What is a characteristic of blind testing in black box testing?

In black box testing, particularly in the context of blind testing, the distinguishing characteristic is that the target is unaware that testing is being conducted. This approach simulates a real-world attack scenario, where penetration testers act as external adversaries attempting to compromise a system without prior knowledge or notification to the organization being tested.

The element of surprise is crucial in blind testing, as it allows testers to identify genuine vulnerabilities and weaknesses that may not be apparent in a more controlled testing environment where the target is aware of the testing process. By maintaining the target's unawareness, ethical hackers can better assess the system's resilience against actual attacks, leading to more effective security evaluations and improvements.