Physical penetration testing is the authorized assessment of an organization's physical security controls through simulated intrusion attempts. Testers attempt to bypass access controls, enter restricted areas, access sensitive assets, and plant simulated malicious devices to evaluate the effectiveness of physical security measures and personnel responses.
Physical pentesting combines multiple disciplines. Reconnaissance identifies entry points, security camera positions, guard schedules, and employee patterns. Entry techniques include tailgating through controlled doors, RFID card cloning, lock picking, exploiting propped-open doors, social engineering guards and employees, and bypassing electronic locks. Once inside, testers assess internal controls by accessing server rooms, connecting to network ports, accessing unlocked workstations, photographing sensitive information, and planting simulated malicious devices like network implants or keystroke loggers. Testing typically follows a graduated approach from passive observation through active intrusion attempts, with clear rules of engagement and authorization documentation carried at all times.
Physical access bypasses all digital security controls. An attacker who reaches a network port or unlocked workstation can deploy implants that provide persistent remote access. Many organizations focus exclusively on digital security while physical controls remain inadequate. Physical pentesting reveals the gap between assumed and actual security posture, often with dramatic results that drive security improvement.
CDA treats physical pentesting as a core discipline within the SPH and VSD domains. Theater missions include comprehensive physical assessment scenarios. Our methodology integrates physical testing with digital assessment because real adversaries do not respect the artificial boundary between physical and digital security.