A physical pentest, also known as a physical security test, is a type of penetration test that assesses the security of a physical location through realistic attack simulations. The goal of a physical pentest is to identify vulnerabilities in the physical security measures of a site and to evaluate how effectively those measures can repel an attack.
During the test, various techniques may be employed to challenge the security of a location, such as lock picking, social engineering, and manipulating security equipment like cameras and access control systems. For instance, the tester might attempt to gain access to secure areas without proper authorization or to stealthily steal sensitive information.
Physical pentests can be conducted at various sites, including offices, data centers, factories, hospitals, and government buildings. This form of testing is critical as the security of physical locations is often overlooked in organizations’ overall security strategies.
After a physical pentest, findings are reported, and recommendations may be made to enhance the site’s security and prevent actual attackers from exploiting identified weaknesses.