Reporting

Format Alignment: Key Considerations for Penetration Testing Reports

Documentation Specifications:

• Standardization: Align reports with a recognized standard or internal style guide for consistency. (e.g., PCI-DSS Reporting Requirements)

• Formatting: Maintain consistent formatting throughout the report (font size, headings, tables, etc.) for readability.

• Terminology: Clearly define technical terms used within the report to avoid ambiguity for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Risk Scoring:

• Methodology: Describe the risk scoring system employed (e.g., CVSS) and how it factors in exploitability, impact, and likelihood.

• Severity Levels: Define severity levels (High, Medium, Low) associated with identified risks to prioritize remediation efforts.

• Transparency: Explain the rationale behind assigned risk scores for improved understanding and decision-making.

Definitions:

• Glossary: Include a glossary of technical terms used within the report for easy reference.

• In-Context Definitions: Define important terms within the report itself where they are first introduced.

Report Components:

• Executive Summary:

  • Briefly summarize key findings, identified vulnerabilities, and overall risk assessment.

  • Highlight critical recommendations for immediate attention.

  • Target this section for a non-technical audience (e.g., management).

• Methodology:

  • Describe the penetration testing methodology employed (e.g., black-box, white-box).

  • Outline the tools and techniques used during the assessment.

  • Explain the scope and limitations of the testing engagement.

• Detailed Findings:

  • Provide a detailed breakdown of identified vulnerabilities, categorized by severity and exploitability.

  • Include technical evidence for each finding, such as screenshots or logs.

  • Offer clear explanations of the potential impact of each vulnerability.

  • Target this section for a technical audience (e.g., IT security team).

• Attack Narrative:

  • Describe a potential attack scenario using identified vulnerabilities, providing context for the risks.

  • Illustrate the potential consequences of a successful attack on the organization.

• Recommendations:

  • Outline clear and actionable recommendations for remediation, prioritizing critical issues.

  • Provide step-by-step remediation guidance or references to relevant resources.

  • Remediation Guidance:

    • Offer specific instructions or technical details for addressing vulnerabilities.

    • Prioritize remediation efforts based on risk scores.

    • Suggest alternative mitigation strategies if complete remediation is not feasible.

• Test Limitations and Assumptions:

  • Clearly outline any limitations of the penetration testing engagement (e.g., time constraints, excluded systems).

  • State any assumptions made during the testing process (e.g., access granted, specific configurations).

• Reporting Considerations:

  • Legal: Ensure the report complies with any relevant legal or regulatory requirements (e.g., data privacy regulations).

  • Ethical: Adhere to ethical principles of penetration testing, such as responsible disclosure and respecting client confidentiality.

  • Quality Control (QC): Implement a thorough quality control process to ensure report accuracy and completeness.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): If using AI tools for testing or report generation, disclose their usage and limitations.