What Attackers See Is What We Find First
A thorough external network penetration testing audit answers the question: 'When a cybercriminal targets your organisation, where do they start?'
They generally don’t start inside your office. They start from the outside, from the public internet, scanning your 'digital perimeter' for any crack they can slip through.
Your websites, servers, cloud services, and remote-access portals are all exposed to the internet 24/7. External network penetration testing is the only way to know if those 'digital doors' are locked.
What is External Network Penetration Testing?
It’s a security audit that simulates an attack from an outside attacker. This ‘ethical hacker’ has no internal knowledge of your network and no special access.
Their goal is to breach your perimeter using the same tools and techniques as a real-world cybercriminal.
This type of test reviews how vulnerable your organisation is to an anonymous attacker on the internet. It’s a direct test of your frontline defences.
Common Threats on Your Network's Perimeter
An external network penetration testing audit focuses on everything you expose to the public. Attackers are constantly scanning for these common, high-risk vulnerabilities.
Unpatched Software and Services
This is the most common vulnerability. Your servers, firewalls, and applications might be running outdated software with known security flaws.
As detailed in the ENISA Threat Landscape 2023 report, attackers use automated tools to find and exploit these systems in minutes.
Misconfigured Firewalls and Servers
A firewall is only as good as its configuration. A simple mistake, like leaving a sensitive database port open to the internet, can give an attacker direct access to your most valuable data.
Web Application Flaws
If your website or web application isn't secure, it can be a gateway to your network.
An effective external network penetration testing expert will test for common web flaws, like those listed in the 2024 OWASP Top 10. This includes things like SQL Injection, which can be used to steal your entire customer database.
The External Network Penetration Testing Methodology
A professional external network penetration testing methodology must be structured and thorough. It simulates the entire lifecycle of an external attack, often following EU industry guidelines.
Step 1: Public Reconnaissance
The test begins with a 'recon.' Our cybersecurity experts use public sources (like your website, search engines, and social media) to gather information about your organisation.
We look for IP addresses, domain names, employee names, and a list of technologies you use.
Step 2: Scanning and Enumeration
Next, we actively scan your known IP addresses. We look for open ports, running services (like web servers, email servers, or VPNs), and any other sign of a potential entry point.
Step 3: Gaining Access (Exploitation)
This is the most important step. Once we find a potential vulnerability, like an unpatched server or a weak password on a login form, we’ll attempt to exploit it.
The goal is to gain unauthorised access to a system, proving the risk is real.
Step 4: Reporting and Remediation Guidance
We provide a clear, no-nonsense report. It details every vulnerability we found, how we exploited it, and the level of risk it poses. Most importantly, we give your team clear, step-by-step instructions on how to fix each issue.
Why You Can't Rely on Firewalls Alone
A firewall is an essential tool, but it's not a complete security solution. It can't protect you from a vulnerability in your web application, and it can't stop an attacker from using stolen credentials.
Automated scanners also have their limits. They can find the 'low-hanging fruit', but custom applications or clever configurations can easily fool them. Only a manual, expert-led external network penetration testing audit can find the complex, logic-based flaws that a real attacker would look for.
This level of due diligence is also a core part of complying with legal regulations.
The 7ASecurity Approach: An Attacker's Mindset
At 7ASecurity, we specialise in manual security audits. Our experts have an in-depth understanding of how cybercriminals think and operate.
We don’t just run a scanner and send you a report. We manually probe your defences, testing for the OWASP Top 10 and finding the subtle misconfigurations that automated tools always miss.
Our external network penetration testing service provides an accurate, real-world assessment of your perimeter security. We give you the actionable intelligence you need to lock your digital doors and protect your data, all backed by our free fix verification.
Frequently Asked Questions about External Pentesting
My services are in the cloud. Isn't that already secure?
Your cloud provider secures the infrastructure (their data centres), but you’re responsible for securing your configuration and the applications you run on it.
An external network penetration testing audit checks for misconfigurations, weak access controls, and application flaws in your cloud environment.
What does an external network penetration test actually look for?
We test all your internet-facing assets. This includes your web servers, email servers, VPNs, firewalls, and any other services exposed to the public. We look for unpatched software, weak passwords, and misconfigurations that an attacker could exploit.
Is a firewall not enough to protect us?
A firewall is a critical first line of defence, but it's not foolproof. It can't protect you if a service it allows (like your website) has a serious vulnerability. We test to see if your firewall rules are effective and if the services you expose are secure.
What is the primary benefit of an external network penetration test?
The main benefit is seeing your organisation exactly as an attacker sees it. It gives you a real-world, prioritised list of your most exposed weaknesses, so you can fix them before they lead to a breach and a potential GDPR violation.
Secure Your Public-Facing Assets
Your external network is your first and most important line of defence. Don’t leave its security to chance. 7ASecurity provides the expert-driven testing you need to be confident in your defences.
Find your weak points before attackers do.
