A Penetration Testing Checklist for Finding Cybersecurity Risks

To find the vulnerabilities lurking inside and outside your environment you have to think like a bad actor does. That means getting creative and looking in places you may not normally check. This checklist will help you do that.

The steps in this checklist will help make your next penetration test more effective and you will better understand the risks you're facing.

Automated scans are an important of pen tests. But they’re only looking for network-based exposures in services, ports, IP addresses, etc. They do not account for the dynamic nature of today’s work environment. Or the motivation attackers have.

In this penetration testing checklist are key ways ProArch’s pen testers find weaknesses when performing penetration testing services.

To find weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and mistakes before a bad actor does follow the steps in this checklist.

Why is penetration testing important? Because:

Vulnerability scans only look for network-based exposures in IPs, ports, and services.
Attackers are creative and motivated.
Employees can accidently - or purposefully - expose sensitive data.
Credential dumps on the dark web are more common than you think.