When preparing for a penetration test, it’s important to handle legal and ethical requirements, confirm authorization, and clearly define the scope so everyone understands the objectives and boundaries. Understanding report requirements early helps ensure findings are clear and actionable.

Good communication with the team and client, along with peer reviews, keeps the engagement on track. Prioritizing vulnerabilities based on risk and business impact ensures critical issues are addressed first. Choosing the right frameworks and adjusting scripts for reconnaissance and enumeration helps deliver an efficient and effective security assessment.

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Mission Objectives:

• Discuss ethical, legal and compliance considerations
• Describe a penetration test report
• Explain the purpose of collaboration and communication during PenTest
• Identify and compare testing frameworks and methodologies
• Understand the use of scripting and automation in a PenTest </aside>

1. Professional Conduct and Penetration Testing

The core of a professional engagement is the Mindset. This lesson covers the distinction between "hacking" and "penetration testing."

• Ethical Hacking: Operating with explicit, written permission.
• Rules of Engagement (ROE): Defining exactly what can be tested, when, and how. This protects both the tester and the client.
• Confidentiality: Handling sensitive data and intellectual property with extreme care (NDA compliance).

2. Collaboration and Communication

Penetration testing is a team sport. Communication must be constant to avoid accidental damage or misunderstandings.

• Stakeholder Management: Identifying who needs to know a test is happening (IT Managers, C-Suite, SOC team).
• Crisis Communication: Immediate escalation procedures if a critical vulnerability is found or if a system is accidentally taken offline.
• Status Updates: Daily or weekly stand-ups to keep the client informed of progress without revealing spoilers until the final report.

3. Testing Frameworks and Methodologies

Standardization ensures the test is repeatable and thorough.

• NIST SP 800-115: The "gold standard" for technical security testing.
• OWASP: The primary framework for web application security.
• OSSTMM: Focuses on operational security and metrics.
• PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard): A comprehensive 7-phase methodology.