Pentera Blog: Pentesting, Red Teaming & Security

Finding MSSQL Database Version with TDS Protocol

Amit German

29 May 2023

Exposed database services can reveal more than many teams realize - even before authentication. Something as simple as version disclosure can help attackers identify known weaknesses and prioritize exploitation. Limiting unnecessary exposure and continuously validating database access paths are critical to reducing that risk.

Reducing Exposure on the Manufacturing Attack Surface

Pentera Team

18 May 2023

s manufacturing IT and OT environments become more connected, the attack surface grows and the cost of downtime rises with it. That makes continuous security validation critical - not just to find vulnerabilities, but to understand which exposures could actually disrupt operations. Manufacturers that test often, prioritize by real risk,...

Proactive and Preventative Security Measures

Pentera Team

21 Mar 2023

Organizations are investing heavily in security, yet breaches persist because visibility alone does not prove resilience. The adversarial perspective helps security teams understand what is truly exploitable, how attacks can progress, and where remediation will have the greatest impact. That is what makes continuous security validation such a critical evolution...

Securing MongoDB with Data-at-Rest Encryption

Pentera Team

13 Mar 2023

Data-at-rest encryption is a foundational control for protecting sensitive information when systems are offline or physically compromised. For teams using MongoDB Community Edition, practical approaches like filesystem-level encryption can help close an important security gap without requiring a costly platform overhaul. The goal is simple: even if storage is stolen,...

Best Practices for Migrating from CentOS to Ubuntu

Pentera Team

02 Mar 2023

When an operating system reaches end of life, the risk is not just technical debt - it is growing security exposure and reduced operational stability. A migration from CentOS to Ubuntu is not simply a platform change; it is an opportunity to modernize patching, streamline dependencies, and strengthen long-term supportability....

Effective Strategies for Bypassing Antivirus

Pentera Team

26 Jan 2023

Techniques like reflective loading show how attackers increasingly focus on bypassing detection, not just gaining access. When malicious code can hide inside trusted processes and stay off disk, traditional endpoint controls face a much harder challenge. That is why organizations need layered defenses, stronger behavioral monitoring, and continuous validation to...

Assessing Your Attack Surface from an Attacker’s Perspective

Pentera Team

18 Dec 2022

Managing the external attack surface is no longer just about counting internet-facing assets - it is about understanding which ones are most attractive to attackers. Size increases exposure, but attractiveness determines where adversaries are most likely to focus first. Organizations need continuous visibility and validation to reduce both.

Techniques for Bypassing Air-Gapped Networks

Pentera Team

08 Dec 2022

Air-gapped networks are not immune to attack when internal services like DNS can still be abused as covert communication channels. The risk is not just connectivity, but the hidden trust paths that allow data exfiltration and command-and-control to operate unnoticed. Strong DNS isolation, monitoring, and continuous validation are essential to...

Limitations of CVE Management as a Primary Strategy

Pentera Team

11 Nov 2022

Security teams cannot patch their way out of risk when most vulnerabilities will never be meaningfully exploited. What matters is understanding which weaknesses attackers can actually turn into an attack path, whether through a CVE, leaked credentials, or simple misconfigurations. A hacker-centric approach helps organizations focus remediation where it will...

Enhancing QA with Shift-Left Testing

Pentera Team

06 Nov 2022

“Quality improves fastest when testing starts at the beginning, not the end, of development. Bringing QA into design, handoff, and validation stages helps teams catch defects earlier, reduce rework, and keep releases closer to production-ready at all times. A true shift-left approach strengthens both product stability and delivery speed.

Steps to Mitigate Credential Exposure Risks

Pentera Team

24 Oct 2022

Leaked credentials remain one of the fastest paths to compromise because attackers only need one valid identity to get started. The challenge is not just finding exposed credentials, but validating which ones can actually be used against your environment. Organizations reduce that risk by continuously identifying, testing, and remediating credential...

WiFi, the untested attack surface

Pentera Team

13 Oct 2022

Wi-Fi networks are often treated as secondary attack surfaces, but they can expose critical systems, credentials, and management interfaces just as easily as wired environments. When those segments go untested, attackers can abuse them to reach high-impact assets that security teams may not be watching closely. Continuous validation helps uncover...