What is the primary focus of penetration testing?

The primary focus of penetration testing is to exploit vulnerabilities in a controlled manner. This type of testing simulates an attack on a computer system, network, or web application to identify security weaknesses that could be exploited by malicious actors. By conducting a penetration test, organizations can evaluate their security posture and understand how well their defenses stand against actual attack scenarios.

Penetration testing is a proactive approach to security, allowing organizations to identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in real attacks. The controlled nature of this testing means that it is performed by skilled professionals who follow ethical guidelines and legal regulations, ensuring that the testing does not cause unintended damage or disruption.

In contrast, identifying software bugs focuses more on coding errors and functionality issues rather than security vulnerabilities. Measuring network performance pertains to the efficiency and speed of network systems, which is unrelated to security assessments. Implementing security policies is about establishing rules and guidelines to protect an organization's information, but it does not involve actively testing for vulnerabilities as penetration testing does.