The ethical vision of security testing constitutes rules of engagement that have to be followed by an auditor to present professional, ethical, and authorized practices. These rules define how the testing services should be offered, how the testing should be performed, determine the legal contracts and negotiations, define the scope of testing, prepare the test plan, follow the test process, and manage a consistent reporting structure. Addressing each of these areas requires careful examination and the design of formal practices and procedures must be followed throughout the test engagement. Some examples of these rules are discussed as follows:
Offering testing services after breaking into the target system before making any formal agreement between the client and auditor is completely forbidden. This act of unethical marketing can result in the failure of a business and might have severe legal implications, depending on the jurisdictions of a country.
Performing a test beyond...