Penetration testing is a human-led process that goes beyond automated vulnerability scans by simulating real-world attacks to uncover and validate exploitable weaknesses. It spans infrastructure, web and mobile applications, cloud environments, and can include red team and purple team exercises. Methods such as black box, grey box, and white box testing vary in scope and efficiency. Effective tests provide actionable reports, support compliance needs, and reveal detection gaps. Common pitfalls include late testing, lack of retesting, and misconceptions like equating testers with hackers or assuming tools alone are sufficient. Human expertise remains the critical differentiator.

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