The Open Source Security Testing

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Introduction

This report will discuss how the process of penetration testing defined by Weidman (2014) as “simulating real attacks to assess the risk associated with potential security breaches” (Weidman, 2014, p.1) using the Open Source Security Testing Methodology Manuel (OSSTMM) can be used while combining the Threat Assessment Model for EPS (T.A.M.E.). The report will outline the methodologies and how they link together. The phases of OSSTMM and T.A.M.E will also be investigated while analyzing the inputs and outputs of the methodologies looking at how they correlate, before drawing on a clear Standard Operating Procedure (SoP).
PenTesting Discussion

The Open Source Security Testing Methodology Manuel (OSSTMM) has been designed as a set of guidelines to perform a full penetration test. OSSTMM has been written as a methodology, which should be followed to allow security personal to be able to perform penetration testing that has measurable variables allowing for monitoring and retesting. If a methodology is not followed when performing a penetration test it is said to have no validity as there is not a way to confirm or test the activates performed during the testing which concurs with Herzog (2006) “any security test which does not follow a scientific methodology has little to no measurable value” (Herzog, 2006, p.2).

The process of OSSTMM is broken down into six sections, all of which need to be reviewed during a penetration test. Within each of these sections, similar to TAME there are modules which need to be followed and inside of a module is a number of tasks, of which once completed can form part of an OSSTMM report.

The first section of OSSTMM is the ‘information security’ this involves collecting information about ...

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...of the OSSTMM methodology. The vulnerability identification report and types comes from the output of section C where a list of vulnerabilities as well as the types of application/service sorted by vulnerability.
Conclusion

In conclusion, after looking at the two methodologies, OSSTMM and TAME and looking at how there inputs and outputs correlate between the different phases and sections in both methodologies. Also how TAME can be used in conjunction with OSSTMM to form a complete penetration test which will gather all the necessary information about the organization. I think that there are some strong correlations between OSSTMM and TAME, however the correlations are only seen in the initial phase of TAME, allowing for a methodic approach to collecting the data needed about the organization, but not allowing any further similarities between the two methodologies.

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