10 Types Of Penetration Testing: A Comprehensive Guide in 2025
A huge number of organizations will counsel penetration testing if they have an extensive cybersecurity strategy. Penetration testing usually includes an authorized and then controlled attack to value the security of computer systems, networks, applications, and their respective infrastructure for vulnerabilities that an attacker might use against internal systems to compromise their systems for confidentiality, integrity, or availability. This blog post will review, the types of pen testing across applications and networks through social engineering, IoT, and cloud penetration testing. This will cover key requirements in different domains and mention a few commonly used methodologies and frameworks. What are the Different Types of Pen Testing? Here are the various types of penetration testing: Network Penetration Testing A network penetration test is required for any business or organization to assess the state of security of its network infrastructure by identifying vulnerabilities that can be exploited by threat actors (hackers) out of malicious intent. Such pen testing can include testing external, internal, and wireless network penetration. To a great extent, internet / external penetration testing is typically performed to discover whether and how an attacker from outside can break into a company network, primarily focusing on firewall attack vector tests or router pen tests. On the opposite ground, internal network penetration testing checks an organization’s internal infrastructure including servers, workstations, and network devices for intramural vulnerabilities abused by insider threats or unauthorized intruders who gain access to the internal network. Finally, wireless network pen tests assess the security of wireless networks and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-connected devices within an organization to identify weaknesses exploited by attackers seeking unauthorized access or eavesdropping on wireless communications. Paid: Nmap Web Application Penetration Testing Web application pen testing is among the most common types of penetration tests wherein such applications are evaluated for their security through simulated attacks to identify vulnerabilities. Most typically seen in black-box, white-box, and grey-box testing, in which numerous aspects of information are available to the penetration tester. Whereas black-box testing is done without any knowledge of the application architecture, white-box testing allows a tester complete access to source code and other relevant information. The grey-box method is a compromise between the two, in which the tester has some knowledge of application internals. Paid: Open Source: API Penetration Testing API penetration testing is a technique for penetration testing of APIs to detect vulnerability existences in an organization/API, thus simulating attacks on them by a hacker. Since the API continues playing a major role in integrating other heterogeneous applications and services, it has now become the darling of a hacker craving unauthorized access to core functionality and data. Paid: Open Source: Mobile Application Penetration Testing Mobile Application Penetration Testing is a type of pen testing approach used to assess the security of mobile programs for various platforms, like Android, iOS, and Windows, which might be not typical. With the drastic increase in mobile applications and the sensitive user information and critical functions they handle, it is only natural that today, security risks (whether noticed or not) have increased. The iOS application testing audits ensure the security of Apple’s mobile-side developments, which is more focused on security and best practices. They also test the application’s data storage, communication protocol, and logging aspects. Android application testing is concerned with applications developed for Google’s mobile operating system. Since Android has a higher market share, it is more attractive to hackers. Common Mobile App Vulnerabilities found in Penetration Testing include: Paid: Open Source: Cloud Penetration Testing Cloud penetration testing development is, as is evident now, an important process wherein one assesses the security level of a certain enterprise cloud infrastructure and services, as companies now need to move to cloud infrastructures. As there are higher numbers of enterprises migrating to the cloud, the need to mitigate the vulnerabilities and weaknesses that attackers can exploit is reinforced. Cloud penetration tests can be classified into 3 categories: IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. Paid: Open Source: Social Engineering Penetration Testing Social engineering (SE) is another form of penetration testing that examines an enterprise’s human-based attack surface to prepare and educate its employees to detect and counter-attacks, including how to trick individuals into disclosing confidential information or performing activities that violate security procedures. This allows companies to be able to observe their weaknesses in educating their staff about security and threats. Phishing is one of the common techniques applied using SE, though attacks usually arise in phishing since these take forms like messages and emails where respectability and reputable companies appear with requests for divulging such vital information like banks’ information and passwords. Open Source: IoT Penetration Testing IoT (Internet of Things) penetration testing assesses the relationship between security and connected devices in company-specific infrastructure. The IoT penetration testing is based on security testing of the different types of layers such as: Open Source: Latest Penetration Testing Report Download Red Teaming vs. Penetration Testing: Key Differences Red teaming and penetration testing are the breaches and tests; organizations may utilize them as security assessments in determining their posture in cybersecurity assessment. Despite both methodologies searching for vulnerabilities, they have different natures, objectives, and means of execution. Understanding the types of pen testing helps organizations choose the right approach for their security needs. Red teaming, the simulation of attacks of a real-world adversary, is a far more involved testing of the organization’s capabilities to detect and respond to these attacks. It gives a very comprehensive picture of an issuer’s security status in the face of advanced persistent threats. Penetration testing, on the other hand, is a focused, technical evaluation of the organization’s systems, networks, and applications. Aspect Red Teaming Penetration Testing Scope & Objectives Broad scope assesses overall security posture & resilience Narrow scope, focuses on specific vulnerabilities Duration & Depth Longer engagements, comprehensive & iterative Shorter engagements, focused & linear Attacker’s Perspective Adopts real-world attacker mindset & techniques Primarily focuses on technical vulnerabilities Detection & Response Tests the organization’s detection, response & recovery capabilities Mainly identifies vulnerabilities, not detection & response
