Testing Network Security Controls

A subject performs limited network activity to determine whether firewalls, network segmentation, Domain Name System filtering, web proxies, intrusion detection systems, or protocol restrictions identify or block the connection.

The subject may attempt to reach a prohibited domain, connect to a restricted port, access another network segment, use an unapproved protocol, configure a proxy, or send a small amount of traffic through a normally restricted route. The objective is to establish whether the network path is available and whether the activity produces an alert or investigative response.

Testing may be repeated across different destinations, ports, protocols, systems, or times of day. A subject may use the results to select a less monitored network route, bypass segmentation, communicate with external infrastructure, or prepare a data-transfer channel.