Vulnerability Assessment & Penetration Testing [VAPT]

VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing) is a process that involves identifying and evaluating vulnerabilities in a system or network in order to prevent potential attacks.

Security risks exist with every system and application that interacts with the internet. Security professionals all across the world frequently utilize Vulnerability Assessments and Penetration Testing to address these security vulnerabilities (VAPT). The VAPT is an offensive strategy for protecting a company’s digital assets. It is split into two parts: Vulnerability Assessment (VA) and Penetration Testing (PT) Vulnerability assessment is the process of determining the target system’s security posture using a variety of automated tools and manual testing techniques. This technique finds every weak spot and entry point. These breach points/loopholes can lead to severe data loss and fraudulent invasion activities if an attacker finds them.

The steps involved in VAPT are as follows:

Planning and scoping: This involves defining the scope of the assessment, identifying the target systems and networks, and determining the types of tests to be performed.Information gathering: This involves collecting information about the target systems and networks, such as IP addresses, domain names, and system configurations.Vulnerability assessment: This involves identifying vulnerabilities in the target systems and networks using various tools and techniques, such as network scanning, vulnerability scanners, and manual testing.Exploitation: This involves attempting to exploit identified vulnerabilities in order to gain unauthorized access to the system or network.Reporting: This involves documenting the results of the assessment, including any vulnerabilities and vulnerabilities that were successfully exploited.Remediation: This involves implementing measures to fix or mitigate identified vulnerabilities in order to prevent future attacks.

Some open source tools for each steps of VAPT :

Planning and ScopingA list of assets to be tested: This includes all the systems, networks, and applications that need to be tested.A risk assessment: This helps organizations identify the potential risks and vulnerabilities associated with their assets, as well as the likelihood of those vulnerabilities being exploited.A testing scope: This outlines the specific areas and systems that will be tested during the VAPT process.A testing schedule: This includes the timeline for completing the testing and any milestones that need to be achieved.A testing budget: This includes the resources and cost needed to complete the testing.

Using the VAPT planning and scoping tool helps organizations ensure that their VAPT projects are well-planned and well-executed, helping them identify and address vulnerabilities and prevent potential attacks.

2. Information Gathering :

Nmap: a network scanning tool that can be used to gather information about a target system or network.Maltego: a data mining tool that can be used to gather information about a target system or network and visualize the relationships between different entities.Wireshark: A packet analysis tool used to capture and analyze network traffic.Google Dorks : An advanced search operator is used in a Google dork query, also known as a custom search string, to locate data that is not readily available on a website.Sublist3r : An OSINT-based program called Sublister was created in Python to list website subdomains. It facilitates the collection of subdomains for a target domain by pen-testers.Enum4Linux: a tool that can be used to gather information about a target system or network by enumerating various services and protocols.WinEnum: a tool that can be used to gather information about a target system or network on a Windows machine by enumerating various services and protocols.Fuff : ffuf is a fest web fuzzer written in Go that allows typical directory discovery, virtual host discovery (without DNS records) and GET and POST parameter fuzzing.Angry IP Scanner: This is a free tool for scanning IP addresses and ports, though it’s unclear what it’s so angry about. You can use this scanner on the Internet or your local network, and supports Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

3. Vulnerability assessment:

Nessus: a vulnerability scanning tool that can be used to identify vulnerabilities in a target system or network.OpenVAS: an open source vulnerability scanning tool that can be used to identify vulnerabilities in a target system or network.Burp Suite Scanner :Burp Scanner automates the process of checking websites for vulnerabilities and content. Depending on setup, the Scanner can audit the program to find vulnerabilities and crawl it to learn about its functionality and content.OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) : One of the most widely used free security tools in the world, the OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP), is actively maintained by a committed multinational team of volunteers. While you are creating and testing your applications, it can assist you in automatically identifying security flaws. For manual security testing, it’s also a great tool for seasoned pentesters.OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities in 2022

4. Exploitation:

Metasploit: a tool that can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in a target system or network.Core Impact: a commercial tool that can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in a target system or network.Netcat: a networking tool that can be used to establish reverse shells or other types of connections to maintain access to a target system or network.John the Ripper: A password cracking tool used to recover lost or forgotten passwords.Burp Suite : BurpSuite aims to be an all in one set of tools and its capabilities can be enhanced by installing add-ons that are called BApps. It is the most popular tool among professional web app security researchers and bug bounty hunters.SQLMap: is an open source penetration testing tool that automates the process of detecting and exploiting SQL injection flaws and taking over of database servers.Dalfox: DalFox is an powerful open source XSS scanning tool and parameter analyzer and utility that fast the process of detecting and verify XSS flaws.Exploit-Db : Exploit Database (ExploitDB) is an archive of exploits for the purpose of public security, and it explains what can be found on the database. The ExploitDB is a very useful resource for identifying possible weaknesses in your network and for staying up to date on current attacks occurring in other networks.The MITRE ATT&CK™ framework : is a comprehensive matrix of tactics and techniques designed for threat hunters, defenders and red teams to help classify attacks, identify attack attribution and objective, and assess an organization’s risk.Wordlsits : https://github.com/swisskyrepo/PayloadsAllTheThings | https://github.com/danielmiessler/SecLists

5. Reporting:

Microsoft Word: a word processing tool that can be used to create reports documenting the VA-PT process and any findings.Excel: a spreadsheet tool that can be used to create tables and charts to include in reports documenting the VA-PT process and any findings.Pentestreports.com : can be used to see and refer to good pentesting reports. https://pentestreports.com/

6. Remediation:

Vulnerability scanners: These tools scan networks and systems to identify vulnerabilities, such as weak passwords, unpatched software, and open ports.Patch management software: This type of software helps to automate the process of installing software updates and patches, which can help to remediate vulnerabilities.Network monitoring tools: These tools monitor network traffic and alert administrators to suspicious activity, which can help to identify and prevent cyber attacks.Security information and event management (SIEM) systems: These systems collect and analyze security-related data from various sources, such as logs and network traffic, to identify and alert administrators to potential threats.Password managers: These tools help to securely store and manage passwords, which can help to prevent unauthorized access to systems and data.