📘 Glossary of Penetration Testing Terms

A reference guide to common terms, techniques, and concepts used in ethical hacking and penetration testing.

A

• Access Control
  Mechanism that restricts access to systems or data based on policies, roles, or rules.

• Active Directory (AD)
  Microsoft's directory service for Windows domain networks. Common target in internal network tests.

• Adversary Simulation
  Testing method that mimics real-world attackers to assess detection and response capabilities.

• Attack Vector
  The path or method used by an attacker to exploit a vulnerability.

B

• Black Box Testing
  Testing without prior knowledge of the internal workings or architecture of the target.

• Blue Team
  Defensive cybersecurity team responsible for monitoring and defending infrastructure.

• Brute Force Attack
  A method to crack passwords or keys by systematically trying all possible combinations.

C

• Command Injection
  A vulnerability where an attacker can execute arbitrary commands on a host operating system.

• Credential Dumping
  Technique used to extract account credentials (e.g., hashes) from systems like Windows.

• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
  Injection of malicious scripts into otherwise trusted websites viewed by other users.

• CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System)
  Industry standard for rating the severity of security vulnerabilities.

D

• Defense in Depth
  Security strategy involving multiple layers of protection across systems.

• Directory Traversal
  Vulnerability allowing access to files and directories outside the web root folder.

• DNS Spoofing
  Attack that redirects queries to malicious IPs by falsifying DNS data.

E

• Enumeration
  The process of gathering information about usernames, shares, services, etc., from a system or network.

• Exploit
  A piece of software, data, or commands that takes advantage of a vulnerability to cause unintended behavior.

F

• Firewall
  A network security device that monitors and filters incoming/outgoing traffic based on rules.

• Footprinting
  Passive information gathering about a target prior to active scanning or exploitation.

G

• Gray Box Testing
  Testing where the tester has partial knowledge of the target (e.g., credentials or architecture).

H

• Hash Cracking
  Attempting to reverse cryptographic hashes to obtain the original input (usually passwords).

• Honeypot
  A decoy system designed to lure attackers and detect or study their methods.

I

• IDS/IPS (Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems)
  Tools that detect or prevent suspicious activity or policy violations.

• Information Disclosure
  Exposure of sensitive information (e.g., debug logs, error messages) that may aid attackers.

J

• JWT (JSON Web Token)
  A common token format used for session authentication, often tested for manipulation or forgery.

L

• Lateral Movement
  Technique used by attackers to move deeper into a network after initial compromise.

• Local File Inclusion (LFI)
  A vulnerability that allows attackers to include files from the server's filesystem.

M

• Man-in-the-Middle (MITM)
  Attack where the attacker secretly intercepts or alters communications between two parties.

• Metasploit
  A widely-used exploitation framework for developing and executing exploits.

N

• Nmap
  Popular network scanner used to discover hosts, services, and vulnerabilities.

O

• OSINT (Open Source Intelligence)
  Gathering publicly available information for reconnaissance (e.g., via social media, public data).

P

• Payload
  The part of an exploit that performs a specific action, such as opening a shell or reverse connection.

• Phishing
  Social engineering attack that tricks users into revealing sensitive info or executing malicious actions.

• Pivoting
  Using a compromised system to gain access to additional systems or networks.

R

• Red Team
  Offensive security team simulating real-world attackers to test defenses.

• Reverse Shell
  A shell session initiated from the target back to the attacker's system.

• RCE (Remote Code Execution)
  A critical vulnerability allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code remotely.

S

• Session Hijacking
  Exploiting a valid session token to impersonate a legitimate user.

• SQL Injection (SQLi)
  Injection attack targeting database queries via unsanitized input.

T

• TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures)
  A model describing the behavior and methods of threat actors.

• Trojan
  Malicious software disguised as legitimate to trick users into executing it.

U

• User Enumeration
  Identifying valid usernames through error messages, timing differences, or other side channels.

V

• Vulnerability
  A weakness in a system that can be exploited to compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability.

• Vulnerability Assessment
  The process of identifying, quantifying, and prioritizing vulnerabilities in systems.

W

• WAF (Web Application Firewall)
  A security solution that filters, monitors, and blocks HTTP traffic to and from a web application.

• Whitelisting
  A security approach that allows only explicitly approved applications or traffic.

X

• XML External Entity (XXE)
  An attack against XML parsers where external entities are exploited to access internal files or services.

Z

• Zero-Day
  A vulnerability unknown to the vendor and public, with no official fix available.

This glossary is maintained as part of the Haxoris Wiki, serving as a learning reference for cybersecurity professionals and ethical hackers.