A pentest, short for penetration test, is a controlled simulation of a cyberattack against an organisation’s IT systems. It is carried out with the company’s authorisation in order to identify vulnerabilities that a real cybercriminal could exploit.
The principle is simple: rather than waiting for an attacker to discover a weakness, cybersecurity experts put themselves in the position of a hacker and attempt to gain access to the systems.
A pentest can target different parts of the infrastructure, such as a website, an application, an IT network, servers or connected devices. Experts look for vulnerabilities and then attempt to exploit them in order to assess the level of risk they actually represent.
For example, a vulnerability may initially appear relatively minor. But if the pentest demonstrates that it can be used to access confidential data or take control of a system, the company knows that it should be addressed as a priority.
At the end of the test, the company usually receives a report detailing the vulnerabilities identified, their level of severity and the recommended measures to fix them. IT teams can then apply security patches, adjust configurations or strengthen existing protections.
Testing the cybersecurity of your digital systems
A pentest is therefore a preventive measure: the aim is to identify potential entry points before cybercriminals do. When carried out regularly, it allows a company to test its defences in real-world conditions and progressively improve its cybersecurity posture.