Penetration Testing: What to Expect
A penetration test (or pen test) is an authorised simulated attack on your systems, conducted by security specialists to identify exploitable vulnerabilities before real attackers do. It goes beyond automated scanning by applying human intelligence and creativity to find complex vulnerability chains.
Types of Penetration Testing
- Web application pen test: Targets your web application — authentication, access controls, input handling, business logic flaws
- API pen test: Focuses on your API endpoints — authentication, authorisation, data exposure, injection
- Infrastructure pen test: Tests your network and server infrastructure
- Social engineering: Tests your team's resilience to phishing and manipulation
- Red team exercise: Full-scope attack simulation targeting a defined objective (e.g. access to financial records)
What Happens During a Pen Test
- Scoping: Defining what systems are in scope, testing window, and success criteria
- Reconnaissance: Gathering information about the target
- Exploitation: Attempting to exploit identified vulnerabilities
- Reporting: Detailed report of findings with severity ratings and remediation guidance
- Remediation and re-test: Fixing findings and verifying the fixes
Frequency and Triggers
We recommend annual pen tests for most applications, with additional tests after significant changes (major features, architecture changes) or after a security incident. Many enterprise clients and regulated industries require annual penetration testing.