RE: pen test

PCI-DSS is a contractual requirement and an industry standard. It is NOT a law. There is no legislative requirement for PCI.

There are risk quantification requirements under BASEL II in finance, but nothing legislatively compelling in PCI. PCI has contractual teeth.

Regards,

Dr Craig Wright (GSE-Compliance)

http://gse-compliance.blogspot.com/



Craig Wright
Manager of Information Systems

Direct : +61 2 9286 5497
Craig.Wright@xxxxxxxxxx
+61 417 683 914

BDO Kendalls (NSW)
Level 19, 2 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000
GPO BOX 2551 Sydney NSW 2001
Fax +61 2 9993 9497
www.bdo.com.au

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation in respect of matters arising within those States and Territories of Australia where such legislation exists.

The information in this email and any attachments is confidential. If you are not the named addressee you must not read, print, copy, distribute, or use in any way this transmission or any information it contains. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by return email, destroy all copies and delete it from your system.

Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and not necessarily endorsed by BDO Kendalls. You may not rely on this message as advice unless subsequently confirmed by fax or letter signed by a Partner or Director of BDO Kendalls. It is your responsibility to scan this communication and any files attached for computer viruses and other defects. BDO Kendalls does not accept liability for any loss or damage however caused which may result from this communication or any files attached. A full version of the BDO Kendalls disclaimer, and our Privacy statement, can be found on the BDO Kendalls website at http://www.bdo.com.au or by emailing administrator@xxxxxxxxxxx

BDO Kendalls is a national association of separate partnerships and entities.

________________________________


From: listbounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Michael R. Martinez
Sent: Wed 12/12/2007 4:04 AM
To: Worrell, Brian; Marty Resnick; listbounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; security-basics
Subject: Re: pen test



Brian,

A vulnerability assessment is completely different as well. Yes, you can assess the vulnerability from a technilogical standpoint of your host. For example, an open port, let's say, port 80 is open on your host. What you are looking for is a vulnerability, port 80 "can" be vulnerability. My "want" to attack that port can, and the vulnerabilities associated with port 80, create the exploit. Basically, a vulnerability assessment is a test to see what ports are open and if any are open are they vulnerable to the attack. After which you begin to label the likelyhood, high, med, low or scale it 1-10.

You are not wrong about the laws, such as PCI compliance that want you to testprocess, procedures and technology, but PCI is more than just testing ports, its identify process associated with how you handle personal identifiable information, privacy practices, physical access to servers, procedures, etc. Port scanning for vulnerabilities is a component of the overall compliance test.

You cannot ask your host to subvert there security measures but they will certainly deny you, you can however, ask that you run security scans because there are services for this such as comodo and scan alert.

I am well aware of the security certs out there and the C|EH as I am a certified ethical hacker among sevaral other security certs, I just don't add them on because 1) there are guys with no certs that are just as good and 2) they mean I passed a test. From my answers I hope you can judge me and not my certs.

Having said that, I hope I clarified some of this for you and if not feel free to respond back.

Cheers!

Mike

Michael R. Martinez
TF: 800-987-7307

-----Original Message-----
From: "Worrell, Brian" <BWorrell@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2007 07:13:41
To:<mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,"Marty Resnick" <marty@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,<listbounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,"security-basics" <security-basics@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: pen test


Michael,

Am I wrong, but there are lots of practices and in some cases laws that
say that you need to run vulnerability assessments to be compliant.
If you were to ask you web host in writing before doing it, that should
solve the possible "legality" issue that it sounds like you talking
about.

As far as I know, White Hat hacking has never been illegal, if done
correctly and above board. If it was, why would SANS and other offer
Certified Hacker classes and certs?

Thanks
Brian

-----Original Message-----
From: listbounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:listbounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Michael R. Martinez
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 7:54 PM
To: Marty Resnick; listbounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; security-basics
Subject: Re: pen test

Marty,

absolutely not, this is called hacking. Pen testing is actively
exploiting a server, identifying a weakness exploiting gaining access.
Are you talking about scanning ports? Could you provide a little more
detail. If you mean pen-testing, then the answer is no.

Cheers
------Original Message------
From: Marty Resnick
Sender: listbounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: security-basics
Sent: Dec 10, 2007 9:35 AM
Subject: pen test

Am I able to pen test or run a vulnerability assessment on my web
hosting company. I got the idea after reading this article.
http://www.securitypark.co.uk/Security_article.asp?articleid=260173

--
Marty Resnick
Techmaking Inc.
(877) 291-1110 (office)
(661) 209-2089 (mobile)
(805) 512-9603 (fax)
marty@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx



Michael R. Martinez
TF: 800-987-7307

Relevant Pages

  • RE: [lists] Re: What to spend on a pentest
    ... When I have asked in the course of performing pen tests for pci audits either our contracts or visa has said go only to the point of penetrating, ... for those able to get full authorization to do a full pen test what usually motivates that level of commitment? ... The PCI standard does require a business obtain quarterly vulnerability ... You'll notice the annual pen-test requirement in 11.3 doesn't specify that ...
    (Pen-Test)
  • RE: Business justification for pentesting
    ... I neverr said a pen test was going to address every PCI requirement, ... >11.2 Run internal and external network vulnerability scans at least ... Up to 75% of cyber attacks are launched on shopping carts, ...
    (Pen-Test)
  • RE: Business justification for pentesting
    ... The issue is that the PCI "Pen Test" is not a Pen Test as anyone on this list seems to define a pen test. ... The original question was a justification of Pen Testing as an external vulnerability scan - The PCI does not use this methodology. ...
    (Pen-Test)