What Is Physical Penetration Testing? 

Introduction and examples in 2023  

Physical penetration tests are one of the four main types of penetration testing, along with network, application, and IoT/Mobile tests. The objective of this test is to identify vulnerabilities in your physical properties that could lead to vectors for an attacker to exploit for some nefarious purpose.

Physical penetration testing introduction 

In the world of cyber security, physical penetration tests point out some of the most common physical vulnerabilities for a company. Physical penetration tests are also referred to as “physical intrusion testing.” This is because these types of penetration tests identify opportunities to compromise the physical barriers of your company, including sensors, cameras, and locks. 

The goal of this test is to identify weaknesses in your physical security controls. This is often done at important locations such as data centers, substations, or offices. Identifying these weaknesses and taking appropriate actions to remedy them will prevent unauthorized individuals from entering your premises and compromising assets.

What physical pentesting is used for

Physical penetration testing (also known as physical pentesting or physical security testing) is a method used to identify vulnerabilities in an organization’s physical environment. It is a crucial aspect of an overall security strategy, in addition to digital security measures.

Physical pentesting is used to test an organization’s physical security controls to ensure they effectively protect physical assets. The objective is to identify weak points that an attacker could exploit to gain unauthorized access to critical areas or sensitive information or to disrupt the operations of the organization.

Security assessments

The primary purpose is to assess the current level of physical security, helping an organization understand its vulnerabilities and where it needs to implement improvements.

Regulatory compliance

Certain industries (like healthcare, finance, etc.) are governed by specific regulations that require physical security measures. Pentesting can help organizations ensure they’re meeting these regulatory requirements.

Prevent unauthorized access

By testing physical security, organizations can prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining access to critical systems or sensitive areas.

Awareness and training

Physical pentesting can also serve as a training tool, helping staff understand how attackers might try to gain physical access and teaching them how to respond appropriately.

The physical pentesting process may involve trying to bypass security measures, such as locks, access control systems, CCTV cameras, alarms, security personnel, etc. It could also involve social engineering techniques, like impersonating an employee or contractor. The aim is not to cause real damage but to highlight potential vulnerabilities. After the test, a report will be produced outlining the findings and suggesting ways to improve physical security.

Why pentest your physical assets

The purpose of physical penetration testing is to identify real-world vulnerabilities that attackers could potentially use to exploit and infiltrate your physical properties and data. 

These vulnerabilities are further analyzed and then remedied to avoid an actual application compromise. Holes in your physical systems may seem like a lesser issue when compared to other penetration tests, but some of your most valuable data is stored at the physical location where your company operates.

Even one successful attack on a physical vector could mean certain doom for your company. As physical security technology has evolved, compromising the system has proven to be more difficult.

However, this doesn’t stop motivated and intelligent individuals from trying and often succeeding in their quest for information. A breach in physical security is devastating for your company, and the importance of strong security controls cannot be understated.

Examples of common attack vectors for physical penetration tests

These are some of the most common attack vectors that individuals try to exploit when attempting to break into your company’s physical properties:

Lock picking attack

Lock-picking is one of the most common ways that an attack can make its way into your physical area. Even today, one of the most effective ways to pass through doors and exits is by utilizing lock-picking techniques. 

This is because the technology behind mechanical doors has not evolved much as time has gone on, leaving the opportunity open for easy picking. However, the majority of businesses nowadays use electromagnetic locks to reduce the opportunity for lock picking, but the chance to breach these doors through ID cloning is still present. ID cloning is the process of obtaining a company ID badge and cloning it for your own later use. 

This has revolutionized physical lock picking and has been a significant problem for security teams to counter. For maximum physical security, use electromagnetic doors with PIN authorization access.

Bypassing cameras and sensors

Another attack vector common to physical penetration tests is cameras and sensors. Cameras and sensors are used to detect individuals in restricted areas of your physical operations and to identify those who have compromised primary security installations like doors. 

Making sure you have working and up-to-date cameras and sensors installed in your physical settings is vital to catching an attacker once they have accessed your physical environment.

Cameras and sensors will also be able to help identify the route an attacker took to gain access to your property, providing a useful (though often costly) learning experience for your physical security team. 

Social engineering attack

One of the biggest threats to the physical security of your company is the employees you hire. It is human nature to want to help other humans out, and attackers use this against your security controls. 

Tactics like impersonating an employee, the family of an employee, or another authorized visitor of a physical place are extremely common. Every organization, no matter the size, is prone to social engineering attacks. It only takes one empathetic employee to compromise your entire security network and leave your company vulnerable. 

Therefore, it is crucial to install strict physical security policies and emphasize the importance of following said policies to maximize the safety and data of your company and all of the employees working for you.

Tips to further protect your company from attacks

While performing penetration tests is both necessary and important for your applications, there are more ways to maximize your security defenses. Here are some of the most important tips to protect your company applications from an attack.

Install anti-virus and anti-malware software updates

Having strong up-to-date anti-virus software should protect you from many of the large vulnerabilities your network has. This will create a backbone for your network and make sure no device is exposed to an attacker.

Establish network use standards

Making sure employees know how they should operate on the network and, more importantly, how they shouldn’t is key to maximizing your security. Social engineering and user error are some of the most common ways attackers infiltrate a system, so educating your employees on network use standards is crucial.

Disable network connections when they are not in use

This step is all about limiting the number of attack vectors hackers have to target. Disabling network connections from dormant connections makes sure you only use what you need and don’t stretch your network thin. This way your cybersecurity team can focus on keeping active connections safe.

Encrypt data that is at rest

Encrypting data is done to ensure important and confidential data stored at rest is safe from compromise. Encrypting this data should mean that even if an attacker gets their hands on your data, they won’t be able to use it for personal gain. 

Limit the number of users with network access and admin privileges

The more users that have elevated administrative privileges on your network, the more likely a successful attack is. Limiting the number of total users on your network and the number of individuals with admin privileges will limit the vulnerability of your network against a targeted attack and the number of attack vectors for a hacker.

Physical penetration testing training 

Physical penetration testing is a hands-on discipline, and therefore practical training is a must. This might involve activities such as lock-picking exercises or physical intrusion drills. Trainees may start with simple exercises, such as picking basic locks, before moving on to more complex tasks like bypassing electronic access control systems.

One classic example of a training exercise is the red team scenario. In this exercise, a group of trainees (the red team) is tasked with gaining unauthorized physical access to a secure facility while another group (the blue team) tries to stop them. This gives trainees the chance to apply what they’ve learned in a realistic but controlled environment.

Social engineering techniques

A significant part of physical penetration testing training revolves around social engineering techniques. This involves tactics designed to manipulate people into granting unauthorized access to facilities or systems. Training in this area might involve learning how to impersonate staff members, delivery personnel, or maintenance workers convincingly. Role-playing exercises can be highly beneficial in this area of training.

Legal and ethical guidelines

In any penetration testing training, it’s crucial to understand the legal and ethical implications. Physical pentesting can involve activities that would be illegal or unethical if done without proper authorization, such as lock picking, trespassing, or impersonation. Therefore, a key component of training is understanding when and how these activities can be performed ethically and legally.

Pursuing physical penetration testing training

There are several ways to pursue physical penetration testing training. Some organizations offer in-house training for their staff, often led by experienced security professionals. 

Numerous third-party companies provide training courses, both online and in-person. For those who prefer self-study, there are books, online tutorials, and community forums where one can learn about physical pentesting.

Finally, it’s important to remember that physical penetration testing training is a continuous process. As new security measures and breaching techniques emerge, ongoing training and education are necessary to stay up-to-date in this ever-evolving field.

Requirements for physical pentesting 

There are a variety of requirements for physical penetration testing. Though this is a long list of needed requirements, it’s important to consider all of these to be thorough with physical integration testing. 

Authorization

Written consent from the management of the organization is crucial before conducting any form of penetration testing. This authorization protects both the organization and the testing team from potential legal issues.

Scope and objective

A clear understanding of the scope (what systems and locations will be tested) and the objectives of the testing (what vulnerabilities are being looked for) is necessary.

Adequate resources

The testing team will need the necessary tools, time, and personnel to perform the test effectively.

Expertise

The testers should have knowledge of physical security systems and the ability to exploit potential vulnerabilities. They should also be aware of the legal and ethical considerations involved in physical penetration testing.

Incident handling plan

A plan should be in place to handle any incidents that might occur during testing, such as triggering security alarms or encountering law enforcement.

Risk assessment

An evaluation of the risks involved in testing should be conducted beforehand, and measures should be put in place to mitigate those risks.

Non-disclosure agreement (NDA)

An NDA can protect sensitive information uncovered during testing from being misused or disclosed.

Report writing skills

After the testing is complete, a detailed report of the findings, including the identified vulnerabilities and suggested countermeasures, needs to be written.

Follow-up procedures

After the test, there should be procedures in place to address the vulnerabilities discovered and to verify the effectiveness of the solutions implemented.

Insurance

Depending on the nature of the test, insurance might be needed to cover potential damages or liabilities during the testing process.

Remember, the requirements might vary based on the specific context and type of organization being tested.

Stages of physical penetration testing 

Physical penetration testing is typically carried out in several stages to ensure a thorough examination of the organization’s physical security measures. These stages can vary slightly depending on the specific methodology used, but the general process usually includes the following steps:

1. Pre-engagement interactions 

This is the initial stage where the scope and objectives of the test are agreed upon. Pre-engagement work includes identifying the physical locations to be tested, the techniques that can be used, and the time frame for the test. Legal issues are also addressed at this stage, with agreements signed to protect both parties.

2. Intelligence gathering

This stage involves gathering as much information as possible about the organization and its physical premises. This could involve online research, site visits, and even surveillance. The goal is to understand the physical layout, the security measures in place, the daily routines of staff, and any other information that might be useful in planning the attack.

3. Threat modeling 

Based on the gathered intelligence, the testers develop possible attack scenarios. They identify potential vulnerabilities and the methods they could use to exploit them. Each method is evaluated in terms of its likelihood of success and the potential impact on the organization.

4. Vulnerability analysis 

This stage involves probing the identified potential weaknesses without actually exploiting them. The purpose is to confirm their existence and understand their nature. This could involve testing door locks, examining access control systems, or observing the response of security personnel to suspicious behavior.

5. Exploitation 

This is the stage where the testers attempt to gain unauthorized access to the physical premises using the methods identified in the threat modeling stage. The goal is not to cause actual harm but to demonstrate that the exploit is possible.

6. Post-exploitation 

After gaining access, the testers identify what actions could be taken. This could include accessing sensitive areas, removing or altering physical assets, or setting up conditions for future access. The specifics will depend on the objectives of the test.

7. Reporting 

The final stage is to report the findings. The testers document their methods, their successes, and any difficulties they encountered. They also recommend improvements to the physical security measures to address the identified vulnerabilities.

8. Review and retest

Based on the recommendations from the report, the organization takes steps to improve its physical security. Once the improvements have been made, a retest may be conducted to ensure that the vulnerabilities have been adequately addressed.

These stages provide a structured approach to physical penetration testing, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of an organization’s physical security.