In this lesson, we'll briefly cover
the essential components of a penetration testing report.
Understanding these components will help you create
a comprehensive and effective report
that communicates your findings clearly
and effectively to various stakeholders.
We'll start with an executive summary.
As mentioned previously, this is a high level
and concise overview of a pentest,
its findings, and their impact.
It's typically two paragraphs
or two pages long, depending on the client's objectives,
the industry, and the size of the organization.
The executive summary aims to provide a summary
of the process and results,
a brief and simple explanation of the procedures,
notable findings expressed in a non-technical manner,
and some of their implications.
It's recommended to end with a conclusion statement,
such as in conclusion,
the network, systems, and protocols have been found
to be either secure or insecure.
Next is the methodology section.
This part of the report outlines the standards
or frameworks that were followed
to conduct the penetration test.
It provides a high level description
of the activities performed, usually in a generic manner.
You might mention the targets of each portion of the testing
and the tools, techniques, and procedures that were used.
For example, we might mention that we use open OpenVAS
for our vulnerability scans,
Burp Suite to exploit the identified vulnerabilities,
and John the Ripper to perform
offline brute force password cracking.
This helps stakeholders understand the rigor
and comprehensiveness of the test.
The detailed finding section is where you present
the specific issues identified during the pentest.
These are often shown in table format
that includes the vulnerability, threat level, risk rating,
and whether the vulnerability was exploitable.
Detailed findings are typically presented
with enough technical detail to allow IT personnel
to understand and address the vulnerabilities.
The attack narrative section provides
a step-by-step explanation
of the penetration testing activities.
It describes the process performed
by the penetration testing team,
correlates the methodologies with activities,
and highlights successful exploits.
This section helps stakeholders understand the actual path
taken during the test and the specific actions performed.
It helps them see things the way
the attacker might see them.
Next, we have the recommendation section,
which includes remediation guidance.
This part of the report provides actionable steps
to mitigate or eliminate the identified vulnerabilities.
Recommendations should address the root cause
of the vulnerabilities, such as lax physical security,
employees not following corporate policy or best practices,
lack of adequate cybersecurity training,
lack of software patching and updating,
lack of operating system hardening,
poor software development practices,
use of outdated networking protocols,
the use of obsolete cryptographic protocols.
The goal is to help the organization improve
its overall security posture
and prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.
Lastly, we need to ensure that the format
of the report is aligned correctly for good readability.
For format alignment, here are some best practices.
Use a consistent heading structure
to create a clear hierarchy of information.
Use the same font type and size throughout the document.
Typically, a professional font like Arial
or Times New Roman at 12 point size.
Use tables and figures to present
complex information clearly and make sure they're labeled
and referenced appropriately in the text.
Maintain a clear and professional layout
with adequate margins, spacing, and alignment.
This helps readability
and ensures that the document looks polished.
Include version control information to track changes
and updates to the report.
This can be a version table at the beginning
or end of the document.
Also, since penetration test reports
contain sensitive information, it's important
to include a confidentiality notice to remind readers
of the document's sensitive nature.
So remember, your pen test report
is not just a list of findings.
It's a comprehensive document
that communicates the value of your work,
provides a roadmap for improving
the organization's security.
A well-structured penetration test and report
includes the executive summary, methodology,
detailed findings, attack narrative,
and recommendations with remediation guidance.
Each section plays a key role in ensuring
that the report is informative, actionable,
and accessible to all stakeholders.
So we need to make sure to structure it in a way
that speaks to both technical and non-technical audiences.
This ensures that everyone involved can understand
and act on the information that you provide.