Our team of experts was tasked with conducting an external penetration test for an undisclosed hospital. This black box test included only a few IP addresses within the scope. Our tests encompassed both web and network penetration testing, with the ultimate goal of accessing and auditing the hospital's internal network.
Our penetration testers successfully accessed the hospital's internal network and compromised a target machine. To avoid disrupting hospital operations, we set up an internal server that mimicked a legitimate machine within the network. We discovered numerous applications hosted on both internal and external networks, which we used as footholds for further attacks. In the web application, we identified several high and critical Broken Access Control vulnerabilities that could have been exploited to compromise another user's lab results.
Our team set up monitoring tools to observe changes in the hospital's external network. By analyzing this information, we pinpointed the optimal times to simulate our attack, as certain services were only available during specific periods. This strategic approach allowed us to:
Monitor Network Changes: By continuously monitoring the external network, we identified the best times to launch our attacks.
Utilize Found Vulnerabilities: We exploited high and critical Broken Access Control vulnerabilities to gain further access within the network.
Ensure Minimal Disruption: By setting up a controlled internal server, we ensured that our activities did not interfere with the hospital's operations.
This case study highlights the critical importance of continuous monitoring and strategic timing in penetration testing, especially in sensitive environments like hospitals. Our detailed report included specific recommendations to mitigate the identified vulnerabilities. Following our recommendations, the hospital implemented the necessary security measures, significantly improving their network security.
For more information on our penetration testing services, please refer to our Penetration Testing Services.