Matt, the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), tells the network administrator that a security company has been hired to perform a penetration test against his network. The security company asks Matt which type of testing would be most beneficial for him. Which of the following BEST describes what the security company might do during a black box test?
A. The security company is provided with all network ranges, security devices in place, and logical maps of the network. B. The security company is provided with no information about the corporate network or physical locations. C. The security company is provided with limited information on the network, including all network diagrams. D. The security company is provided with limited information on the network, including some subnet ranges and logical network diagrams.
Answer: B
Explanation: The term black box testing is generally associated with application testing. However, in this question the term is used for network testing. Black box testing means testing something when you have no knowledge of the inner workings.
Black-box testing is a method of software testing that examines the functionality of an application without peering into its internal structures or workings. This method of test can be applied to virtually every level of software testing: unit, integration, system and acceptance. It typically comprises most if not all higher level testing, but can also dominate unit testing as well. Specific knowledge of the application’s code/internal structure and programming knowledge in general is not required. The tester is aware of what the software is supposed to do but is not aware of how it does it. For instance, the tester is aware that a particular input returns a certain, invariable output but is not aware of how the software produces the output in the first place.