation
Having generated enough intel on your organisation's internal environment, vulnerability analysis can begin. Using a broad skill set and understanding of common weaknesses, pentesters will analyse your network security through complex testing techniques, looking for unpatched systems, misconfigurations, or weak credentials.
They will then simulate exploiting these vulnerabilities to see just how much damage a malicious attacker could enact in a real-world scenario.
Documentation and reporting
Once all vulnerability analysis has been completed, pentesters will compile an executive summary of their findings, downloadable on the OnSecurity platform. This will outline all found vulnerabilities to provide your organisation with the insight needed to make actionable improvements.
Alongside this conclusive report, OnSecurity platform users will also receive continuous updates throughout the pentesting process on any vulnerabilities found, courtesy of our real-time reporting feature. With vulnerabilities reported as soon as they are identified, organisations can minimise the window for exploitation and make remediations swiftly, without waiting for that all-important report.
Can internal penetration testing work on businesses of all sizes?
Many smaller organisations may feel internal penetration testing is an unnecessary step in their cybersecurity operations. In reality, this couldn't be further from the truth; internal penetration testing is a critical measure for businesses of any size, due to its support in strengthening crucial lines of defence between your organisation's sensitive data and malicious insiders.
Internal penetration testing is not a 'one size fits all' type of test, either. It is scalable and can therefore be tailored to meet the needs of businesses of any size, ensuring relevant and effective security insights across different internal network structures.
How can OnSecurity help?
OnSecurity's internal penetration testing addresses key internal threats, adding a critical defence layer to a robust overall security posture. Customisable and scalable based on the needs of your business, our pentesting team will report findings to you as soon as they are found, minimising the window for malicious exploitation.
