General penetration testing framework

While some of these standards vary in their number of requirements, they can be loosely be broken down into the following phases:

• Reconnaissance
• Scanning and enumeration
• Gaining access
• Escalation of privileges
• Maintaining access
• Covering your tracks
• Reporting

Let's look at each phase in more detail. 

Reconnaissance

A huge portion of your penetration testing time will be spent in this first critical part of the test. While some break down this phase into active and passive, I prefer to clump them together as the data acquired would speak for itself.

Reconnaissance is the systematic approach where you attempt to locate and gather as much information on your target, this is...