Scopes of Testing

There are three primary scopes when testing an application or service. Understanding the target will determines the level of testing in the pentesting engagement. There are three different scopes of testing mainly -

Black-Box Testing

No Knowledge

In Black Box Testing, the tester is not provided any information about the inner workings of the application. They act as a regular user, testing the functionality and interactions of the system. This type of testing often increases the time spent during the information gathering and enumeration phase, as the tester needs to fully explore the attack surface.

Goal: Identify vulnerabilities from an outsider's perspective, focusing on system defenses exposed to an unauthenticated user.

Example: Testing a public website without access to source code or internal documentation.

Grey-Box Testing

Partial Knowledge

Grey Box Testing is the most popular scoping type for penetration testing. It combines elements of both Black Box and White Box testing, where the tester is provided with limited knowledge of the internal components of the application or software. This limited knowledge helps save time and is often preferred for systems with well-hardened attack surfaces.

Goal: Identify vulnerabilities using both external and some internal information, simulating an attacker with partial access or a compromised insider.

Example: Testing a web application with access to user roles or basic system architecture, but not the full source code.

White-Box Testing

Full Knowledge

White Box Testing is a low-level process where the tester examines the internal components of the application or software. They ensure that specific functions work correctly and efficiently. The tester has full knowledge of the application and its expected behavior, making this process more time-consuming than Black Box testing. This thorough approach ensures that the entire attack surface is validated.

Goal: Conduct a thorough assessment of vulnerabilities by examining the system’s internals in detail, enabling in-depth testing of the application or network.

Example: Performing a code review, testing all input paths, and assessing internal configurations with full access to system documentation.