Internal vs External Penetration Testing Technology is evolving day-by-day and on the other side, the number of cyber breaches to the systems are also growing with serious threats. So, keeping the systems secure is no longer a choice, but it is a must-have in all growing organizations. When your organization is growing and is associated with a large amount of data, then the threats can be bigger. Before the cybercriminals make plans to control your systems, there must be a way to prevent this. Penetration testing is the only powerful way to fight this cause.
Penetration testing is categorized into two types, internal and external. Each focus on different attack scenarios to check if your system or network is weak to resist cyber breaches. Here the experts follow ethical hacking methods.
In this blog, we’ll explore how internal and external penetration testing work, a glimpse into the costs involved and the benefits these testing bring to your organization. Let’s break it down.
What is External Penetration Testing in Cybersecurity?
External penetration testing is examining the security of a company’s external systems by performing fake attacks similar to shady attacks from outside the network. This way you can assess how well the organization’s cybersecurity measures can stand against external threats, without any initial access or credentials.
In this type of test, a cybersecurity expert (ethical hackers) follows some techniques to breach the company’s defenses by targeting publicly accessible systems. The targeted systems include firewalls, FTP servers, network configurations, and more. They scan for threat prone areas like encryption, authentication, and network protocols. The hackers can possibly try to gain unauthorized access or forge sensitive information.
The main concern of external penetration testing is to identify weaknesses in the external network. This testing finds the areas that could be exploited by a malicious actor. By testing the effectiveness of the organization’s defenses from the outside, businesses can pinpoint and fix vulnerabilities before real attackers become a threat to them.
Such testing helps organizations stay guarded from threats like data breaches, ransomware, and phishing attacks. In addition the critical systems remain secure and they can defend themselves against complex cyber threats.
What is internal penetration testing?
Internal penetration testing is like imitating an “insider attack” on an organization’s internal network. With internal pen testing it is possible to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by someone who already has access to the network. Such threats can come from a corrupt employee, a contractor with privileges, or even a hacker who came past the external defenses.
Also Read: Internal Penetration Testing: Why It’s Essential for Organizational Security
The process involves authorized professionals mimicking insider threats to understand how much damage could be done if internal access were compromised. Testers analyze everything within the internal network—like servers, workstations, wireless systems, firewalls, and even staff procedures—to find security flaws. These weak spots within the system are then either exploited or documented to define their potential impact.
And why does this testing matter?
The company might be having strong external defenses, whereas the internal pen testing shows instances where the internal system can be attacked. The testing scenario includes what-if an in-house employee managed to attack using the privileges he has. There is also the possibility of malware spreading into your internal systems
By finding vulnerable areas, businesses can take necessary steps to improve their defenses, prevent unauthorized access, and safeguard sensitive data from breaches. Keeping an eye on the possible ports where the breaches can occur, businesses can be prepared in improving their defenses, stop unauthorized access and protect sensitive data. In short, internal penetration testing acts as a safety railing, ensuring your organization can stand against internal threats.
Benefits of Internal Penetration Testing vs External Penetration Testing
| Benefits | Internal Penetration Testing | External Penetration Testing |
| Identifying Vulnerabilities | Exposes vulnerabilities accessible to an attacker with internal access. | Identifies vulnerabilities that external attackers can exploit without prior knowledge. |
| Testing Security Controls | Evaluates internal controls like firewalls, intrusion detection, and access controls. | Tests external-facing security controls, such as firewalls, networks, and authentication systems. |
| Real-World Simulation | Simulates the impact of insider threats, such as malicious employees or accidental failures. | Mimics real-world external cyber-attacks to assess security resilience. |
| Perspective | Offers insight into lateral movement within the network after gaining access. | Provides an external attacker’s view of the organization’s security defenses. |
| Compliance | Supports internal compliance checks and identifies weak internal controls. | This helps in complying to the external regulatory needs including PCI-DSS, SOC 2, ISO 27001 and NIST Special Publication 800-53. |
| Regular Assessment | Scans for internal risks and constantly screens to strengthen the security | Keeps track of the weaker external security areas to identify the issues soon and fix it earlier. |
| Improving Security | Insider employee cyber attack and wrongful activities can be monitored to improve system defenses. | Unauthorized threats and breaches from the external sources can be prevented, while strengthening the systems against external threats |
| Resolving Risks | Reports about the possible insider attack, spreading malware and the violation of the privileges | Helps in preparing the external system from phishing attack, ransomware and breaches from outside hacks |
| Building Customer trust | With able internal security measures it helps in strengthening customer trust | Customers can have assurance upon the external systems like apps as this testing actively resolves outsider threats. |
How much does internal and external penetration testing cost?
The charges for running penetration testing in an organization is unique and is based specifically on the scope, complexity of the environment, and depth of the test they are looking for. It costs around a few thousand dollars for a simple evaluation which involves only the basic penetration testing
For larger and more complex organizations, the charges may exceed six figures. This pricing can be for a full-scale, comprehensive test across multiple systems and environments. On an average pen testing can range around $10,000 to $25,000.
Internal penetration testing costs are determined by factors such as the size of the network, the number of internal devices, and the depth of the test. External penetration testing charges can be expensive as this testing works on scanning a broader area to find vulnerable spots. The average pricing range could be between $5000 to $100,000.
One-time external pen testing can be less expensive. A single run of internal testing however costs more because this includes screening multiple systems, scanning for vulnerabilities and other services like report analysis and resolution advice.
Also Read: AWS Penetration Testing: Checklists, Tools, Strategies, and Best Practices
How Wattlecorp helps in providing the best penetration testing services?
Wattlecorp has highly skilled in-house experts delivering the finest quality penetration testing services in both internal and external systems. The testing professionals use advanced techniques, required tools and frameworks to follow the process. The experts provide exceptional quality assessment for businesses of all sizes. The testing can be of identifying threats in the external network or from within the organzation. Wattlecorp’s expert team processes broader testing and finds all possible entry ports. These experts are also trained in adapting the best ethical hacking practices to proceed the tests with minimal disruption to your operations.
The professionals also follow a range of techniques to help businesses understand their vulnerabilities. They can foresee security troubles including risks of data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other cybersecurity threats. The trained experts scan through the entire environment and provide necessary insights to the organizations to strengthen their defenses and prepare for both internal and external threats.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is internal penetration testing necessary if I already have strict access controls in place for employees?
Yes, internal penetration testing is still necessary, even when your company is following strict access controls practices. Internal testing evaluates what could happen if an insider (malicious or accidental) or a compromised account bypasses these controls. It imitates scenarios where attackers exploit weaknesses in your internal systems. This could be unpatched software, misconfigurations, or privilege escalation security risks
2. How can I determine if my business needs internal or external penetration testing, or both?
Deciding between internal, external, or both types of penetration testing starts with defining your security needs.
– Internal Penetration Testing is ideal if you want to assess risks from insider threats. Some threats may emerge from corrupt employees. The test also includes how an attacker could get through your network after gaining access.
– External Penetration Testing is done if you are planning to secure your organization from external cyberattacks targeting publicly accessible systems.
To keep your systems completely secure, both types of testing are needed. However, organizations can choose which works the best for them.
3. What specific threats does external penetration testing identify that internal testing might miss?
Threats from outside your organization are the main focus of external penetration testing.There are certain elements internal penetration testing might miss.
– Misconfigured firewalls or open ports.
– Weak or outdated encryption protocols.
– Vulnerable web applications or publicly accessible servers.
– Risks related to exposed credentials, phishing attacks, or brute-force attempts.
Such threats allow attackers to breach your defenses from outside, which internal testing does not typically address.
