# What is a penetration test?

A penetration test, or pentest, is an authorised attack on your systems by security specialists, to find weaknesses before real attackers do. The testers try to get in from the internet, or start from inside the network as if they were an intruder or a malicious employee, and then report what they reached and how to fix it. A pentest is a snapshot of one moment and one scope, usually a few days of work. It is worth doing once a year or after big changes. It is also a good test of your detection: ask afterwards whether your tools noticed the testers, and when.

FAQ: [What is…? Network and security terms](https://netsenx.com/en/faq/glossary) · https://netsenx.com/en/faq/what-is-a-penetration-test

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- https://netsenx.com/en/what-is-ndr
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