Question

This question of security+ course

Why should authorization be obtained for penetration testing and vulnerability testing?

Answer 1

Vulnerability testing: Or vulnerability scan which is used to find out the vulnerability or weakness in a system. This task is performed by running an application called a vulnerability scanner on the target system.

Penetration testing: is done to a system to find a way into the system. This may expose the important data that is stored by the system. An attacker can get into the system and access this data.

At first vulnerability scan is performed in the system to know of any vulnerabilities present and that can be exploited. Then Penetration testing confirms the extent up to which possibility the vulnerability can be exploited.

Vulnerability and Penetration testing are done to fix the loopholes and to avoid the potential attacks and security breaches to the system.

For performing this the tester needs to break in the network/computer system and may result in disruption/damage of data, which is a crime and can hold severe penalties to the tester.

So having prior authorization to conduct these tests may lessen the risk. Hence getting authorization for conducting these types of tests is necessary.