Top 20 VAPT Interview Questions and Answers [2025 Updated]

• Pawan
• September 30, 2024
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Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing—VAPT Interview Questions and Answers

Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing are some of the most prominent technical skills in the IT industry that could offer a bright career within the cybersecurity domain. If you want to prepare for an interview regarding a job profile needing VAPT Skills, this article will help you prepare for that. What are we waiting for? Let’s get straight to the topic!

1. What is VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing)?

A vulnerability assessment and penetration testing procedure called VAPT is used to find and exploit security flaws in networks and systems.

2. Why is VAPT important?

VAPT is important for various reasons such as follows:

1. Identifies Vulnerabilities: It assists in identifying security flaws before criminals take advantage of them.
2. Prevents Cyber Attacks: Locating possible attack vectors lowers the possibility of data breaches or system compromises.
3. Ensures Compliance: To ensure compliance, numerous standards and regulations call for recurring security evaluations.
4. Strengthens Security Posture: VAPT offers practical insights to strengthen cybersecurity defenses all around and safeguard sensitive assets.

3. What are the common phases of a VAPT engagement?

The following are typical VAPT engagement phases:

1. Planning and Scoping: Together with the test’s stakeholders, define its goals, objectives, and scope.
2. Reconnaissance: Compile details about the target networks and systems to find any potential weaknesses.
3. Vulnerability Identification: Conduct both manual and automated scans to identify security flaws.
4. Exploitation: Examine and try to exploit vulnerabilities found to determine the impact and practical risks.
5. Post-Exploitation: Examine the level of access obtained and any potential for additional exploitation.
6. Reporting: Record the conclusions, dangers, and suggested corrective actions.
7. Remediation and Re-Testing: Retest after fixing vulnerabilities to make sure they have been adequately mitigated.

4. Explain the difference between Black Box, White Box, and Gray Box Testing.

Following are the differences between Black Box, White Box, and Gray Box Testing:

1. Black Box Testing: Concentrates on testing the functionality of the software without understanding its internal structure or code. Only the inputs and anticipated results are known to testers.
2. White Box Testing: Involves testing while fully aware of the logic, design, and internal code structure. Testers examine code execution, data flow, and internal paths.
3. Gray Box Testing: Integrates White Box and Black Box methods. Testers use their limited understanding of internal operations to build more intelligent test cases.

5. What are some commonly used tools in VAPT?

Following are some of the commonly used tools in VAPT:

1. Nmap: A popular tool for network scanning that sends packets and examines responses to find hosts and services on a network.
2. Metasploit: An effective framework for penetration testing that can be used to create and run exploits against target systems.
3. Burp Suite: A web vulnerability testing and scanner that is frequently used to identify security flaws in web applications, like SQL injection or cross-site scripting attacks.

6. What is the OWASP Top 10?

The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) has identified and is updating the OWASP Top 10, a list of the most significant security risks to web applications. It assists developers and security experts concentrate on the most prevalent and significant vulnerabilities.

7. How do you prioritize vulnerabilities after a VAPT?

Sort vulnerabilities according to their seriousness, chance of exploitation, and possible influence on company operations.

8. What is the difference between a vulnerability and an exploit?

A system’s weakness or flaw that could be used against it is called a vulnerability. The actual process or strategy used to take advantage of that weakness and compromise a system is called an exploit.

9. Explain SQL injection and how to test for it during a VAPT.

An attacker can manipulate or improperly access a database by inserting malicious SQL code into a query, a technique known as SQL Injection, which is a web security vulnerability. You can test SQL Injection during a VAPT in the following steps:

1. Input Validation,
2. Parameter Manipulation,
3. Blind SQL Injection,
4. Automated Tools, and
5. Error Message Analysis.

10. How do you perform a buffer overflow attack in penetration testing?

In penetration testing, a buffer overflow attack occurs when a program receives more data than it can handle. This can cause the program to overwrite nearby memory and possibly run malicious code.

11. How would you approach testing a web application for vulnerabilities?

Conduct a thorough vulnerability assessment utilizing both automated and manual methods.

12. What are the common challenges faced during VAPT?

The following are the common challenges faced during VAPT:

1. Scope Definition: It can be difficult to specify the boundaries of the assessment precisely, which could result in errors or misunderstandings about the systems or applications that are covered.
2. Environment Complexity: It can be challenging to find every potential vulnerability when testing in complex environments, like those with numerous linked systems or cloud-based apps.
3. False Positives/ Negatives: The accuracy of the assessment may be impacted by automated tools producing false positives, which identify vulnerabilities incorrectly, or false negatives, which fail to detect real vulnerabilities.
4. Limited Access: Accessing systems, APIs, or third-party services sufficiently for thorough testing may be limited by technical limitations or security policies.
5. Time Constraints: Too little time for comprehensive testing may result in hurried assessments, which raises the possibility of overlooking important flaws or vulnerabilities.

13. What is privilege escalation, and how do you test for it?

A security flaw known as privilege escalation enables an attacker to obtain access rights or permissions higher than those that were initially given to them in a system or application. In the following ways, you can test privilege escalation:

1. User Role Analysis,
2. Account Enumeration,
3. Exploitation of Vulnerabilities,
4. Kernel & Service Exploits, and
5. Access Control Testing.

14. How do you perform post-exploitation tasks in VAPT?

In the following steps, you can perform post-exploitation tasks in VAPT:

1. Data Collection,
2. Network Mapping,
3. Persistence Mechanisms,
4. Privilege Escalation, and
5. Cleanup and Reporting.

15. How would you handle a denial of service (DoS) vulnerability during a VAPT?

Put firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and rate limitations in place while isolating the impacted system.

16. You’ve discovered a vulnerability in a client’s system that could lead to a massive data breach. How do you communicate this to the client?

I promptly notified the client about the vulnerability, outlining the specifics and any possible risks without raising unnecessary red flags.

17. What steps would you take if the client refuses to fix a critical vulnerability?

In this case, I will follow the below steps to fix the issue:

• Document the Refusal,
• Escalate Within the Organization,
• Seek Legal Counsel,
• Consider Termination of Services, and
• Notify Relevant Authorities.

18. How do you ensure that your VAPT reports are actionable and easy to understand for non-technical stakeholders?

I can do that by prioritizing critical vulnerabilities, using clear, succinct language, and offering remediation guidance along with actionable recommendations.

19. What is your approach to continuous learning and staying updated with the latest VAPT?

For that, I can choose a reputed training institute that offers the best learning experience with a training program based on VAPT skills.

20. In VAPT, what method does a tester use?

Vulnerability Assessment is the first technique, which involves inspecting the system, network, or software for possible weaknesses or vulnerabilities. The second technique is Penetration Testing, which consists of trying to breach the system defensively to see if it can withstand a cyber-attack.

Conclusion

Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing skills need reliable training for students who want to make a career in the IT Industry within the cybersecurity domain with VAPT skills.

Craw Security offers a specialized training and certification program called the “Advance Penetration Testing Course in Singapore.” During the sessions, students will have the opportunity to test their knowledge and skills on live machines via the virtual lab introduced on the premises of Craw Security.

Students will also have the chance to reschedule their session times. After completing the Advance Penetration Testing Course in Singapore offered by Craw Security, students will receive a certificate validating their honed knowledge and skills during the sessions. What are you waiting for? Enroll Now!