When planning a penetration test, what aspect should be a priority to ensure the safety of systems being tested?

In the context of conducting a penetration test, prioritizing risk management is essential for ensuring the safety of systems being tested. Risk management involves understanding the potential threats and vulnerabilities that could affect the system under assessment. By evaluating the risk, penetration testers can design their tests to minimize the likelihood of causing unintended harm or disruption to the systems.

Effective risk management helps identify critical assets, where the impact of testing could be highest, and aids in determining appropriate testing boundaries. This includes establishing rules of engagement, outlining what types of tests can be performed, and specifying any systems that should not be tested. By assessing risks beforehand, organizations can better prepare for unexpected outcomes, thus maintaining the integrity and availability of their systems during the penetration testing process.

In contrast, while asset inventory, threat detection systems, and physical security measures are important components of a comprehensive security strategy, they do not directly address the need to manage risks associated with the testing itself as effectively as risk management does. Asset inventory is about knowing what is in your environment, threat detection focuses on identifying actual attacks, and physical security measures relate to protecting physical assets, but all these aspects should be integrated within the broader framework of risk management to ensure a safe penetration testing process.