What Is A Virtual Private Network (VPN)?
What is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and how does it work?
In the world of cybersecurity, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have become an indispensable tool. But what exactly are VPNs, and how can they benefit you when using our web application penetration testing platform? Let's dive in.
What is a VPN?
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a service that allows you to create a secure, encrypted connection to another network over the Internet. It's like a tunnel that protects your data as it travels between your device and the internet at large.
How Does a VPN Work?
- Encryption: When you connect to a VPN, it encrypts your data before it leaves your device.
- Tunneling: The encrypted data is then sent through a "tunnel" to the VPN server.
- IP Masking: Your traffic appears to come from the VPN server's IP address, not your own.
- Decryption: The VPN server decrypts your data and sends it to its final destination on the internet.
Use Cases for VPNs in Web App Pentesting
BLACKBIRD Web App Pentesting Suite now supports internal network scanning through VPN profiles. But next to the internal web security vulnerability scans, we also unlocked the following new capabilities!
Internal Network Vulnerability Scanning:
You can now scan internal networks for web security vulnerabilities from your browser using BLACKBIRD. No need to install any additional tools.
Anonymity & "Region-Hopping":
Bypass Geo-restrictions and mask our server's public IP to evade rate-limiting rules, and Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) and to prevent IP bans.
Conclusion
VPNs are an indispensable tool in the web app pentester's arsenal. They provide the flexibility and security needed to conduct thorough and realistic tests of web applications. By understanding the various use cases and implementing best practices, pentesters can leverage VPNs to enhance their testing methodology and provide more comprehensive security assessments.
New to BLACKBIRD Web App Pentesting Suite?
Is this the first time finding out about BLACKBIRD Web App Pentesting Suite? Try out a demo and discover what it can mean to you as a penetration tester!
