Penetration Testing
Penetration testing that finds what your last test missed
Senior, certified testers attack your web apps, APIs, mobile apps, and networks the way a real adversary would, then give you a clear, prioritized report your engineers can act on.
- Typical timeline
- Typically 2–4 weeks, including report
- Scope
- Web, API, mobile, internal and external network
- Standards
- OWASP WSTG, OWASP MASTG, PTES, NIST SP 800-115
- Testers
- CEH, CISSP, CISSP-ISSAP, CCSP
At a glance
Penetration testing from CyberAccord is a hands-on, authorized attack on your web applications, APIs, mobile apps, and networks by certified testers. It shows which weaknesses an attacker could actually exploit and how far they could get. It suits companies facing SOC 2, ISO 27001, or PCI DSS requirements, or customers asking for a current pentest report.
What do we test?
We scope each engagement around the systems that matter most to your business and your auditors.
- Web applications: authentication, access control, injection, cross-site scripting, sensitive data exposure, misconfiguration, and business logic flaws
- APIs: broken authorization, excessive data exposure, and abuse of business flows
- Mobile apps on Android, iOS, and Windows: insecure storage, weak transport security, reverse engineering, and code tampering
- Internal and external networks: missing patches, outdated software, weak encryption, firewall gaps, and insecure configurations
- Cloud-hosted workloads, coordinated with our cloud security assessments
Why manual testing matters
Automated scanners are good at finding known issues quickly, and we use them for coverage. They are poor at spotting business logic flaws, such as a user reaching another customer's data by changing a request, or chaining small issues into a serious breach.
Our testers are experienced security engineers who think like attackers. They use human judgment to find what tools miss and validate every finding, so your report has no unverified scanner output.
Why use a fresh team?
When the same tester looks at the same environment year after year, new findings tend to dry up, not always because you became more secure but because they stop looking in new places. A fresh team brings different techniques and assumptions. Many organizations rotate testers every cycle or two, or run us alongside an existing vendor to check coverage.
Point-in-time and ongoing testing
A penetration test is a snapshot. For teams that release often, we can pair periodic manual tests with recurring automated testing between engagements, so new exposures are caught sooner.
What you get
Scope and rules of engagement
A fixed scope agreed before testing.
Format: Signed document
Critical finding notice
Anything critical is flagged the day we find it.
Format: Same-day call or email
Technical report
Prioritized findings with severity ratings, reproduction steps and remediation guidance.
Format: PDF report
Executive summary
Suitable for auditors and customer security reviews.
Format: PDF
Framework mapping
Findings mapped to SOC 2 and ISO 27001 where relevant.
Format: Appendix
Debrief
Live walk-through with your engineering team.
Format: Readout call
Re-test
Fixed findings re-tested and marked resolved.
Format: Updated report
Process
How it works
- 1
Scoping call
We learn your stack and goals, agree on targets, testing approach, and timing, and confirm a fixed scope.
- 2
Hands-on testing
Senior testers work through your systems with regular updates and flag anything critical the same day.
- 3
Report and debrief
You receive a plain-English, prioritized report, and we walk your engineers through every finding.
- 4
Re-test
Once you have fixed the issues, we re-test them and update the report to show they are resolved.
Method
Standards we follow
Recognized methods and frameworks our work is built on.
- OWASP WSTG
- OWASP MASTG
- PTES
- NIST SP 800-115
Related
Related services and frameworks
- Security TestingSecurity TestingVulnerability assessments, penetration tests, AI security tests, source code analysis, and phishing and social engineering tests, with prioritized fixes.
- AI Security TestingAI Security TestingAdversarial testing of LLM features, RAG pipelines, and AI agents for prompt injection, data leakage, and tool abuse.
- SOC 2 Readiness and RenewalSOC 2SOC 2 readiness and renewal: gap assessment, controls, policies and evidence, prepared for your independent CPA firm's audit.
- PCI DSS v4.0.1PCI DSSPCI DSS v4.0.1 readiness: cardholder data scoping, control gap analysis, SAQ support and preparation for a Qualified Security Assessor.
Industries and insights
Where this applies, and further reading
- SaaS and Technology CompaniesSaaS & TechnologySOC 2, ISO 27001, application and AI testing, and questionnaire support for software companies selling to enterprises.
- Law FirmsLaw FirmsReasonable safeguards for client confidences under ABA Rule 1.6(c), with evidence for client audits.
- Medical, Dental and Community HealthHealthcareHIPAA Security Rule risk analysis, safeguards and evidence for practices and health centers.
- Financial Advisors and Insurance BrokersFinancial ServicesRegulation S-P, FTC Safeguards and NAIC model law programs for advisers and insurance brokers.
- GuideWhat does the FTC Safeguards Rule require of small firms?Who the FTC Safeguards Rule covers, its nine required elements, what the under-5,000-consumer exemption removes, and the 30-day FTC breach notice.
- GuideWhat does ABA Model Rule 1.6(c) require of a law firm's security?How Model Rule 1.6(c), the Comment [18] factors and ABA Formal Opinions 477R, 483, 498 and 512 translate into a law firm security program.
FAQ
Questions, answered
How is a penetration test different from a vulnerability scan?
A scan lists known weaknesses automatically. A penetration test has a skilled person exploit those weaknesses, combine them, and look for logic flaws no scanner can detect. The result shows real impact, not just a list of possible issues.
How long does a penetration test take?
Most engagements typically run two to four weeks from kickoff to final report, depending on scope. A single web application is usually at the shorter end; several applications plus internal and external networks take longer.
Will testing take down production?
No. We agree on timing, intensity, and any off-limits systems up front, and we avoid destructive techniques unless you approve them. You will always know what we are doing and how to reach us.
Do you do black-box, gray-box, or white-box testing?
All three. Gray-box testing, where we receive user accounts and some documentation, usually gives the most value for the time spent. We will recommend an approach during scoping based on your goals.
Will the report satisfy our auditor or a customer's security review?
It is written to. You get an executive summary for auditors and customers, plus detailed technical findings for engineers, with findings mapped to SOC 2 and ISO 27001 where relevant.
How often should we get a penetration test?
At least once a year and after major changes such as a new application, a large release, or an infrastructure migration. Some standards, including PCI DSS, require annual testing.
Talk to a security practitioner
Book a free 20-minute consultation. We'll learn what's driving the need and recommend a scoped next step with a fixed quote.