Which of the following best describes penetration testing?

Penetration testing is primarily defined as a simulated cyber attack on a computer system, network, or web application to assess its security. The process goes beyond merely identifying vulnerabilities; it actively tests them by attempting to exploit weaknesses to determine how effective the defenses are against attacks.

Choosing the option that states penetration testing encompasses both security audits and vulnerability assessments reflects this understanding. Security audits involve assessing policies and compliance, while vulnerability assessments are focused on discovering potential security weaknesses. Penetration testing combines aspects of both by not only identifying vulnerabilities but also validating them through real-life attack simulations, thus providing a comprehensive overview of an organization’s security posture.

The other options do not capture the full scope of penetration testing. Monitoring policy adherence is important for security governance but does not reflect the active testing element inherent in penetration testing. Simply identifying vulnerabilities without testing does not fully assess the impact or exploitability of those vulnerabilities. Testing network speed and efficiency falls under performance testing rather than a security assessment, further highlighting why it does not align with the concept of penetration testing.

Overall, the correct description of penetration testing acknowledges its comprehensive approach that includes elements of both audits and assessments.