Choosing the Right Pentest Firm: Beyond Certifications

When selecting a penetration testing firm, certifications like OSCP, PNPT, or CPTS should not be the sole criteria. While they validate foundational knowledge, real-world experience, communication skills, and actionable reporting matter more. A great pentester combines technical expertise with business risk understanding and delivers clear, remediation-focused reports.

You Should Know:

1. Real-World Pentesting Commands & Tools

• Network Scanning:

  nmap -sV -A -T4 target.com 
  

  Use `-O` for OS detection and `–script vuln` for vulnerability scanning.

• Web App Testing:

  sqlmap -u "https://example.com/login" --forms --crawl=2 
  

Automate SQLi detection with `–batch` for non-interactive mode.

• Privilege Escalation (Linux):

  sudo -l  Check sudo permissions 
  find / -perm -4000 2>/dev/null  Find SUID binaries 
  

• Windows Enumeration:

  whoami /priv  Check user privileges 
  systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /C:"OS Version"  OS details 
  

2. Reporting & Remediation

• OWASP Cheat Sheets: Always reference OWASP for secure coding practices.
• Custom Fixes: Tailor recommendations to the client’s tech stack (e.g., `nginx` vs. Apache hardening).

3. Collaboration with IT Teams

• Use JIRA or DefectDojo to track findings.
• Provide PoC scripts to replicate vulnerabilities:

  Example HTTP Header Injection PoC 
  import requests 
  response = requests.get("http://example.com", headers={"X-Forwarded-For": "malicious.payload"}) 
  

What Undercode Say:

Certifications are a starting point, but expertise shines in tailored attacks, clear reports, and collaboration. A pentester’s value lies in translating technical flaws into business risks—like explaining how a misconfigured S3 bucket could lead to regulatory fines. Always verify a firm’s past deliverables and client feedback.

Expected Output:

A detailed pentest report with:

• Executive summary (risk scoring).
• Technical findings (CVSS scores, PoCs).
• Remediation steps (code snippets, config changes).
• Appendices (logs, tool outputs).

For further reading, explore PentesterLab or Hack The Box for hands-on practice.

References:

Reported By: Spenceralessi Just – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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