Penetration Testing and Network Defense

Chapter 1. Understanding Penetration Testing

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoidance of danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”

—Helen Keller, The Open Door (1957)

In the digital world of today, enterprises are finding it difficult to protect the confidential information of clients while maintaining a public Internet presence. To mitigate risks, it is customary for companies to turn to penetration testing for vulnerability assessment. Penetration testing is the practice of a trusted third-party company attempting to compromise the computer network of an organization for the purpose of assessing ...