Penetration testing is not one-size-fits-all. Depending on the scope, target, and objectives, there are different types of pen tests designed to uncover specific vulnerabilities across your IT environment. From web applications and networks to APIs, mobile apps, and even physical security, each type focuses on identifying weaknesses attackers could exploit. Understanding these types of penetration testing helps you choose the right testing approach for your organization`s unique risk profile.
Types of Penetration Testing
1. Network Penetration Testing: Testing the Infrastructure
Network penetration testing is designed to uncover security weaknesses in an organization’s infrastructure, whether exposed to the internet or operating internally. It simulates how attackers could exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access, move laterally within the network, or disrupt critical services.
What is Tested:
This testing focuses on systems and protocols that form the foundation of connectivity and communication, including:
- Firewalls, routers, and switches
- Remote access solutions like VPNs
- On-premise servers, desktops, and printers
- Core services such as DNS, DHCP, and Active Directory
Testing Types:
- External Network Testing:
Mimics a threat actor on the public internet. The goal is to probe internet-facing assets (e.g., web servers, exposed services, open ports) for weaknesses that could serve as entry points into the organization. - Internal Network Testing:
Assumes an attacker has already breached the perimeter, via stolen credentials, malware, or insider access. It tests how far they can pivot across the network, elevate privileges, and access sensitive systems or data.
Typical Vulnerabilities Found:
- Unpatched operating systems or legacy services
- Misconfigured firewall or access control lists
- Open or unused ports exposing internal services
- Weak segmentation allowing unrestricted lateral movement
- Insecure protocols like SMBv1 or SNMP without authentication
Why It Matters:
Attackers often chain vulnerabilities across layers, using weak credentials, exploiting misconfigured firewalls, and moving laterally once inside. Network penetration testing exposes these paths before they are exploited, especially in modern environments where hybrid cloud, BYOD, and remote access have increased internal complexity.
2. Web Application Penetration Testing: Beyond Functionality
Web application penetration testing mimics real-life attacks to identify vulnerabilities in web-based systems. It focuses on how attackers could exploit vulnerabilities to access sensitive data, take control of user accounts, or manipulate backend systems.
What is Tested:
- Public and internal web apps
- Login portals and admin interfaces
- E-commerce sites and transaction systems
- Enterprise tools like CRM, ERP, and CMS
- APIs integrated with the application
Common Weaknesses Identified:
- OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities like SQL Injection, XSS, CSRF, and IDOR
- Broken authentication and session handling
- Misconfigured access controls
- Business logic vulnerabilities (e.g., bypassing payment or discount workflows)
- API endpoint vulnerabilities and insecure integrations
Testing Methodologies:
- Black Box: No internal knowledge sets the application from an outsider’s perspective.
- Grey Box: Tester has partial insight, such as a user account or API token.
- White Box: Full access to source code and architecture, used for deep testing and secure code review.
Why It Matters:
Web apps are one of the most common targets in cyberattacks. A single overlooked vulnerability, especially in business logic or access control, can compromise sensitive information or lead to financial loss. Continuous testing ensures that changes to code or integrations do not introduce new risk.
With Indusface WAS
- Indusface WAS offers both automated web application testing and expert manual penetration testing, delivering comprehensive vulnerability coverage.
- It provides proof-based reports, continuous scanning, and instant remediation with SwyftComply to fix issues faster and reduce exposure time.
3. API Penetration Testing: Securing the Connective Layer
API penetration testing evaluates the security of exposed interfaces that enable communication between applications, mobile clients, and backend systems. It focuses on how attackers might misuse, manipulate, or bypass these services.
Core Risks Explored:
- Broken authentication and missing authorization checks
- Data overexposure in responses (e.g., full user records)
- Injection Vulnerabilities (SQL, XML, command injection)
- Lack of rate limiting and brute-force protections
- Deprecated or undocumented endpoints left accessible
- Insecure token or session handling
Why It Matters:
APIs are a critical part of microservices, mobile apps, and third-party integrations. If they are improperly secured, attackers can bypass front-end controls entirely. API testing ensures that sensitive operations, like transactions or user actions, cannot be abused or scripted from the backend.
Indusface API Penetration Testing combines AI-powered scanning with in-depth manual testing to uncover OWASP API Top 10 and complex business logic vulnerabilities. The experts go beyond automation, simulating real-world attacks across REST, SOAP, GraphQL, and WebSocket APIs to ensure complete security coverage.
Explore the top use cases and a detailed checklist in our API Penetration Testing Guide to ensure your APIs are fully secured against real-world threats.
4. Mobile Application Penetration Testing: Testing in Device Context
Mobile application pen testing assesses how mobile apps (Android and iOS) handle data, interact with APIs, and operate in real-world device environments. It uncovers vulnerabilities in storage, communication, and execution.
Assessment Areas:
- Insecure local storage or cached data
- API authentication mechanisms from the mobile side
- Transport layer protection (e.g., weak SSL/TLS enforcement)
- Exposed components, such as broadcast receivers or activities
- Possibility of reverse engineering and code tampering
- Static (source code) and dynamic (runtime behavior) analysis
Why It Matters:
Mobile apps often store session tokens, API keys, or user data locally. Without proper encryption and sandboxing, attackers with physical access or rooted devices can extract this data. Given the growing mobile-first user base, mobile app security must be validated with real device conditions in mind.
Indusface Mobile Application Scanning (MAS) combines AI-powered automation with expert manual testing to secure mobile apps across iOS, Android, and hybrid platforms. With 150+ checks, MAS detects OWASP Mobile Top 10, zero-days, SANS 25, and business logic vulnerabilities, guaranteed with zero false positives. The experts validate API authentication, insecure permissions, data storage, and reverse engineering risks, ensuring real-device behavior is thoroughly tested for complete mobile security.
Explore our detailed checklists for Android and iOS Penetration Testing to ensure your mobile apps are protected against real-world threats across platforms.
5. Cloud Penetration Testing: Misconfigurations in Modern Environments
Cloud penetration testing focuses on evaluating cloud-hosted infrastructure, services, and platforms for misconfigurations, insecure access, and improper use of cloud-native features.
Risks Uncovered:
- Publicly exposed storage (like open S3 buckets or blob containers)
- Overly permissive IAM policies and misused service accounts
- Unsecured serverless functions and containers
- Weak network segmentation or open security groups
- Missing MFA, weak identity federation configurations
- Insecure automation scripts or deployment pipelines
Cloud Models in Scope:
- IaaS: Virtual machines, custom networks, storage services
- PaaS: Hosted databases, app platforms, container orchestration
- SaaS: Business apps like email, file sharing, and collaboration tools
Why It Matters:
Most cloud breaches result from user-side misconfigurations, not failures of the cloud provider. Testing identifies those oversights, like unused access keys, shadow resources, or weak identity setups, before they become entry points for attackers.
6. Social Engineering Tests: The Human Exploit Surface
This testing focuses on human behavior, how employees respond to deception, manipulation, or coercion. It evaluates the effectiveness of security training and internal protocols.
Techniques Simulated:
- Phishing: Sending deceptive emails to trick users into revealing credentials or clicking malicious links
- Vishing: Impersonating support staff or executives over phone calls
- Tailgating: Attempting to physically enter secure zones by following authorized personnel
- Pretexting: Convincing staff to bypass procedures (e.g., resetting passwords via fake HR calls)
- Malware drops: Leaving infected USBs in public areas to see if they are plugged in
Why It Matters:
Most successful breaches begin with social engineering. These tests measure how well your organization resists and responds to manipulation, offering insights that technical audits cannot capture.
7. IoT Penetration Testing: The Expanding Edge
Purpose:
IoT penetration testing examines the security of smart devices and their ecosystems, including cloud connectivity, mobile apps, and firmware-level functionality.
What is Evaluated:
- Firmware vulnerabilities and hardcoded secrets
- Weak authentication or lack of encryption
- Insecure OTA (over-the-air) update mechanisms
- Exposed debug ports or hardware-level access (e.g., UART)
- Vulnerable companion apps or cloud control panels
Why It Matters:
IoT devices are often deployed without full visibility or management controls, yet they interface directly with sensitive networks. A vulnerable sensor, camera, or smart appliance can serve as an entry point or surveillance tool for attackers, making IoT testing essential for operational environments.
8. Red Team Exercises: End-to-End Threat Simulation
Purpose:
Red team exercises simulate realistic, multi-layered attack campaigns using a mix of technical, physical, and psychological methods. The objective is to assess the organization’s ability to detect, contain, and respond, not just prevent.
What is Involved:
- Reconnaissance and intelligence gathering
- Crafting custom exploits or payloads
- Bypassing detection systems and controls
- Establishing persistence within networks
- Testing the speed and coordination of incident response teams
Why It Matters:
Red teaming goes beyond vulnerability identification. It provides a full-scale assessment of security maturity, uncovering blind spots in monitoring, coordination, or escalation that would not surface in standard pen tests.
When to Use Each Type of Penetration Test
Penetration testing should align with real changes in your environment, risk posture, and operational priorities. Here is how to match each test type to practical business scenarios:
| Situation | Recommended Test Type | Why It is Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Launching a new web or mobile application | Web/Mobile App Penetration Testing | To identify code-level vulnerabilities, insecure logic, or exposed APIs before going live, reducing the risk of customer data leaks or functional abuse. |
| Rolling out or integrating a new API | API Penetration Testing | APIs are often directly connected to backend systems. Testing ensures they cannot be abused, bypassed, or misused by attackers or unauthorized integrations. |
| Migrating to or expanding cloud environments | Cloud Penetration Testing | Cloud environments are prone to misconfigurations. Testing ensures IAM roles, storage, access policies, and exposed services are not unintentionally exposed. |
| Preparing for regulatory audits or certifications | Network & Web App Testing | Audits require proof of security controls. These tests verify system resilience and help generate documented evidence of due diligence and risk mitigation. |
| Improving employee security awareness | Social Engineering Simulation | To test human susceptibility to phishing, vishing, or deception, and to improve internal policies, reporting, and training based on real behavioral data. |
| Validating incident response capabilities | Red Team Exercise | Red teaming tests whether your SOC or IR teams can detect and contain live threat scenarios that involve multiple attack paths across physical and digital layers. |
How Indusface Supports Comprehensive Penetration Testing
As organizations adopt modern architectures, spanning cloud infrastructure, mobile apps, APIs, and interconnected platforms, penetration testing needs to evolve beyond point-in-time scans. Indusface penetration testing is purpose-built to support this complexity. It offers deep, methodical testing across websites, APIs, mobile applications, and business logic workflows, helping organizations uncover vulnerabilities across every website, API and mobile app.
Every manual pen test with Indusface includes free access to Indusface WAS, a powerful scanner with DAST, malware, and infra scanning. AI-Crawler ensures faster, deeper scans with auto-scheduling and guided remediation to boost your security posture.
Each vulnerability reported is effectively validated for exploitability, giving teams the confidence to prioritize what matters without the noise of false positives.
Indusface also supports revalidation to ensure that remediation efforts are effective and truly close the loop, not just meet compliance checkboxes.
And for those needing instant remediation, onboarding to AppTrana WAAP enables AI-powered autonomous virtual patching of open vulnerabilities via SwyftComply.
Secure your apps now! Start a free trial of Indusface WAS or book a manual pen test with our experts.
