Penetration testing (or "pen testing") doesn't monitor threats in the traditional, ongoing sense like a SIEM or antivirus platform does—but it simulates real-world attacks to discover vulnerabilities that could allow threats in. Think of it as "ethical hacking" to expose weaknesses before a real attacker finds them.

Here’s a breakdown of how pen testing discovers threats and weaknesses:

🧠 1. Reconnaissance & Threat Modeling

Pen testers start by gathering intelligence just like a hacker would:

  • Public IPs, domain info, emails (OSINT)

  • Exposed web services or cloud assets

  • Unpatched systems or open ports

➡️ This helps map your attack surface and identify high-value targets or likely entry points.

🔍 2. Vulnerability Identification

They use automated scanning tools and manual inspection to look for:

  • Known vulnerabilities (CVEs)

  • Misconfigurations (open databases, weak TLS)

  • Default passwords or exposed admin panels

  • Insecure code (in web/mobile apps)

➡️ This phase identifies “cracks in the armor” that real attackers could exploit.

💥 3. Exploitation

Pen testers then try to exploit those weaknesses:

  • Gain access to servers or user accounts

  • Escalate privileges inside your network

  • Extract or manipulate sensitive data

  • Break out of containers or VMs

➡️ If they succeed, it confirms a real-world risk—not just a theoretical one.

🧭 4. Lateral Movement & Persistence

Once inside, they act like an advanced persistent threat (APT):

  • Move laterally to other systems

  • Bypass network segmentation

  • Drop fake backdoors to test detection

➡️ This simulates how ransomware or nation-state attackers spread post-breach.

📝 5. Threat Discovery Report

At the end, they provide a detailed report:

  • Critical and high-risk vulnerabilities

  • Screenshots of successful exploits

  • Risk scoring (CVSS) and business impact

  • Step-by-step remediation recommendations

➡️ This report is your roadmap to close the gaps and reduce real-world attack risk.

🛠️ BONUS: Threat Monitoring Tools May Be Tested Too

If you have SIEMs, firewalls, or EDR tools in place, pen testers may also:

  • Trigger alerts (or try to avoid them)

  • Evaluate your detection & response time

  • See if your SOC reacts properly

This helps measure your incident response readiness.

In Short:

Pen testing doesn’t monitor threats—it acts like one to find the holes that allow those threats to get in. It’s controlled, safe, and meant to uncover risks before real attackers exploit them.

Would you like a visual flowchart or diagram of this attack simulation process?