From: Carl-Johan Bostorp (carl-johan.bostorp@hps.se)
Date: Tue May 16 2006 - 04:40:38 EDT
I'm also writing my thesis (ugrad) on pen-testing and after months of studies I still haven't came across a single definition on which all people agree. I've also been out some "in the field" and there it gets drastically worse - people have quite different ideas of what a pen-test is (some seem to think it's merely a port scan).
The best attempt to define the pen-test (and related) term I've come across so far is by Don Bailey (MITRE) and is available for reading at http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/sf/pentest/2001-09/0114.html
Although I'm not using that definition of pen-testing myself, I think it's a sensible one. Do let me know if you come across any better.
/C-J
P.s. When I'm talking pen-testing I'm talking about attacks mounted at computer programs. But it's merely out of convenience. I do think that a pen-test should be an all-out effort to penetrate the security of the company buying the service, but as soon as *using* people gets involved or there are costs for actually destroying physical equipment, it gets so much trickier ethically and cost/risk-wise, I'd rather exclude that and treat it as something completely separate. Any term for that? Network pen-testing?
-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
Från: patrick.froeger@web.de [mailto:patrick.froeger@web.de]
Skickat: den 15 maj 2006 14:38
Till: pen-test@securityfocus.com
Ämne: Security Test Definitions
Hello list members,
at the moment, i'm writing my diploma thesis in the field of penetration testing.
i wonder if there exist some 'official' definitions about the different types of tests one can do. i know that every pen-tester/company has his own definitions of what they call a "penetration test", "security assessment", "security review", "security audit", "application audit"
etc... but are there some standards that define the different types of security tests?
i had a look at ISSAF and OSSTMM, but neither come up with definitions of tests...
Regards,
Patrick
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