ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a general introduction to the subject of penetration testing and provides the security professional with the background needed to understand this special area of security analysis. Penetration testing can be a valuable tool for understanding and improving the security of a computer or network. However, it can also be used to exploit system weaknesses and attack systems and steal valuable information. By understanding the need for penetration testing, and the issues and processes surrounding its use, a security professional will be better able to use penetration testing as a standard part of the analysis toolkit.
