5 Penetration Testing Standards You Should Know

Why Are Penetration Standards Important?

Penetration Testing is a crucial security measure for any organisation with an online presence, as it helps to identify and manage potential threats. To ensure the highest standards of security are being met, there are several penetration testing standards that organisations should be aware of.

Here are five key Penetration Testing standards you should know:

• OWASP Testing Guide: The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is a non-profit organisation that provides unbiased security advice. Their testing guide is globally recognised and is often utilised as a framework for penetration testing.
• PTES Technical Guidelines: The Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES) serves as a comprehensive guide for conducting penetration tests. It puts an emphasis on the business aspects of testing, as well as the technical processes.
• NIST SP 800-115: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides guidelines on network penetration testing and other security measures. Their SP 800-115 document is a well-established resource for understanding systematic penetration testing.
• ISO 27001: This International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) standard lays out the best practices for an Information Security Management System (ISMS), which includes regular penetration testing as part of its measures.
• OSSTMM: The Open Source Security Testing Methodology Manual (OSSTMM) is a peer-reviewed framework for security testing and metrics. It's an excellent guide for ensuring that security testing is thorough and consistent.

By being aware of these five penetration testing standards, organisations can ensure that the security of their systems and networks is optimised to the highest possible degree. With this knowledge in hand, they can also better understand and assess the results of any vulnerability scans or assessments conducted on their systems.

This is just a brief overview of the main penetration testing standards organisations should be aware of. To understand more about how these standards can be applied to your specific security requirements, you can get in touch with us here at Pentest People.

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