Conduct penetration testing

Trigger: A scheduled security assessment cycle, a major system deployment, or a compliance mandate initiates the testing protocol.

1. Define test scope and rules of engagement
2. Perform reconnaissance and gather intelligence on target systems
3. Scan networks and applications for potential vulnerabilities
4. Execute simulated attacks to exploit identified weaknesses
5. Document successful breaches and determine potential impact
6. Compile findings and recommend remediation actions

Outcome: Identified vulnerabilities are documented, categorized by risk severity, and handed off to IT security teams for remediation.