Step 4: Conduct a Network Penetration Test

You’ve defined the penetration testing process, and in this step, you will scan the network for vulnerabilities. Though you have some preliminary information about the network, you will perform a black box test to assess the current security posture. Black box testing is performed with little or no information about the network and organization.
To complete this step, you will use industry tools to carry out simulated attacks to test the weaknesses of the network.
Your assessments within the lab will be reported in the SAR.

Complete This Lab

Here are some resources that will help you complete the lab:

• Accessing the Virtual Lab Environment: Navigating the Workspace and the Lab Setup.
• Review the Workspace and Lab Machine Environment Tutorial
• Lab Instructions: Penetration Testing Lab
• Self-Help Guide: Workspace: Getting Started and Troubleshooting
• Provide any information related to the issue that you are experiencing and attach any screenshot that you may be able to produce related to the issue.

After finding the security issues within the network, define which control families from the NIST 800-53 are violated by these issues. Explain in the SAR why each is a violation, support your arguments with a copy of your evidence, and then provide suggestions on improving the security posture of these violations.
This section should make up at least four of the 12 pages in the overall report.
After you’ve completed the penetration testing, move to the next step, where you will compile a risk management cost benefit analysis.