How can you effectively report and communicate your findings and recommendations after a penetration test?

I won't go into the start of the task... I will say this PROTECT THE RESULTS for operational security. You don't want unauthorized access to the audit results...

Defining the scope and objectives is another way of saying define the rules of engagement. This entails getting permission from the organization you are conducting the penetration from, outlining what components/systems/devices will be targeted in the test and which ones will NOT. This is also a good time to ask the customer what they ultimately want from the penetration test. Some customers may want you to find as many vulnerabilities as possible, while other clients may want you to test for vulnerabilities in a specific area. Defining the scope and objectives is all about asking the critical "who/what/why/when/how" questions of the pen test. If these questions are answered by the client, the final results will likely be valuable to them.

here you need to include what is to expect, what is included and agreed with the customer and what is not included. For example if customer did not ask for a phishing attempt, then you write it clear, "no phishing tests were conducted because it was not agreed with customer", it is better to have it clear state otherwise customers will ask for this or that.

In my experience, clearly defining the scope and objectives at the start of a penetration test report is crucial. I've found it helpful to outline these parameters upfront to set the right context. This includes specifying the systems tested, the types of attacks simulated, and the goals of the test. It ensures that stakeholders understand the boundaries within which the findings apply and what the test aimed to achieve. This clarity at the beginning of the report helps in framing the subsequent findings and recommendations in the right perspective.

summarise really means make it short, technical people tend to write more than needed and this for the management is just boring, you have a detailed section, so here make it short, remember less is most of time better. if you don't know how to do it, use AI, make sure to not include confidential information.

This will likely be the section most readers jump to initially. So being able to keep the information on it accurate and just long enough to convey the severity, impact and exploitability of each vulnerability is very important. Issues that require immediate action should be easily identifiable. Additionally, it is also important to use simple language which can be understood by security teams, developers and non-technical roles alike.

From my experience, summarizing the main findings and risks effectively is key. I've found it helpful to present a concise overview of critical vulnerabilities and their potential impact early in the report. This summary should highlight the most significant risks, giving stakeholders a clear understanding of the major security concerns. This approach ensures that even those with limited time or technical background can quickly grasp the essential aspects of the penetration test's outcomes.

here it is the part where you can detail your findings, but remember, this must be informative and not boring... you don't need to copy and paste the exploiting code you used, you can do it at the appendix if someone wants to have a look at it. You can write .. we used the exploit for CVE XY which let us to cause a buffer overflow and got a reverse shell to the system. After that we could elevate our privileges using the CVE YY. Place some screenshots and reference to the exploits or issues.

In this section, it is important to demonstrate the impact and show evidence of exploitation, if available. Readers will be looking at this section trying to find how far the testing team was able to go using the reported findings and how they did it. Reporting the steps to reproduce a finding in a clear and detailed manner (with screenshots wherever applicable) is also very important, as many developers and internal security teams will try to verify the bug themselves before a fix is worked on, and after a fix is deployed in order to confirm the mitigation.

In my experience, providing detailed evidence and analysis in a penetration test report is vital. I've found it helpful to include specific data like logs, screenshots, and code snippets to substantiate the findings. This evidence, coupled with a thorough analysis of how vulnerabilities were exploited, paints a clear picture for technical teams. It allows them to see the exact nature of each vulnerability and understand the steps needed for remediation. Such detailed documentation is crucial for accurately assessing the risks and validating the test results.

In this section, it is significant to make sure that the solutions provided for the found vulnerabilities are not generic and are tailored to their particular infrastructure; in other words, different from what an automated scanner’s report will provide.

This is the most sensible part of your report because if you show the customer that he has a problem, he is expecting that you are going to help him solve it, there you come with possible solutions how to solve his problem.

I find this section the most beneficial to customers as they may knowingly or unknowingly have some security gaps. This gives them best practices to resolve outstanding issues.

From my experience, recommending solutions and best practices in a penetration test report is essential for turning findings into actionable steps. I've found it extremely helpful to tailor recommendations to the specific context of the organization, considering its technical environment and business constraints. This includes suggesting practical security measures, patch management strategies, and policy improvements. Additionally, providing a rationale for each recommendation and citing industry best practices helps stakeholders understand the importance and effectiveness of these actions, facilitating informed decision-making and prioritization.

Speak in a language and communicate in a tone that makes the results, observations, findings and recommendations easy for your stakeholders to understand. For business stakeholders, who lack technical know-how, explain the potential negative business impact if the risks associated in the report is actualized. Put yourself into the position of the business person and communicate through a language that makes sense for him/her. Skip the technical stuff and acronyms in these conversations. It is your mission, as a security expert, to make sure the negative risks are understood. You are the expert and you are responsible for communicating in a way that is understandable by those in front of you. Strive for making things easy to understand.

In my experience, effective and respectful communication is crucial when delivering a penetration test report. I've found it helpful to use clear, non-technical language when explaining complex security issues, especially to stakeholders who may not have a technical background. This approach ensures that the information is accessible and understandable to all recipients. Additionally, presenting the findings in a manner that is informative rather than alarmist respects the efforts of the IT team while still emphasizing the importance of addressing the vulnerabilities. Constructive communication fosters a collaborative environment for addressing cybersecurity challenges.

In my experience, the follow-up and review process after presenting a penetration test report is crucial for ensuring effective remediation. I've found it helpful to schedule follow-up meetings to discuss the progress on implementing the recommended solutions. These sessions provide an opportunity to address any challenges the organization faces in remediation efforts and to reassess any unresolved vulnerabilities. Regular reviews of the security posture, post-remediation, are key to confirming that the vulnerabilities have been effectively addressed and to learn from the process for future improvements. This ongoing engagement demonstrates a commitment to not just identifying but also resolving security issues.

All penetration tests have an objective, or it's actually an assessment if it's broad or generic, so the report should tell the story about the objectives. - what was modelled for attack paths - what was/not attempted - which were/not successful - which successes had/no impacts - obstacles (wins for the target) There are more details to this but it's the bare minimum that separates the good record keeping testers from the ones that YOLO it and charge high rates for garbage