What is a penetration testing methodology?
Answer
Structured pen testing follows defined methodologies: PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard): Pre-engagement → Intelligence Gathering → Threat Modeling → Vulnerability Analysis → Exploitation → Post-Exploitation → Reporting. OWASP Testing Guide: web application specific, 11 categories. OSSTMM: rigorous scientific methodology. NIST SP 800-115: government standard. Phases in detail: (1) Pre-engagement: scope, rules of engagement, legal authorization, emergency contacts. (2) Reconnaissance (OSINT): Shodan, Google dorks, LinkedIn, WHOIS, DNS enumeration, Maltego. (3) Scanning: Nmap, Nessus, Nikto, Gobuster (directory), Wfuzz (parameter fuzzing). (4) Exploitation: Metasploit, Burp Suite (manual), SQLMap, custom exploit code. (5) Post-exploitation: privilege escalation, lateral movement, persistence, data access, pivoting. (6) Reporting: executive summary + technical findings (severity, CVSS, PoC, remediation). Always follow rules of engagement strictly.