External Network Penetration Testing

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, securing your internet-facing systems and networks is not just essential—it’s critical to the continuity of your business or organization. External penetration tests, or pentests, simulate a real cyberattack from outside your network, identifying potential attack vectors so they can be resolved before actual attackers can exploit them.

Why Are External Network Pentests Important?

Any system exposing network services to the internet is continuously at risk. Automated tools—commonly known as bots—scour the internet, searching for vulnerable or high-value targets. Once a bot detects a weakness, it may attempt to exploit it immediately to gain unauthorized access, or it may report the vulnerability to its operators for a more targeted manual attack.

Regular external penetration testing is recommended by leading authorities, such as the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). These tests play a crucial role in protecting organizations from cyber threats, providing an objective assessment of your security by adopting an external attacker’s perspective. This approach helps uncover vulnerabilities that could serve as initial entry points for cyberattacks, strengthening your defenses where they are most exposed.

Our Approach to Penetration Testing

Our pentests generally follow five key phases, which we can tailor to your specific needs. Upon request, we also provide a final presentation and can conduct follow-up tests as needed. In every case, you will receive a detailed, easy-to-understand report that includes a management summary and actionable recommendations to address any identified vulnerabilities.

Kick-off

Execution

Documentation

final
presentation

Retesting

Learn more about each step in our pentesting process [here]. If you already have questions or would like to discuss pentesting in more detail, our pentest team is ready to assist. Contact us—we look forward to helping you enhance your security!

Infographic showing the process of an external network pentest.

Conducting an External Network Penetration Test

Our external network pentests are organized into three main phases, including an assessment of your network’s external security measures, such as firewalls and intrusion prevention systems (IPS).

Port Scanning: The test begins with a comprehensive port scan of publicly accessible IP addresses in the target network. This step identifies open TCP and UDP ports and the services running on them.
Automated Vulnerability Scanning: In the second phase, we use specialized tools to scan these identified services for known vulnerabilities. This automated scan helps detect potential weaknesses quickly and efficiently.
Manual Testing: The final phase involves in-depth manual testing, where our security experts leverage their expertise to examine vulnerabilities beyond what automated tools can detect. They simulate targeted attack scenarios to assess the effectiveness of your security measures and explore the full impact of any identified weaknesses. This tailored, context-driven approach provides insights that automated scans alone often miss.

Each test is carefully customized to the specific target and expanded as necessary to ensure comprehensive coverage.

Assessment Criteria

Our testing criteria are based on the BSI’s Practical Guide for IS Penetration Testing and over 20 years of experience in the field. Specific assessment points include:

Outdated Software

We analyze identified services and operating systems for outdated software versions with known security vulnerabilities. This assessment helps prioritize updates and patches to mitigate potential entry points for attackers.

Administrative Access

We check the accessibility of administrative and remote maintenance interfaces from unauthorized systems to ensure that critical access points are properly secured against external threats.

Passwords

We conduct brute-force attacks on authentication services to check for default credentials or weak, easily guessable passwords. This ensures that systems are not vulnerable to unauthorized access due to inadequate password security.

Sensitive Information

We conduct targeted searches to identify any exposure of sensitive information, ensuring that critical data is not inadvertently accessible or disclosed.

Encryption

We assess the encryption methods in use to ensure they meet current security standards and verify the appropriateness of the chosen encryption protocols for protecting sensitive data.

Access Control

We verify whether identified services and applications have adequate access restrictions in place, ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive resources.

System Hardening

We perform a general analysis of systems to identify potential areas for improvement and review hardening settings to strengthen security and reduce vulnerability to attacks.

To ensure the highest quality and precision in our security tests, we rely on renowned, proven tools like Nmap and Nessus Professional for our external pentests. Additionally, we use targeted tools designed specifically for certain services, enabling deeper investigation in specialized areas. This strategic combination of universal and specialized tools ensures that every potential security gap is effectively addressed.

Your Contact for External Network Pentests

Looking for a qualified provider to conduct an external network pentest? Our experienced professionals are here to assist. Contact us by phone or email—we look forward to your inquiry!

Cihan Parlar, LL.M. (Tilburg), Lawyer

Managing Director

Email: cparlar@re-move-this.first-privacy.com

Phone: +31 20 211 7116

FIRST PRIVACY B.V.

Peter Suhren, Lawyer

Managing Director

Email: psuhren@re-move-this.first-privacy.com

Phone: +49 421 69 66 32-822

FIRST PRIVACY GmbH

If your inquiry concerns an organization based in Germany, these contacts will help you

Michael Cyl, M.Sc.

Head of Information Security | Penetration Testing

Email: mcyl@re-move-this.datenschutz-nord.de

Phone: +49 421 69 66 32-319

datenschutz nord GmbH, Bremen

Our Qualifications as Pentesters

Established Standards: We follow recognized standards, including BSI IS-Pentest, BSI IS-Webcheck, OWASP, and more.
Experienced, Certified Experts: Our qualified penetration testers bring years of hands-on experience to each project.
Customized Testing: Each test is tailored to the specific requirements and context of the target environment.
Smart Meter Gateway Expertise: Extensive project experience in the Smart Meter Gateway field, compliant with BSI TR-03109-1.
Transparent Processes: We ensure clarity and simplicity throughout the engagement.
Client-Focused Security Enhancement: Our priority is enhancing the IT security of our clients.

Additionally, our team holds the following certifications:

Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
Offensive Security Wireless Professional (OSWP)

Pentesting FAQ

Our Pentesting Process: Step by Step

We provide pentests for various targets, including external networks, internal networks, web applications/APIs, and smartphone apps. Each target requires specific measures, but our approach consistently follows these five steps:

Preliminary Discussion/Kick-Off: Before testing begins, we align on the approach. This can range from a quick email exchange to an in-depth kick-off meeting, depending on the complexity of the target, to clarify all open questions.
Execution: Based on the agreed scope and testing scenarios, our experts conduct the tests. We remain available throughout this phase to address any questions or clarifications.
Documentation: After testing, we compile and structure the results into a comprehensive final report. This includes an executive management summary and a detailed account of each finding, along with actionable recommendations to resolve any identified vulnerabilities.
Final Presentation (Optional): Upon request, we present and discuss the test results in an (online) presentation to ensure all stakeholders understand and can ask questions about the findings.
Follow-Up Testing (Optional): If you implement our recommended measures to address the vulnerabilities, we can verify their effectiveness through a follow-up test—either a quick retest or a comprehensive review, depending on the scope of the changes.

Each step is designed to deliver clear, actionable insights that strengthen your organization’s cybersecurity posture.

Black-Box, Grey-Box, or White-Box Pentest: What Are the Differences?

Pentests vary not only by target (e.g., network, app, API) but also by the initial level of information provided—known as the starting scenario. Here’s a breakdown of the differences between Black-Box, Grey-Box, and White-Box penetration tests:

Black-Box Pentest: In a Black-Box pentest, the tester begins with minimal information, closely mimicking a real-world attack. This type of test typically requires only basic details, such as an IP address, URL, or domain name, to initiate the assessment.
White-Box Pentest: For White-Box testing, the tester has access to extensive information about the system, including network diagrams, security policies, configurations, and even source code. This allows for targeted testing of critical systems and functions. However, the tester’s objectivity might be affected by this comprehensive knowledge.
Grey-Box Pentest: A Grey-Box test combines elements of both Black-Box and White-Box approaches. It may start as a Black-Box test, with additional details provided as needed for a more thorough evaluation. For instance, supplying login credentials or certain technical information upfront classifies the test as Grey-Box, enhancing efficiency while maintaining an external attacker’s perspective.

Each approach has its advantages, and the choice depends on the goals, resources, and security needs of your organization.

Illustration of the three possible pentests; the black box test, the grey box test and the white box test.

Are Pentests Conducted Exclusively Remotely?

All externally accessible targets, such as internet-facing systems and web applications, are tested remotely from our office. For internal tests, we typically use a VPN connection, which reduces additional costs and allows for extended testing time.

If a VPN or similar connection is not available, we offer alternative solutions:

Installation of a Testing Device: We can set up one of our devices at your location for remote testing.
Use of Your Equipment: Alternatively, we can install the necessary software on one of your devices for testing.

If none of these options are feasible, we can arrange for an on-site test by one of our experts.

Are Pentests Conducted in the Production Environment?

You determine which instance of the system is to be tested. If a testing or staging environment is available, we recommend performing the pentest there. However, it’s essential to ensure that the security settings closely resemble those of the production environment, as this will impact the accuracy of the test results.

Regardless of the environment chosen, our top priority is to avoid unintended disruptions or system outages. Therefore, denial-of-service (DoS) attacks are not included in our pentests.

What Level of Effort Is Required from You as the Client for a Pentest?

The effort required from you as the client is relatively low. Initially, we will need to align on the testing approach, and a brief introduction to the system may be necessary. During the test, we ask that a knowledgeable contact person be available to respond to any questions within one business day.

Also of Interest

Internal Network Pentest Pentests for Web Apps/APIs Pentests for Smartphone Apps

External Network Penetration Testing

If your inquiry concerns an organization based in Germany, these contacts will help you

We are here for you as a strong group!