When is a Pentesting Report Used

Organizations not only use pentesting reports to identify and fix vulnerabilities before hackers but also assess the effectiveness of their security controls. Additionally, it helps them understand which areas are most vulnerable and what steps they need to improve them.

Organizations can use a pentesting report for:

• After conducting penetration testing on a system or network
• When vulnerabilities need to be documented and addressed
• To provide insights into the security posture of the organization
• To guide remediation efforts and prioritize fixes
• To ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards
• To enhance overall cybersecurity resilience and protect against cyber threats

Components of a Pentesting Report

A well-written penetration testing report will provide clear and applicable recommendations that can be used to improve the security system of an organization. The pentesting report should be easy to understand for technical teams and non-technical departments.

The following are the components of a good penetration testing report:

1. Executive Summary:

This part provides a brief overview of the pen test goals, the areas it covered, and the vulnerabilities found. It also offers clear recommendations for addressing these vulnerabilities to improve security.

2. Introduction:

The introduction explains why the penetration test was conducted and what the organization hoped to learn from it. It sets the stage for the rest of the report by outlining the goals and scope of the assessment.

3. Methodology:

This section provides detailed insights into how the penetration test was carried out. It explains the tools, techniques, and approaches used to identify vulnerabilities. Additionally, the severity of each vulnerability and its potential impact on the organization is also discussed.

4. Scope and Limitations:

Here, the report specifies which systems, applications, and networks were included in the assessment and which ones were not. It helps readers understand the boundaries of the test and what areas may require further examination.

5. Findings:

This is the main part of the report, where all identified vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and data misconfigurations are listed. Each finding is described in detail, including its severity level, potential consequences, instances observed, and steps to reproduce it. This section provides a comprehensive overview of the organization’s security posture.

6. Recommendations:

For every vulnerability identified, specific and practical recommendations are provided to address them effectively. The testers tailor these recommendations to the severity of each vulnerability and provide actionable steps for mitigation.

7. Steps to Reproduce and POC:

To validate the existence of vulnerabilities, step-by-step guides, and proof-of-concept (POC) examples are provided. This evidence helps stakeholders understand how the vulnerabilities were discovered and their exact location. The report also includes screenshots with highlight code for better understanding.

8. Remediation:

This section is for the organization’s development team and provides detailed guidance on how to fix identified vulnerabilities. The report offers clear instructions and support to ensure the success and comprehensiveness of remediation efforts.

Conclusion

Pentesting reports are important to enhance cybersecurity measures and protect organizations from cyber threats. Pen test reports help identify vulnerabilities before hackers can exploit them, comply with industry regulations, and maintain trust with customers and partners. With clear and practical remediation measures, penetration test reports help businesses mitigate security risks and strengthen their overall security defenses.

To summarise, pentesting reports are proof that you have successfully tested your application or network. Additionally, it shows that your organization is now safe to work with.

FAQs

Q: Why is a pentesting report important?

A: A pentesting report detects the security risks you face and assesses their impact. It also indicates the priority tasks you need to conduct to enhance your overall security controls.

Q: What should a pentest report contain?

A: The pentest report should contain:

• Summary of the pen test process – goals, scope, and findings
• Vulnerabilities found during the test
• Impact of each vulnerability
• Remediation steps for each vulnerability

Q: What is the most common pen test?

A: Organizations conduct pen tests as per their products, services, budget, and requirements. Despite this, the most common pen tests businesses perform are:

• Web app pentests
• Mobile app pentests
• Network pentests
• API pentests

Q: What are the steps of pentesting?

A: The common steps of pentesting include

• Information gathering
• Define scope
• Vulnerability assessment
• Manual penetration testing
• Reporting
• Remediation
• Retesting
• Final report or letter of attestation (LOA)