Which of the following is a common goal of pen testing?

A common goal of penetration testing is to identify vulnerabilities in systems. This entails simulating cyberattacks to uncover weaknesses that could be exploited by malicious actors. By doing so, organizations can assess the effectiveness of their security measures, understand their vulnerabilities, and take steps to remediate any identified risks before they can be exploited in a real attack.

This process not only highlights specific weaknesses in software, configurations, or user practices but also provides significant insights into the organization's overall security posture. By identifying these vulnerabilities, organizations can implement more robust defenses, train personnel accordingly, and enhance their incident response plans, ultimately leading to a more resilient security infrastructure.

Other options such as training users on security policies, gathering intelligence on competitors, and installing security software do not align as directly with the primary objectives of penetration testing. While user training and software installation are certainly important aspects of a comprehensive security strategy, they are not intrinsic goals of the testing process itself. Gathering intelligence on competitors does not relate to the security evaluation of an organization’s systems. Hence, identifying vulnerabilities is central to the purpose of penetration testing.