Penetration testing, (aka pentesting), is the backbone of modern cybersecurity. But for security leaders, it often raises more questions than answers, like:
- "What's the difference between internal and external testing?"
- "What role does social engineering play?"
- "How many types of penetration tests are there?"
Don't worry. We're here to simplify things.
Following, we’ll walk you through the various types of penetration tests so you better understand how they can safeguard your organization.
But first…
What is Penetration Testing (Pentesting)?
Mitnick Security uses pentesting as a proactive cybersecurity strategy to identify vulnerabilities that threat actors could exploit - security issues like:
- Weak passwords
- Outdated software
- Misconfigured systems
- Insecure APIs
- And application flaws like SQL injection or XSS.
During a penetration test, cybersecurity experts act as hackers, working to exploit your defenses the same way a real attacker would.
This approach uncovers vulnerabilities that routine scans might overlook and gives you a game plan for improving your organization's security through a pentest report.
7 Types of Penetration Testing
Let’s review the seven main types of penetration test types so that you can better determine the right investment for securing your organization and your overall cybersecurity strategy.
1. Social Engineering Testing
Social engineering testing checks how easily employees can be tricked into sharing confidential information. It operates by manipulating employees through deception or manipulation to access sensitive data or breach security.
For example, phishing emails serve to impersonate a manager by requesting login details or money transfers. During a social engineering test, white hat testers will use similar tactics to find weaknesses in team member awareness and highlight the need for better training and security practices.
Because social engineering is a favorite tactic for threat actors, security guidelines should address it head-on.
2. The Red Teaming Strategy: A Holistic Approach to Pentesting
Red teaming takes a page from military tactics, where attackers (the red team) go head-to-head against defenders (the blue team).
In the cybersecurity eco system, smart organizations bring in external experts to act as the red team, simulating real-world attacks on your systems and networks.
This strategy combines all six types of penetration testing into one coordinated effort, giving you a complete picture of your vulnerabilities and how to defend against actual adversaries. It’s not just testing, it’s a full-scale battle simulation to strengthen your defenses where it matters most.
3. External Network Penetration Testing
External Network penetration testing looks at your organization’s publicly accessible information and externally-facing assets. The goal is to identify vulnerabilities that threat actors could exploit to break through your defenses.
During this assessment, ethical hackers (pentesters) analyze public data sources and test external-facing assets like company emails, cloud-based applications, and websites.
The goal is to see if they can remotely bypass your firewall or use leaked data from breaches, OSINT (open-source intelligence), custom tools, or credit bureau information to crack passwords.
4. Internal Network Penetration Testing
An internal network penetration test starts where an external pentest leaves off, inside your organization’s defenses. In this scenario, a pentester acts like a malicious “insider,” such as a rogue employee, contractor, or fraudster posing as staff with legitimate access to the internal network.
The test simulates what could happen if an insider attempted to compromise the system, exposing the risks of confidential information being leaked, altered, or destroyed.
Pentesters use these findings to recommend stronger controls, such as better access management, improved patching practices, network segmentation, and protections against protocol abuse (e.g., LLMNR and NBT-NS).
5. Application Penetration Testing
If your business builds, sells, or uses apps, you’ll want to take application security seriously.
Hackers love to exploit flaws in design, development, or outdated patches. Whether it’s a web app, internal tool, or software running on end-user devices, these vulnerabilities can expose your organization to serious risks.
6. Wireless Penetration Testing
If your WiFi isn't properly secured, it can work like a welcome mat for hackers. Anyone within range of your wireless network can "listen in" on the wireless traffic streaming through your network to see if there's a vulnerability to exploit.
And here's the kicker, hacking tools are now so easy to use that even beginners can click a few buttons and access your data.
A wireless pentest ensures your WiFi and devices are locked down tight so you don't leave the door open for bad actors.
7. Physical Penetration Testing
Not all threats come from behind a computer screen. Physical penetration testing simulates a real-world intruder attempting to bypass your security. Ethical hackers may pose as delivery personnel to gain access to your building or even attempt a break-in to uncover vulnerabilities.
This testing doesn’t just focus on physical theft, it also considers covert threats, such as attackers plugging malware-injecting devices (like a USB Ninja Cable) into your systems to invade your network.
Discover Which Pentesting Service You Should Use For Your Business
Figuring out which types of penetration testing your organization needs, and when, can be tricky.
That’s where Mitnick Security’s Global Ghost Team™ comes in.
We’re behind the scenes of the most secure organizations in the world.
Contact our team today, or…
Take our Pentest Readiness Quiz to help you identify the best pentesting strategy for your organization.
