Internal Network Penetration Testing
What is an internal network penetration test?
An insider is anyone with access to organisational applications, systems and data, such as employees, contractors or partners.
The target is typically the same as an external penetration test, but the test relies on some sort of authorised access or starts from a point within your network. This makes it an essential part of a robust network security strategy, testing not just perimeter defences but the authentication and access control measures that protect your system once someone is inside.
Our internal network test assesses specified internal-facing network devices, using both automated scans and advanced manual testing techniques to identify vulnerabilities and assess your overall security posture.
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What is included in an internal network penetration test?
- Secure configurations
- Network traffic
- Secure passwords
- Patching
- Secure authentication
- Encryption
- Information leakage
Identified vulnerabilities are presented in a report that allows your organisation to assess business risks and remediation costs, so issues can then be resolved in line with your budget and risk appetite.
Internal vs external penetration testing
- Internal network penetration testing assesses what could happen if an attacker, employee or third party already has access inside your network, whether through a compromised account, physical access or malicious intent. This helps you understand not just how someone could get in, but what they could do once they’re there.
- External network penetration testing looks at internet-facing assets, such as your website, applications and network perimeter, to identify what an attacker without existing access could exploit from outside your organisation.
Many organisations run both types of test as part of a complete network security strategy.
Understanding insider threats
Insider threats are among the hardest risks for organisations to detect and stop, largely because of the sheer scope of ways they can arise. They include everything from staff accidentally losing or damaging data to malicious actors deliberately stealing information or compromising systems.
Because staff, contractors and partners typically have easier access to systems and assets than an outsider would, the internal network is often where organisations are most vulnerable.
Internal network penetration testing helps you understand how far a malicious insider, a compromised account or an unauthorised third party could move through your network, and what systems or data they could reach before being detected.
Common internal network vulnerabilities we test for
- Weak or default passwords
- Missing security patches
- Insecure system configurations
- Poor access controls
- Authentication weaknesses
- Information leakage
- Unencrypted network traffic
Each finding is assessed for its potential business impact, so you can prioritise remediation in line with your risk appetite and budget.
Is an internal network penetration test right for you?
- Are your workstations and devices secure?
- Is there a risk to your network from weak/default passwords?
- Can someone on the inside gain access to the entire internal network?
- Do you suffer from information leakage?
- Have you assessed your intranet application for vulnerabilities?
- Are your systems adequately patched?
- Is your third-party access robust?
Our internal network penetration testing process
This service assesses all internal-facing network devices that you specify. It does not include segmentation testing – for a dedicated segmentation testing service, please Get a quote.
We use both automated scans and advanced manual testing techniques to assess your security and identify vulnerabilities.
Benefits of an internal network penetration test
- Identify and understand the technology-related vulnerabilities affecting your internal infrastructure;
- Find out how an attacker could move through your internal infrastructure, escalating their privileges and compromising key services;
- Understand the potential business impacts of vulnerabilities in your internal infrastructure;
- Demonstrate your security posture to clients by providing third-party assurances that your internal infrastructure is secure;
- Comply with ISO 27001, the UK DPA (Data Protection Act) 2018 and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), and other laws, regulations and contractual obligations; and
- Protect brand loyalty and corporate image by reducing the likelihood of a security breach.
How we can help you
Our penetration testing services give you all the technical assurance you need.
We are pioneers in offering easy-to-understand and quick-to-buy penetration testing.
You can choose the level of penetration test to meet your budget and technical requirements.
We provide clear reports that can be understood by technical and management teams alike.
For Azure clients, this means we take care to limit all penetration tests to your assets, thereby avoiding unintended consequences to your customers or your infrastructure.
Companies using our penetration testing services
FAQs (frequently asked questions)
We recommend carrying out an internal network penetration test at least annually, or after any significant change to your infrastructure. This ensures your security testing keeps pace with changes to your network, applications and access controls.
Internal network penetration testing is carried out in a controlled and authorised manner, with scope agreed in advance so testing stays limited to your specified assets. This minimises the risk of disruption to normal business operations.
Any vulnerabilities identified are documented in a clear report, along with an assessment of the associated business risk. This allows you to prioritise remediation in line with your budget and risk appetite, rather than treating every finding as equally urgent.
A vulnerability scan uses automated tools to identify known weaknesses, while a penetration test goes further – combining automated scanning with manual testing techniques to actively attempt to exploit vulnerabilities, in the same way an attacker would. This shows not just what weaknesses exist, but how they could realistically be used against you.