What is the main goal of conducting penetration testing?

The main goal of conducting penetration testing is to identify security weaknesses within an organization's systems, networks, or applications. This proactive approach allows security professionals to simulate potential attacks on the infrastructure to uncover vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors.

By identifying these weaknesses, organizations can prioritize and implement necessary remediation measures to enhance their security posture. The results of penetration testing provide valuable insights that inform decision-makers about which areas require immediate attention, helping to protect sensitive data and maintain compliance with regulations.

While confirming existing security controls, exploiting the network, and testing application functionality might be related activities or outcomes in broader assessments of security, they do not specifically define the primary objective of penetration testing. The core focus remains on discovering and addressing security flaws before they can be leveraged by attackers.