Manual Penetration Testing

Manual penetration testing is a security assessment methodology where human testers simulate real-world attacks on systems, networks, or applications to identify vulnerabilities that automated tools might miss. It involves hands-on techniques like reconnaissance, exploitation, and post-exploitation to evaluate security controls and uncover weaknesses. This approach provides deep, contextual insights into security risks and helps organizations understand their actual exposure to threats.

Also known as: Pen Testing, Ethical Hacking, Security Testing, Red Teaming, Manual Security Assessment

Why learn Manual Penetration Testing?

Developers should learn manual penetration testing to build more secure applications by thinking like an attacker and identifying logic flaws, business logic vulnerabilities, and complex attack chains that automated scanners often overlook. It's crucial for roles in application security, red teaming, or secure development, especially when assessing custom or legacy systems, conducting compliance audits (like PCI DSS or HIPAA), or performing targeted security assessments for high-value assets.

Learning Resources

• docs: OWASP Web Security Testing Guide
• docs: Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES)
• course: The Cyber Mentor - Practical Ethical Hacking Course
• tutorial: PortSwigger Web Security Academy
• book: Penetration Testing: A Hands-On Introduction to Hacking