Penetration Testing as a Service: Definition, Benefits and Top 6 PTaaS Providers

Penetration testing (“pen testing” or “pen tests”) is an important part of building a strong cyber security program. It’s different from a vulnerability management program where teams use software to scan for known vulnerabilities. In a penetration test, “ethical hackers” (sometimes referred to as the “red team” use the same tools and techniques as criminals to find exploitable weaknesses – “zero days” –  in an organization’s networks and applications. 

Penetration testers are difficult for organizations to hire and retain due to high demand and limited supply of skilled professionals. The role requires complex technical knowledge and creative problem-solving skills. 

Fortunately, there is an alternative: Penetration Testing as a Service.

What is Penetration Testing as a Service?

Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) is a cybersecurity model where companies order on-demand penetration testing services through a cloud-based platform. Organizations using PTaaS obtain best of breed pen tests to continuously identify and address vulnerabilities in their systems and applications without the burden of employing full time penetration testing personnel. PTaaS can be conducted from  inside the network or outside the network, simulating different attack perspectives. 

• Internal network penetration tests: Testers attempt to gain access to key assets, confidential information, and sensitive data through lateral movement, privilege escalation, and other advanced techniques
• External network penetration tests: Testers looks for exploitable weaknesses and vulnerabilities in your external-facing (i.e. directly accessible from the internet) perimeter assets

Types of Penetration Testing

Penetration testing encompasses a variety of approaches, each tailored to assess specific aspects of an organization’s security posture, including network security, application security, and general information security. 

Note that in all examples, penetration testing can be targeted or full scope. This allows organizations to focus on specific systems or applications, or cover the entire organization’s infrastructure. Most often, a combination of testing is necessary for a comprehensive cyber security assessment.

Penetration Testing By Target

• Network penetration testing: Network penetration tests assess weaknesses in network infrastructure, access controls, and incident response capabilities. They identify potential entry points (including routers and other IoT devices), evaluate security controls, and simulate attack scenarios. 
• Web application penetration testing: As organizations adopt DevOps methodologies and SDLC cycles accelerate, web application pen tests become increasingly important. Web app pen tests focus on identifying design flaws and coding vulnerabilities in web applications – including Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) apps – such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and authentication errors.
• Mobile application penetration testing: Mobile application pen tests Assess the security of mobile apps, including APIs, and platform-specific features, for both iOS and Android platforms. This includes checking for data leakage, insecure authentication, and code vulnerabilities.
• Cloud penetration testing: Cloud pen tests target cloud environments and infrastructures like AWS, Azure, or GCP, identifying misconfigurations and vulnerabilities specific to cloud deployments.
• WiFi penetration testing: WiFi pen tests assess the security of WiFi networks by identifying vulnerabilities, simulating attacks, and evaluating defenses against unauthorized access. 

Penetration Testing By Information Disclosed to Testersl

Organizations have the option of sharing information with penetration testers prior to a pen test, or forcing pen testers to gather all information on their own. The more information provided to a pen tester prior to the exercise, the more cost effective the testing.

• Black box testing: In black box testing, ethical hackers have no prior knowledge of the target system. Black box more closely mimics real-world attacks from external threats. This provides a more authentic assessment of an organization’s security posture.
• White box testing: In this scenario, testers have full knowledge of the target system’s internal workings, similar to an insider threat. White box testing can also save ethical hackers time when identifying assets and architecture, making testing more efficient.
• Gray box testing: Grey box testing provides testers with partial knowledge of the system’s architecture and technology stack. It can simulate a privileged user with some internal access. It allows for more cost effective testing. 
• Purple teaming: Purple teams occur when defensive teams in an organization’s SOC work together with pen testers to assess an organization’s ability to identify and contain an attack.

Penetration Testing By Methodology

Organizations can choose between automated and manual penetration tests. 

• Manual penetration testing: Relies on the expertise and creativity of human testers to identify and exploit vulnerabilities. A skilled pen tester can chain together exploitable vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, harvested credentials, and dangerous product defaults to exploit a system.
• Automated penetration testing: Automated penetration testing uses tools or software solutions with fixed scripts to attempt to exploit common weaknesses. With less ability to creatively leverage vulnerabilities, automated pen tests will not provide a full picture of how cybercriminals might access a system. 

While automation can lower costs the results will be less complete than the in-depth results of manual tests.

Specialized Penetration Testing

• Social engineering penetration testing: Evaluates the susceptibility of employees to phishing, pretexting, and other social engineering tactics.
• Physical penetration testing: Assesses physical security measures like locks, alarms, and access controls to identify weaknesses that could be exploited for unauthorized access.

Benefits of Using a Penetration as a Service Testing Solution

There are a range of benefits of PTaaS compared to traditional pen testing.

Ongoing Security Assessments

PTaaS allows on-demand testing on a schedule, ensuring your systems are regularly evaluated for new vulnerabilities as applications, network configurations, users, and systems change. This proactive approach keeps your security posture up-to-date and minimizes the window of exposure for potential attacks.

Cost-Effective

As noted, penetration testing skills are in high demand. Having those personnel on staff full time can be expensive. PTaaS allows organizations to employ pen testers as needed, making it more affordable than hiring in-house penetration testers or contracting for individual assessments. This makes comprehensive security testing accessible to organizations of all sizes.

Scalability

PTaaS platforms can easily scale to accommodate the growing needs of your organization, allowing you to add more tests or expand the scope of assessments as your infrastructure evolves.

Faster Time to Remediation

PTaaS platforms typically offer streamlined reporting and collaboration tools, including prioritization of findings and remediation guidance. This enables teams to reduce Mean Time to Remediate (MTTR); the time between vulnerability discovery and mitigation, minimizing potential risks.

Access to Diverse Expertise

PTaaS platforms often have a network of skilled penetration testers and security engineers with diverse expertise, allowing you to leverage specialized skills for different types of assessments without the need to hire multiple consultants.

Continuous Visibility

PTaaS platforms provide continuous visibility into the progress of penetration tests and immediate alerts regarding critical issues. This allows organizations to track findings and prioritize remediation efforts.

Compliance

Many organizations are subject to regulatory requirements that include penetration testing as part of their risk management programs. PTaaS can help organizations meet various industry compliance requirements like the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and HIPAA risk assessments by providing regular, documented, and independent security assessments. While penetration tests are not a requirement of ISO 27001, pen tests would help fulfill the requirement of system security testing. 

Improved ROI

By identifying and addressing vulnerabilities proactively, PTaaS can help reduce the risk of costly security breaches and data loss, ultimately improving your return on investment in security.

Centralized Control

Most PTaaS solutions include a centralized platform to allow teams to manage all of their pen tests through a single solution, including scheduling, stipulating targets, and viewing results.

How the Penetration Testing Process Works

A good penetration test is conducted using the same techniques as a malicious attack. Pen testers take the time to study the target environment, learn what they can about the assets, study social media if targeting specific individuals, and systematically attempt to gain a foothold and explore the systems under test.

The end result is a prioritized report of weaknesses, the consequences of those weaknesses if left exposed, and remediation guidance.

1. Planning and Scoping

• Define the goals and objectives of the penetration test.
• Determine the scope of the test, including which systems and applications will be tested.
• Identify the assets that need to be protected.
• Gather information about the target systems and networks.

2. Reconnaissance

• Gather information about the attack surface of the target systems and networks
• Map out the network topology 
• Use vulnerability scanners to evaluate potential attack vectors
• Use port scanners to identify active ports, services, and potential entry points

3. Vulnerability Assessment

• Analyze scan results to determine exploitable vulnerabilities
• Prioritize vulnerabilities based on severity and exploitability
• Develop a plan of attack

4. Exploitation

• Attempt to exploit the identified vulnerabilities.
• Use various techniques to gain unauthorized access to systems
• Escalate privileges where possible
• Document successful exploits and paths of entry

5. Post-Exploitation

• Attempt to move laterally within the network
• Identify sensitive data and additional attack vectors
• Maintain access for future testing if permitted

6. Reporting

• Document the findings of the penetration test.
• Provide recommendations for remediation.

7. Remediation and Retesting

• Fix the identified vulnerabilities.
• Conduct follow-up testing to verify fixes

Remember that any security assessment – including penetration testing – is a point-in-time view of your systems. Making penetration a regular part of your defenses, particularly as systems are updated and added, is critical to maintaining a strong defensive posture.

What to Look For In a PTaaS Provider

A comprehensive pen testing service should include the following key components.

Comprehensive Coverage

• Variety of tests: The platform should offer a wide range of penetration tests, including web application, network, cloud, and mobile application security testing. This ensures that all potential attack surfaces are assessed.
• External and internal network testing: To provide a holistic view of weaknesses, both from the external network (simulating outside attackers) and internal network (simulating an attacker positioned inside the network or an insider threats) perspectives should be covered.
• Compliance testing: PTaaS should include testing for specific industry compliance requirements, such as PCI DSS, HIPAA risk assessments, or GDPR. When testing web applications, always be sure to include testing for the OWASP Top 10 web application security risks.

Expert Security Team

• Certified Professionals: The PTaaS provider should have a team of experienced and certified penetration testers with expertise in various domains and technologies.
• Responsive Support: Prompt and helpful customer support should be available to answer questions, address concerns, and provide guidance throughout the testing process.

Actionable Reporting and Remediation

• Manually Verify Findings: Penetration testers should manually verify findings to eliminate false positives and uncover vulnerabilities that automated tools might miss.
• Detailed Reports: Reports should clearly outline identified vulnerabilities, how the vulnerabilities were exploited, their severity, and potential impact.
• Prioritized Recommendations: Reports should include actionable recommendations for remediation, helping organizations prioritize and address vulnerabilities effectively.

Transparency and Communication

• Clear Methodology: The provider should be transparent about their testing methodologies, workflows, and tools used.
• Open Communication: Regular updates and communication channels should be available to discuss findings, progress, and remediation efforts.

Checklist for Evaluating PTaaS Providers

To maximize your investment in PTaaS and ensure you’re getting a robust solution, prioritize these three key attributes:

Full Stack Penetration Testing Capabilities

• Beyond the Surface: Don’t settle for providers that only test internet-facing assets. Demand full-stack penetration testing that covers networks, clouds, and applications across your entire digital ecosystem. This holistic approach provides a comprehensive view of your security posture and helps identify potential attack paths.
• Streamlined Security: A full-stack PTaaS solution allows you to consolidate your security testing with one trusted partner, reducing complexity and maximizing your return on investment.
• Key Question: Does the provider offer comprehensive penetration testing across all layers of your applications and infrastructure, or are they limited to specific areas?

Expertise and Qualifications

• Expertise and Accountability: Prioritize providers with a dedicated team of penetration testers. This ensures a higher level of accountability, expertise, and consistency in testing methodologies.
• Certification: Look for certifications like CompTIA PenTest+, CREST, OSCP, CEH, or CPTE which demonstrate adherence to rigorous standards and best practices.
• Key Question: What certifications, industry recognitions, and client references can the provider offer to validate their expertise and trustworthiness?

Comprehensive Methodology

• Project Scoping: A reputable penetration testing company will work with you to clearly define the scope of the engagement. This includes understanding your specific goals, the environment to be tested, ensuring that critical functionality will not be compromised during testing, and any particular concerns you may have.
• Thoroughness: The methodology should encompass all phases such as reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, exploitation, and reporting. A good provider will not only use automated tools but also perform manual assessments to validate findings and ensure no vulnerabilities are overlooked. 
• Key Question: Request sanitized examples of reporting to ensure the findings are communicated clearly and that results are actionable.

By prioritizing these three key attributes – full-stack capabilities, expertise, and comprehensive methodology – you can confidently select a PTaaS provider that delivers real value, strengthens your security posture, and helps you stay ahead of evolving security threats.

Top 6 PTaaS Providers

1. Defendify

Defendify provides an all-in-one cybersecurity platform that integrates penetration testing with other security services including vulnerability scanning, cybersecurity assessments, and threat detection and response.

• Strengths: Designed for busy IT and security teams that lack internal pen testing expertise. Comprehensive approach, user-friendly platform, results prioritization and remediation guidance, and strong customer support.
• Best for: Organizations seeking a holistic security solution that combines assessments and testing with ongoing protection and guidance.

2. Cobalt

Connects businesses with a curated community of independent penetration testers, offering flexibility and diverse expertise.

• Strengths: Access to a wide range of specialized skills, streamlined collaboration platform, flexible engagement models.
• Best for: Organizations looking for customizable, on-demand penetration testing with access to specialized skills.

3. Kroll

A well-established global risk consulting firm offering a wide range of security services, including penetration testing and incident response.

• Strengths: Extensive experience in various industries, deep technical expertise, strong reputation, and global reach.
• Best for: Large enterprises and organizations with complex security needs requiring specialized expertise and compliance support.

4. BreachLock

Specializes in penetration testing and security assessments, offering continuous testing, manual verification, and a strong focus on cloud security.

• Strengths: Hybrid approach (automated + manual), continuous testing, cloud security expertise, detailed reporting.
• Best for: Organizations prioritizing continuous testing, accurate results, and cloud security assessments.

5. Bugcrowd

A crowdsourced security platform that connects businesses with a vast community of security researchers to identify vulnerabilities through bug bounty programs and penetration testing.

• Strengths: Scalability, access to a large pool of diverse talent, continuous testing, cost-effective for specific vulnerabilities.
• Best for: Organizations looking for scalable vulnerability discovery with a focus on specific targets or applications.

6. Intruder

Focuses on automated vulnerability scanning and penetration testing for web applications, APIs, cloud configurations, and external infrastructure.

• Strengths: Continuous scanning, scalability, cloud security expertise, and API testing.
• Best for: Organizations seeking continuous vulnerability scanning and cloud security assessments.

How Defendify Can Help

Web-facing systems and applications present a vector to adversaries interested in stealing data, disrupting systems, and executing ransomware or other attacks. Insider threats can easily access internal applications and systems to identify weaknesses. A comprehensive penetration test can assess your organization’s risk and provide critical guidance in strengthening your cyber defenses.

Defendify’s Penetration Testing as a Service offering provides organizations with a comprehensive approach to identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities. By simulating real-world cyberattacks, their team of ethical hackers can uncover weaknesses across networks, systems, and applications, including mobile and web platforms. This human-powered testing goes beyond automated scans, allowing for a deeper analysis of potential security gaps that may not be immediately visible. 

The results of these tests are compiled into intuitive reports that detail the attack methods used, prioritized vulnerabilities, and actionable recommendations for remediation. This not only helps organizations meet compliance and industry standards but also enhances their overall cybersecurity posture. 

Defendify is also more than just penetration testing. Our All-In-One Cybersecurity approach integrates multiple layers of protection, from proactive scanning and managed detection and response to expert guidance and training. The benefits include:

• An award-winning platform with unmatched visibility: Our user-tested cybersecurity dashboard gives you a clear, real-time view of your security posture. Easily track vulnerabilities, monitor cyber threats, and measure progress, all in one centralized location.
• Proactive instead of reactive protection. We don’t wait for attacks to happen. Our Managed Detection and Response offering provides 24/7 monitoring, alerting, and threat hunting, across endpoints, mobile devices, networks, email and other cloud applications. to identify, contain, and block attacks..
• Superior support, real people, real expertise: Our security experts are here to guide you every step of the way. From onboarding and configuration to ongoing consultation and support, our team of experts ensures you have the resources you need to maintain a strong security posture.

By leveraging Defendify’s expertise, businesses can proactively safeguard their sensitive data and critical assets, ultimately fostering greater trust with customers and stakeholders.

Want to learn more about Defendify’s penetration testing and Unified Cybersecurity Platform? Book a demo today and take the next stop to securing your organization.