In an increasingly complex cybersecurity landscape, financial institutions recognize that relying on basic defensive measures is insufficient. A banking client identified an urgent need to comprehensively assess both fronts: their internal network environment housing sensitive data, and their internet-facing systems serving as the gateway to all external threats.
Their goal was to proactively identify exploitable vulnerabilities—from outdated internal network services to external misconfigurations and unnecessary access points—to prevent cyber attacks before they occur and strengthen customer trust.
We executed a comprehensive two-phase methodology. First, an Internal Vulnerability Assessment (IVA) was conducted using a gray-box approach, employing vulnerability scanners (Nessus) across specified IP ranges to detect insecure services, weak configurations, and outdated software.
Simultaneously, an External Vulnerability Assessment (EVA) and Penetration Test were performed using a black-box approach, utilizing only publicly available information. We scanned public IP addresses for vulnerabilities (using Qualys VMDR) and conducted manual penetration testing, including open-source intelligence (OSINT) gathering to identify exposed administrative portals and sensitive access points.
By weaving together insights from both the internal and external exercises, we were able to prioritize risks more effectively, visualize how different weaknesses could be chained together in an attack, and deliver focused, practical steps for remediation.
The testing provided the client with measurable, in-depth insights into their security posture.
The client received clear evidence of critical vulnerabilities, ranging from unencrypted SNMP and Telnet services internally to TLS vulnerabilities and unnecessarily open service ports externally. More significantly, the discovery of publicly accessible administrative pages highlighted a direct threat vector for unauthorized access.
Based on these findings, a prioritized remediation plan was established, focusing on disabling unused services, applying encryption, patching systems, and strengthening access controls. As a result, the organization not only addressed immediate vulnerabilities but also established a proactive, continuous process for managing cybersecurity risk, thereby significantly enhancing its overall defensive posture.