Black Box Pentesting: Wat Het Is en Hoe het Werkt

Content

What does a Black Box pen test actually entail?

Why do organizations conduct Black Box pen tests?

How are pen tests for web applications performed?

9 Benefits of Black Box Pentesting

3 Disadvantages of Black Box Pentesting

Black Box vs. Grey Box Vs. White Box Pentesting

6 Commonly Used Black Box Pentesting Techniques

Black Box Pentest Steps

Black Box Pentest Costs

Black Box Pentest Tools

Meaning

A a total lack of information pentest, is a third-party testing service aimed at finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in a system as an outsider. In a Black Box pen test, no account information is provided, as well as little information about the target except perhaps an IP address, URL or building location. Essentially, then, the target environment is a "black box." This means the tester has no access to source code (other than publicly available code), internal data, structure and design of the system prior to testing.

What does a Black Box pen test actually entail?

The name "Black Box" refers to the dark premise of the test in which no prior knowledge is provided.

A Black Box pentest assesses a system at runtime. When the target system is an application, Black Box pentesting is also known as Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST). A Black Box pen test is highly suitable for evaluating the security of external assets, such as:

Web Applications

SaaS applications

Networking

Firewalls

Routers

VPN, IDS/IPS

Web servers

Application servers

Database servers, etc.

While a Black Box pen test cannot be used as a replacement for a comprehensive security assessment, they help test an application or network from an end user or hacker's point of view. It can reveal serious vulnerabilities in your digital assets, such as validation errors, disclosure of information via error messages, incorrect server configurations, and so on.

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Why do organizations conduct Black Box pen tests?

There are several reasons and use cases that can prompt an organization to opt for a Black Box pen test. Below we have listed the reasons why most of our clients have Black Box pen tests performed by us.

Early detection of vulnerabilities

Black Box Pentesting is an excellent choice for companies looking to detect vulnerabilities early in the SDLC. This proactive approach allows them to address issues before they grow into serious security risks.

Compliance and legal obligations

Companies operating in regulated industries such as finance, government or healthcare often need to conduct regular security assessments to meet compliance standards. Black Box Testing is a smart way to meet these regulatory requirements.

Routine security reviews

Regardless of industry regulations, regular security assessments, including the Black Box Test, are vital to confirm that your security posture remains robust and adaptable to growing cyber threats.

Evaluation of third-party systems

When you integrate third-party networks and applications into your infrastructure, it is important to critically examine their security. Black Box Test helps evaluate potential threats associated with these integrations.

Realistic attack simulations

Black Box Testing is excellent for simulating practical use cases and scenarios that could occur in the real world. It provides insight into how well your system can withstand threats from attackers operating under real-life conditions.

9 Benefits of Black Box Pentesting

Black box testing is critical to application security because it offers certain advantages over other testing methods. However, the best results are only possible if an organization combines a Black Box pen test with a complementary testing method that analyzes the internal workings of a system, such as a Code Review. The benefits of Black Box pentesting include:

It simulates a real attack to discover unexpected results

It finds out vulnerabilities in your networks and applications

It discovers implementation and configuration problems by testing an application at runtime

It detects incorrect product builds, such as missing or old modules and files

Exploiting social engineering techniques to discover security problems related to people

It can detect security problems that arise as a result of interaction with the underlying environment (e.g., improper configuration files, non-hardened operating systems and applications)

It can detect problems such as input/output validation errors, disclosure of information in error messages, etc.

Looks for common vulnerabilities, such as SQL injection, XSS and CSRF.

It is usually cheaper to perform a Black Box pen test compared to other pen test types (Grey Box & White Box)

3 Disadvantages of Black Box Pentesting

A Black Box pen test is an effective way to test the security of a system. However, it is not a substitute for a comprehensive assessment of the source code and internal workings of the system in question.

Because a Black Box test does not include internal testing, a system may falsely appear "secure" if the tester fails to find vulnerabilities in the external components. However, there may be several vulnerabilities lurking beneath the surface of the system that a Black Box pen test cannot figure out.

In other words, vulnerabilities found in a Black Box test indicate that the target system is inadequately secured. Yet this does not mean that a system is completely secure if the Black Box pen test fails to find critical vulnerabilities. In that case, the vulnerabilities may simply be hidden in internal systems.

In short, a Black Box pen test:

Does not provide a complete picture of the target system's security measures

Is partly based on guesswork and trial and error.

Could go either way in terms of time scale. It could take the least amount of time to discover vulnerabilities, but it could also take months to reconstruct a single vulnerability. This mainly depends on the expertise of the tester(s).

Black Box vs. Grey Box Vs. White Box Pentesting

The amount of information shared prior to a pen test can have a huge impact on its results. The style of testing is usually defined as White Box, Grey Box or a total lack of information.

a total lack of information

Runs without any prior knowledge of the target system.

Test only the exposed area.

Is not profound at all.

Consists of guesswork and endless hit & miss sessions.

Much use is made of automation.

ETAs are unpredictable. A Black Box pen test can take days, or it can take months.

Is generally the cheapest type of pen test.

Grey Box

Runs with partial information about the target system.

Test exposed vulnerabilities in external systems and hidden vulnerabilities in internal systems.

Gives a better idea of the security of the system.
Very limited use of guesswork.

Automation is used minimally.

Takes a predictable amount of time to complete. The time often ranges from several days to several weeks.

The cost is between the other two boxes.

White Box

Runs with complete information about the target system.

Performs thorough testing of all components - external, internal and code.

Provides a complete picture of system security.

There is no guesswork involved.

Automation is used only as an aid to the manual process.

Usually takes a few months to complete.

More expensive than Black and Grey Box pen tests.

6 Commonly Used Black Box Pentesting Techniques

Vulnerability Scanning

Using pentesters tools such as Nmap and Wireshark to examine target systems for vulnerabilities. Many of these tools provide preliminary information, which the tester must examine in more detail through manual testing.

Port Scanning

Pentesters will also examine the network to detect open ports that an attacker could exploit to gain access to a network. These open ports are often the location of attempted exploits, as pentesters try to get past defenses such as firewalls.

Password Attack

Using an automated utility often used in "Brute Force" attacks, a tester attempts to log in within a system by using a list of commonly used passwords. The hope is to find a match, giving the tester access to the system through someone else's credentials.

Social Engineering

Social engineering is convincing a legitimate system user to hand over sensitive information - such as login credentials - by impersonating a trusted person or party. Phishing is one of the most commonly used techniques, but other techniques are also used by pen testers.

Syntax Testing

In syntax testing, pentesters use the format of data input to find vulnerabilities. In the simplest terms, the goal is to examine outcomes when they use input that is outside syntax to see if they are useful to invade a system.

Fuzzing

Fuzzing is based on injecting noise, which allows the pentester to examine Web interfaces and discover missing input controls. If unusual behavior is the result, it may indicate incorrect software controls, which could potentially be exploited.

Black Box Pentest Steps

A typical Black Box pen test includes the following 5 stages:

Exploration

Obtaining information is an important first step in assessing a target's security. Pen testers consult a variety of sources, both public and private, to develop a thorough attack strategy. These sources include online searches, domain registration data, social engineering techniques, non-intrusive network scans and, in some cases, even "dumpster diving." This acquired data allows our pen testers to map the target's attack surface and identify potential weaknesses.

Scan

Pentesters use sophisticated tools to examine the target, such as a Web site or system, for possible vulnerabilities. This includes investigating open services, detecting security problems in applications and detecting vulnerabilities in open-source components. Exactly which tools are used depends mainly on the findings during the initial exploration of the target system.

Gaining access

Attackers have diverse motives, ranging from stealing, modifying or deleting data to moving financial resources or even harming an organization's reputation. For each test, the pen testers select the most appropriate tools and techniques to gain access to the system, whether through known vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, malware, social engineering, or other methods.

Maintain access

Once access to the target is gained, it is essential to continue the simulated attack to achieve the ultimate goal. This may include exfiltrating data, altering system functionality or misusing privileges. The goal is to demonstrate the potential impact of such attacks.

Analysis

Upon completion of the pen test, the findings are carefully analyzed, resulting in an actionable report. The report documents vulnerabilities in detail and places them in the context of the organization, allowing the identified security risks to be effectively addressed.

Black Box Pentest Costs

A full Black Box pen test performed by real ethical hackers usually costs between €5,000 and €50,000 per test. A Black Box pen test from Warpnet costs a minimum of €2,400, however, the exact cost can vary based on the scope of the assignment and its objectives.

Black Box pen tests are generally cheaper than Grey Box and White Box pen tests, due to the comparatively limited scope and duration of a Black Box pen test.