Report Penetration Test: Outline (en)

Introduction

• Importance of Penetration Test Reports: Why is a good report crucial? Its impact on organizations.
• Report Objectives: What is to be achieved through the report? Providing clear, actionable, and comprehensive information.
• Audience: Who will read the report? Tailor the language and technical level.

Ideal Report Structure

• Title Page: Basic information such as title, author, date, organization.
• Executive Summary: A brief summary of main findings, recommendations, and potential impacts.
• Introduction: Background, objectives of the testing, scope, and methodology used.

• Findings:
  • Vulnerabilities: Detailed description of each identified vulnerability, including CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) if applicable.
  • Exploitation: How the vulnerability was exploited, steps taken, and supporting evidence.
  • Impact: Potential impact of each vulnerability if exploited by unauthorized parties.

• Risk Analysis:
  • Risk Assessment: Evaluation of the risk level of each vulnerability based on the likelihood of exploitation and its impact.
  • Prioritization: Determining repair priorities based on risk level.

• Recommendations:
  • Remediation: Specific recommendations for fixing each vulnerability.
  • Mitigation: Temporary mitigation steps if remediation cannot be implemented immediately.
  • Prevention: Suggestions to prevent similar types of vulnerabilities in the future.

• Conclusion: Summary of main findings and recommendations.

• Appendices:
  • Technical Evidence: Screenshots, logs, and other evidence supporting the findings.
  • Detailed Methodology: More detailed descriptions of tools and techniques used.

Tips for Writing an Effective Report

• Clear and Concise: Avoid excessive technical jargon, use easily understood language.
• Structured: Use a consistent and easy-to-follow format.
• Accurate: Ensure all presented information is accurate and verifiable.
• Objective: Avoid bias and present facts neutrally.
• Visualization: Use graphs, diagrams, or tables to present complex data.
• Actionable: Recommendations should be clear and actionable.

Tools and Templates

• Tools for Evidence Collection: Burp Suite, Metasploit, Nmap, etc.
• Tools for Report Creation: Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or specialized report generation tools.
• Report Templates: Many penetration test report templates are available online.

Best Practices

• Collaboration with Teams: Involve the development and operational teams in the reporting process.
• Regular Updates: Reports should be updated regularly to reflect environmental changes.
• Good Documentation: Keep all evidence and documentation related to the testing.

Additional:

• Ethics in Reporting: Discuss the importance of maintaining ethics in reporting, especially regarding confidentiality of information.
• Legality: Touch on the legal aspects related to penetration test reporting, such as Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) implications.

Interesting Links

Ethical Hacking