Penetration testing

Common prevention methods: Penetration testing

1.4.2 Identifying and preventing vulnerabilities

Identifying and preventing vulnerabilities — Note 2 of 8

What you need to know

Penetration testing involves deliberately attempting to break into a computer system to find security weaknesses before real attackers can exploit them. It helps organisations identify and fix vulnerabilities.

What to know

Identifies vulnerabilities and weaknesses BEFORE real attackers find them.
After testing, measures can be taken to fix any weaknesses discovered.
Helps protect against: SQL injection, brute-force attacks, data interception.

Key terms

Penetration Testing: Attempting to gain access to a system WITHOUT normal credentials (usernames/passwords) to test the effectiveness of security measures.

Exam technique

Tip:Penetration testing is PROACTIVE — it finds weaknesses before they are exploited. It does not fix problems itself — it identifies them so they CAN be fixed.

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Practise 1.4.2 questions

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