Penetration Testing Service: Professional Security Assessment Guide

Professional penetration testing services provide expert security validation identifying vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them. This guide covers what to expect from penetration testing services, how to prepare, selecting qualified providers, and maximizing assessment value to strengthen security posture.

What is a Penetration Testing Service?

A penetration testing service delivers authorized simulated cyberattacks conducted by certified ethical hackers who manually test systems, networks, and applications for exploitable vulnerabilities. Unlike automated vulnerability scanning that identifies potential weaknesses, professional penetration testers validate exploitability, chain vulnerabilities together, assess business impact, and provide context-specific remediation guidance.

Professional services include comprehensive planning and scoping, manual testing execution following established methodologies, detailed technical reporting with proof-of-concept documentation, executive summaries for leadership, remediation roadmaps prioritized by risk, and retesting services validating fixes, typically delivered over 2-6 weeks depending on scope complexity.

Types of Penetration Testing Services

Service Type	What's Tested	Duration	Typical Cost
Network Pen Test	External/internal infrastructure	1-3 weeks	$15K-$40K
Web Application	Web apps and APIs	2-4 weeks	$20K-$50K
Mobile Application	iOS/Android apps	1-3 weeks	$15K-$35K
Cloud Security	AWS/Azure/GCP environments	2-3 weeks	$20K-$60K
Wireless Testing	Wi-Fi networks	1-2 weeks	$10K-$25K
Social Engineering	Human element testing	2-4 weeks	$15K-$40K
Red Team	Full adversary simulation	4-8 weeks	$50K-$200K

Network Penetration Testing

Tests external perimeter and internal network security identifying misconfigurations, vulnerable services, weak authentication, and lateral movement opportunities. External testing simulates internet-based attacks while internal testing assumes breach scenario evaluating damage potential from compromised insider or successful phishing.

Web Application Penetration Testing

Comprehensive assessment of web applications following OWASP Testing Guide, identifying SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), authentication flaws, session management issues, authorization bypass, business logic vulnerabilities, and API security weaknesses. Critical for protecting customer data and preventing application-layer attacks.

Mobile Application Testing

Security evaluation of iOS and Android applications testing client-side security, insecure data storage, API vulnerabilities, authentication mechanisms, encryption implementation, and reverse engineering resistance. Includes static and dynamic analysis with real device testing.

Cloud Penetration Testing

Assessment of cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP) identifying misconfigurations, overly permissive IAM policies, exposed storage, container vulnerabilities, and serverless function security. Requires coordination with cloud providers and adherence to acceptable use policies.

Social Engineering Testing

Tests human element through simulated phishing campaigns, vishing (voice phishing), pretexting, and physical security assessment. Evaluates security awareness effectiveness and identifies training needs, often most successful attack vector despite technical controls.

Penetration Testing Process

Phase 1: Planning and Scoping (Week 1)

Successful penetration tests begin with thorough planning:

• Define Objectives: What are you trying to protect? What threats concern you most?
• Identify Scope: Which systems, networks, applications are in scope? Any exclusions?
• Select Methodology: Black box (no knowledge), gray box (limited knowledge), or white box (full knowledge)
• Establish Rules: Testing hours, acceptable disruption level, emergency contacts
• Obtain Authorization: Signed contracts, authorization letters for third-party hosting
• Schedule Windows: Coordinate testing to minimize business disruption

Phase 2: Reconnaissance (Days 1-2)

Testers gather information about target:

• Public information gathering (OSINT)
• DNS enumeration and subdomain discovery
• Network mapping and service identification
• Technology stack fingerprinting
• Employee information gathering
• Identifying attack surface

Phase 3: Vulnerability Discovery (Week 2)

Systematic identification of security weaknesses:

• Automated vulnerability scanning
• Manual testing for logic flaws
• Configuration review
• Authentication mechanism testing
• Input validation assessment
• Encryption and data protection evaluation

Phase 4: Exploitation (Week 2-3)

Manual exploitation demonstrating real-world impact:

• Exploit development and deployment
• Privilege escalation attempts
• Lateral movement testing
• Data exfiltration simulation
• Persistence mechanism testing
• Impact documentation with screenshots

Phase 5: Post-Exploitation (Week 3)

Understanding full compromise potential:

• Credential harvesting
• Network pivoting
• Sensitive data discovery
• Domain compromise assessment
• Business impact evaluation

Phase 6: Reporting (Week 4)

Comprehensive documentation of findings:

• Executive summary for leadership
• Technical report with detailed vulnerability descriptions
• Risk ratings (Critical, High, Medium, Low)
• Proof-of-concept documentation and screenshots
• Remediation recommendations prioritized by risk
• Compliance mapping (PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2)
• Metrics and statistics

Phase 7: Debrief and Retesting

Knowledge transfer and validation:

• Presentation of findings to stakeholders
• Q&A session with security and development teams
• Detailed remediation guidance
• Retesting after fixes (typically 30-90 days)
• Updated report reflecting remediation

Selecting Penetration Testing Providers

Essential Qualifications

Qualification	What to Look For
Certifications	OSCP, CEH, GPEN, GWAPT, OSCE
Experience	5+ years, similar industry clients
Methodology	PTES, OWASP, OSSTMM compliance
Insurance	Professional liability, E&O coverage
References	Verifiable client testimonials
Reporting	Request sample reports

Questions to Ask Providers

• What certifications do your testers hold?
• How many penetration tests have you conducted in our industry?
• What testing methodology do you follow?
• Do you perform manual testing or only automated scanning?
• What tools do you use? Do you develop custom exploits?
• How do you handle false positives?
• What's included in your reports?
• Do you provide remediation guidance?
• Is retesting included or additional cost?
• How do you secure test data and findings?
• What happens if you cause disruption during testing?
• Do you have compliance testing experience (PCI DSS, HIPAA)?

Red Flags

Avoid providers showing these warning signs:

• No relevant certifications or unwilling to disclose
• Extremely low pricing (suggests automated-only testing)
• Cannot provide sample reports or references
• Vague methodology descriptions
• No professional insurance
• Unwilling to sign NDA or contracts
• No emergency contact procedures
• Generic reporting templates without customization

Preparing for Penetration Testing

Before Testing Begins

• Document Scope: Create comprehensive list of in-scope systems, IP ranges, domains, applications
• Define Objectives: Clarify what you want to achieve, compliance, security validation, pre-deployment testing
• Provide Access: Credentials for authenticated testing (if applicable)
• Identify Critical Systems: Flag systems requiring extra caution
• Notify Teams: Alert IT, security, development, and management
• Establish Communication: Set up secure channels with testers
• Backup Systems: Ensure recent backups exist
• Review Contracts: Understand liability, scope, confidentiality

During Testing

• Maintain open communication with testing team
• Monitor systems for unexpected impacts
• Respond promptly to tester questions
• Document any disruptions
• Avoid making changes to in-scope systems
• Keep incident response team informed

After Testing

• Review Findings Thoroughly: Understand each vulnerability
• Prioritize Remediation: Focus on critical and high-risk findings first
• Develop Timeline: Create realistic remediation schedule
• Assign Ownership: Designate responsible parties for each fix
• Schedule Retesting: Validate fixes with follow-up testing
• Update Documentation: Revise security policies and procedures
• Track Metrics: Monitor vulnerability trends over time

Maximizing Penetration Testing Value

Test Regularly

Single point-in-time assessments provide limited value. Implement regular testing schedule:

• Annual comprehensive tests: Full-scope assessment of all systems
• Quarterly targeted tests: Focus on critical applications or recent changes
• Pre-deployment testing: Test new applications before production
• Post-incident testing: Validate remediation after breaches

Combine Testing Types

Don't rely on single testing methodology:

• Combine automated scanning with manual testing
• Test both external and internal perspectives
• Include social engineering with technical testing
• Perform authenticated and unauthenticated tests

Integrate with Security Program

Penetration testing should complement broader security initiatives:

• Vulnerability Management: Regular scanning between pen tests
• SOC Monitoring: Continuous threat detection
• Security Awareness: Training based on social engineering results
• Incident Response: Practice responding to pen test findings
• Threat Intelligence: Incorporate emerging threats into testing

Act on Findings

Testing value comes from remediation, not just reports:

• Prioritize fixes based on exploitability and business impact
• Address root causes, not just symptoms
• Implement compensating controls for delayed fixes
• Track remediation progress with metrics
• Validate fixes through retesting
• Document lessons learned

Compliance-Driven Penetration Testing

Many regulations require regular penetration testing:

Standard	Requirement	Frequency
PCI DSS	Requirement 11.3 - External/internal pen tests	Annual + after significant changes
HIPAA	Security risk assessments including testing	Regular (not specified)
SOC 2	Often required for control evidence	Annual (common practice)
FedRAMP	Annual penetration testing	Annual
ISO 27001	Regular technical vulnerability assessments	Not specified

Compliance testing must follow specific requirements including qualified assessors, proper documentation, and comprehensive scope. Many organizations combine compliance testing with broader security assessments to maximize value.

Conclusion

Professional penetration testing services provide essential security validation identifying vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them. Quality services combine automated tools with manual expertise, demonstrating real-world exploitability and business impact while providing actionable remediation guidance tailored to your environment.

Selecting qualified providers requires evaluating certifications, experience, methodology, and reputation, while avoiding providers offering suspiciously low pricing or vague approaches suggesting automated-only testing. Proper preparation, regular testing cadence, and prompt remediation maximize penetration testing value, strengthening security posture and meeting compliance requirements.

Organizations benefit most from integrating penetration testing with comprehensive security programs including continuous vulnerability management, SOC monitoring, and robust incident response capabilities, creating layered defense detecting and preventing threats at multiple stages.

subrosa provides professional penetration testing services across all domains, network, application, cloud, mobile, and social engineering, delivered by certified experts with proven track record protecting organizations across industries and compliance requirements.