** Services > Network Audit and Penetration Testing > Internet
Gateway Security Testing

External penetration testing puts us in much the same position
as a potential intruder, trying to break into an Internet gateway
and compromise the systems behind it.

* The Need

The Internet is not getting any safer.

External testing of an Internet connection is necessary to make
sure that there are no holes that intruders can exploit: even
with the best security design there may be errors in configuration
that would otherwise go unnoticed.

* Our Service

IDsec consultants follow an established methodology, extracting
as much information from a target as possible before looking for
specific vulnerabilities.

So our first step is to find all the services that are offered
to the world at large.

Some of these may be unnecessary and, perhaps, offer information
that might be of use to an intruder. It is often possible to
characterise the various hosts and produce a rough network map.

We then launch a wide range of probes to see if there
is any vulnerability that could be exploited by an
intruder. Vulnerabilities may arise from poor design,
misconfiguration or the use of outdated software.  We use our own
Netwalk tool for network mapping and host characterisation. For
finding specific vulnerabilities we use a number of tools,
including Internet Scanner from ISS and the public domain tool
Nessus.

This inevitably leads to some manual follow-up: in some cases
the output of tools may imply a vulnerability that only a skilled
analyst can confirm.

Unless requested by the client, we do not run any checks designed
to cause a denial of service (that is, crash or otherwise seriously
affect the remote system). This means that the impact on business
is minimal.

The final, and most important, stage is to merge all the findings
from various sources into a single view of the network and any
threats to it. This involves consolidating the results given by the
tools, eliminating any false positives, summarising the population
of the network as found and then producing a set of conclusions,
including specific recommendations for fixing vulnerabilities.
Any serious holes in an exposed network are reported to client
staff immediately.

* What You Get

At the end of the review we issue a written report containing a
summary of the systems found on the network, a set of detailed
host-by-host results and a set of conclusions and recommendations.

IDsec reports are not simply the output of the tools used for
scanning: we explain the significance of each vulnerability in
plain terms and provide general guidance on closing any security
holes found.  In some cases our conclusions may relate to important
non-security issues that we believe are impairing the general
well being of the network (for example, misconfigured routing or
name servers).

* The Price

Prices start at around £2,700 for a small Internet gateway with
up to 10 IP addresses.

* Our Track Record

Since 1997 IDsec has been carrying out external audits for many
blue-chip companies, in some cases carrying out repeat tests over
several years.

For a major UK telecoms company we have carried out regular tests
of its managed firewall service, using a high level of automation
to cover a very large network range.

A large mobile phone operator has commissioned us to test a number
of its on-line services just prior to going live.

At the other end of the scale we carry out a number of small-scale
assessments for organisations setting up their first Internet
presence and requiring more detailed interpretation of the results
than more sophisticated players might need.

* Related Services

On-Site Gateway Review

An on-site review of an Internet gateway that goes beyond a simple
external scan and looks for strength in depth.

Superwalk: Automated Monitoring

Superwalk runs regular scans of an Internet gateway, and
characterises all hosts that give any IP response. It also uses a
number of tools to find specific vulnerabilities in the services
offered.

* About Us

IDsec is an independent company specialising in network security,
and has provided penetration tests and intrusion detection
systems since 1997. We can assess the security of your enterprise
and advise on long-term protection: as we have for a range of
blue-chip clients in the banking, telecoms, manufacturing and
utility sectors.

IDsec Limited 31-33 College Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 1EJ,
United Kingdom

T: +44 20 8861 2001 F: +44 20 8861 3433 W: www.idsec.co.uk

All prices exclude VAT and are subject to confirmation.

Copyright (C) 2011 IDsec Limited

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