A high-level overview of the assessment, including the scope, objectives, and key findings. This section should be written for a non-technical audience.
A detailed description of the scope of the penetration test, including the systems, networks, and applications that were tested. This section should also outline the objectives of the penetration test, such as identifying vulnerabilities, assessing security controls, or testing incident response procedures.
A description of the methodology used during the penetration test, including the tools and techniques that were employed. This section should also outline any assumptions or limitations that may have affected the results of the penetration test.
A detailed description of the vulnerabilities that were identified during the penetration test, including the affected systems, the severity of the vulnerability, and the steps that were taken to exploit the vulnerability. This section should also include any evidence that was gathered during the penetration test, such as screenshots, log files, or network traffic captures.
Specific recommendations for remediating the vulnerabilities that were identified during the penetration test. This section should also include any recommendations for improving the overall security posture of the organization.
A summary of the key findings and recommendations from the penetration test. This section should also include any overall observations about the security posture of the organization.
Any supporting information, such as tool outputs, scripts, or references.
Provide a detailed description of each vulnerability, including the affected system, the location of the vulnerability, and the potential impact.
Assign a severity level to each vulnerability based on its potential impact. Common severity levels include:
Include any evidence that was gathered during the penetration test, such as screenshots, log files, or network traffic captures.
Provide a detailed description of the steps that were taken to exploit the vulnerability. This section should include any commands that were executed, any tools that were used, and any configuration changes that were made.
Provide specific steps that can be taken immediately to mitigate the risk posed by the vulnerability. These steps may include disabling a service, applying a patch, or changing a configuration setting.
Provide recommendations for long-term solutions that will prevent the vulnerability from recurring. These solutions may include implementing security controls, improving security awareness training, or updating security policies.
Prioritize the recommendations based on the severity of the vulnerability and the potential impact.
"This report summarizes the findings of a penetration test conducted on the SSH infrastructure of Example Corp. The penetration test identified several critical vulnerabilities that could allow an attacker to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems. Immediate remediation steps are recommended to mitigate these risks."
"Vulnerability: Weak SSH Password Authentication Severity: High Description: The SSH server allows password authentication, which is vulnerable to brute-force attacks. Evidence: The following command was used to successfully authenticate to the SSH server using a weak password: ssh user@example.com Exploitation Steps: 1. Use a password cracking tool such as Hydra or Medusa to brute-force the SSH server. 2. Successfully authenticate to the SSH server using a weak password. 3. Gain unauthorized access to the system."
"Recommendation: Disable SSH Password Authentication Immediate Action: Disable password authentication in the SSH server configuration file (/etc/ssh/sshd_config). Long-Term Solution: Implement SSH key-based authentication and enforce strong password policies. Prioritization: High"