The Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES) consists of several main components. These cover everything about a penetration test, namely:
The initial communication and reasoning behind a pen test;
The information gathering and threat modelling phases, where testers work behind the scenes to gain a better understanding of the tested organisation;
Vulnerability assessment, exploitation and post-exploitation, which addresses the technical security expertise of the testers and combines it with the business acumen of the assignment;
Reporting, which captures the entire process in a way that makes sense to the customer and provides them with the most value.