Chapter 6: Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing Methods and Tools
Security professionals must constantly assess the security posture of operating systems, networks, industrial control systems, end user devices, and user behaviors (to name but a few). We must constantly assess the security of our systems by utilizing vulnerability scanning. We should use industry-standard tools and protocols, to ensure compatibility across the enterprise. Security professionals should be aware of information sources where current threats and vulnerabilities are published. We may need independent verification of our security posture; this will involve enlisting third parties to assess our systems. Independent audits may be required for regulatory, legal, or industry compliance.
In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:
- Vulnerability scans
- Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP)
- Information sources
- Testing methods
- Penetration testing
- Security tools...