Penetration Testing Articles
What a good penetration test covers, what auditors look for in the report, and how automated, continuous and manual testing fit together.
15 posts
Penetration Test Cost: What Moves the Number and Why Two Quotes for the Same Scope Can Differ by 5x
A professional penetration test typically costs $5,000 to $15,000, over $30,000 for complex environments. Here are the five drivers that move the number and the 5-line check that tells two quotes apart.
How to Choose a Penetration Testing Vendor: The 5 Signals That Separate a Test From a Report
Most penetration testing vendor RFPs get compared like insurance quotes, on price and brand. Use the 5-signal scorecard to compare proposals line by line, on scope, evidence, testers, retests, and outcomes.
SOC 2 Penetration Testing: The Report Your Auditor Checks
Is a penetration test required for SOC 2? No, but auditors expect the evidence, and the AICPA is now flagging boilerplate SOC 2 work. Here is the 5-point check we run before a test report goes to an auditor.
Your Penetration Test Report Is Evidence, Not a Findings List
A penetration test report is the compliance evidence, not just a list of findings. This post explains what must be in it to survive assessor review, the four ways reports fail, and the 6-point evidence check we run.
Can Automated Penetration Testing Replace Your Manual Penetration Test?
Six vendors now sell autonomous penetration testing platforms. In our engagements, automated tools find a narrow class of problems. We explain what it catches, what it misses, and how to pair it with a manual test.
Why PCI DSS Internal Penetration Testing Finds the Systems Your Scope Diagram Missed
PCI DSS Requirement 11.4.2 makes internal penetration testing a separate obligation from external testing, and it is scoped to every system that can reach the CDE, not just the systems inside it.
Why Passing a Penetration Test Retest Isn't the Same as Fixing the Root Cause
A penetration test retest confirms the specific reported vulnerability can no longer be exploited. It does not confirm the underlying root cause has been corrected everywhere else in your environment.
Why Your Annual Penetration Test Isn’t Covering Your AI Systems
Explore AI penetration test insights and discover how to secure AI applications from emerging vulnerabilities.
Why Your SaaS Penetration Test Might Be Testing a Product That No Longer Exists
Environment drift can make a clean SaaS penetration test meaningless. Learn how to scope tests that reflect real production risk.
Securing Biometric Payments: Why Ongoing Scanning and Penetration Testing Matter
Learn about the advantages of biometric payment security scanning in airports, banks, and retail environments for secure access.
Bridging the SOC 2 Gap: Why Auditors Need Independent Technical Testing
Explore the importance of SOC 2 penetration testing requirements for independent assessment of your cybersecurity defenses.
The VASP Cybersecurity Gap: Technical Testing vs Regulatory Audit Readiness
Find out why VASP cybersecurity compliance testing is crucial for aligning technical work with regulatory requirements for firms.
AI‑Accelerated Exploit Development & Continuous Pen Testing
AI is compressing patch windows from weeks to hours. Learn why continuous penetration testing is now the only realistic way to stay ahead of exploit development.
Penetration Testing vs Vulnerability Scanning: Why the Difference Matters
Penetration testing and vulnerability scanning are not interchangeable. Learn what each one actually does and how they combine into a defensible security program.
Ethical Hacking
Ethical hackers find your weak spots before criminals do. See how modern penetration testing fits into a security program and what results to expect.