Certified Ethical Hackers

Penetration Testing Services Find Vulnerabilities Before Attackers Do

Professional penetration testing services that simulate real-world cyberattacks against your network, web applications, and personnel. Our certified ethical hackers use OWASP, PTES, and NIST methodologies to identify exploitable vulnerabilities and deliver actionable remediation guidance.

CMMC-RP Certified | OWASP and PTES Methodology | 24+ Years Experience | 2,500+ Clients
Service Types

Types of Penetration Testing Services

We offer comprehensive penetration testing services across every attack surface. Each engagement is tailored to your organization's risk profile, compliance requirements, and business objectives.

Network Penetration Testing

External and internal network penetration testing that targets your perimeter defenses, firewalls, VPNs, and internal network segmentation. We identify misconfigurations, unpatched systems, default credentials, and lateral movement paths that real attackers exploit. Testing follows NIST SP 800-115 and PTES methodologies.

Web Application Penetration Testing

OWASP Top 10 testing of web applications, APIs, and portals. Our penetration testing services cover SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), authentication bypass, broken access controls, server-side request forgery (SSRF), and business logic vulnerabilities that automated scanners miss.

Social Engineering Testing

Phishing simulations, pretexting, physical security testing, and voice phishing (vishing) campaigns that evaluate your organization's human attack surface. We measure click rates, credential harvesting success, and policy adherence, then provide targeted security awareness training recommendations.

Wireless Penetration Testing

Assessment of your wireless infrastructure including Wi-Fi networks, rogue access points, Bluetooth, and IoT devices. Craig Petronella holds the CWNE (Certified Wireless Network Expert) certification -- one of the highest wireless credentials in the industry -- ensuring rigorous wireless security evaluation.


Our Methodology

How Our Penetration Testing Services Work

Every penetration testing engagement follows a structured, repeatable methodology that produces reliable, actionable results.

1

Scoping and Rules of Engagement

We define the scope, objectives, testing boundaries, and rules of engagement. This includes identifying in-scope IP ranges, applications, testing windows, and emergency contact procedures.

2

Reconnaissance

Passive and active reconnaissance to map your attack surface. We identify exposed services, technology stacks, employee information, and potential entry points using OSINT techniques and network scanning.

3

Vulnerability Analysis

Systematic identification of vulnerabilities through both automated scanning and manual testing. We validate each finding to eliminate false positives and assess real-world exploitability.

4

Exploitation

Controlled exploitation of confirmed vulnerabilities to demonstrate real business impact. We document evidence of access, data exposure, and privilege escalation paths without causing disruption to production systems.

5

Post-Exploitation and Pivoting

Once initial access is achieved, we test lateral movement capabilities, privilege escalation, and persistence mechanisms. This reveals the true blast radius of a successful breach.

6

Reporting and Remediation

Comprehensive report with executive summary, technical findings, risk ratings (CVSS), evidence screenshots, and step-by-step remediation guidance. We also provide a free retest of critical findings after you remediate.


Compliance

Penetration Testing for Compliance

Many compliance frameworks require regular penetration testing services. We deliver testing that satisfies auditor requirements while providing genuine security value.

Compliance Requirements We Satisfy

  • CMMC 2.0 Level 2: penetration testing supports CA.L2-3.12.1 security assessment controls
  • PCI DSS: Requirement 11.3 mandates annual penetration testing and after significant changes
  • SOC 2 Type II: penetration testing demonstrates effectiveness of security controls
  • HIPAA: risk assessment requirements benefit from penetration testing findings
  • NIST 800-171 / DFARS: required for defense contractor CUI environments

Our Testing Standards

  • OWASP Testing Guide v4 for web application assessments
  • PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard) for comprehensive network testing
  • NIST SP 800-115: Technical Guide to Information Security Testing and Assessment
  • CVSS v3.1 risk scoring for consistent vulnerability prioritization
  • MITRE ATT&CK framework mapping for adversary technique classification

Industries

Industries Using Penetration Testing Services

Organizations across regulated and high-risk industries rely on penetration testing services to validate their security posture and meet compliance obligations.

Defense Contractors Financial Services Healthcare E-Commerce and Retail SaaS and Technology Government Legal Firms Manufacturing Education Insurance Accounting and CPA Utilities and Energy

Credentials

Why Choose Our Penetration Testing Services

Credentials, experience, and methodology matter when choosing penetration testing services. Here is what sets Petronella apart.

Certified Security Team

Craig Petronella holds CMMC-RP, CCNA, CWNE, and Digital Forensics Examiner (#604180) certifications. Our entire team -- Blake Rea, Justin Summers, and Jonathan Wood -- is CMMC-RP certified. This depth of certification across the team ensures consistent quality on every penetration testing engagement.

24+ Years of Security Testing

Since 2002, we have conducted penetration testing services for over 2,500 organizations. This experience means we know where the real vulnerabilities hide -- not just the ones automated scanners find, but the business logic flaws and configuration errors that lead to actual breaches.

Actionable Reporting

Our penetration testing reports include executive summaries for leadership, detailed technical findings for your IT team, risk-rated findings with CVSS scores, and step-by-step remediation guidance. We also provide a free retest of critical and high findings once they are remediated.

Beyond the Test

Penetration testing services are most valuable when combined with ongoing security. We offer managed detection and response, cybersecurity consulting, and vulnerability assessment services to fix what we find and prevent future issues.


FAQ

Penetration Testing Services FAQ

Common questions organizations ask before engaging penetration testing services.

What is the difference between penetration testing and vulnerability scanning?
Vulnerability scanning is an automated process that identifies known vulnerabilities in your systems. Penetration testing services go further by manually exploiting vulnerabilities to demonstrate real-world impact, test security controls, and discover complex attack chains that scanners miss. A vulnerability assessment tells you what is wrong; a penetration test shows you what an attacker can actually do.
How often should we get penetration testing services?
At minimum, annually. PCI DSS requires annual penetration testing and after any significant infrastructure change. Best practice for high-risk organizations is quarterly external testing and semi-annual internal testing. We recommend penetration testing services after major deployments, mergers, office relocations, or security incidents.
Will penetration testing disrupt our production systems?
We use careful, controlled testing methodologies designed to minimize disruption. Denial-of-service testing is only performed with explicit approval and during maintenance windows. Our rules of engagement document establishes clear boundaries, emergency contacts, and escalation procedures. In 24+ years of penetration testing services, we have never caused an unplanned outage.
How much do penetration testing services cost?
Pricing depends on scope and complexity. External network penetration tests typically range from $3,000 to $15,000. Web application tests range from $5,000 to $25,000. Comprehensive engagements covering network, web app, wireless, and social engineering start around $15,000. We provide detailed scoping and fixed-price quotes during the free scoping call.
What is included in a penetration testing report?
Our penetration testing services deliverable includes: executive summary with business risk analysis, detailed technical findings with evidence (screenshots, payloads, affected systems), CVSS risk scores, MITRE ATT&CK technique mapping, step-by-step remediation guidance for each finding, and a retest verification once critical issues are fixed.
Do you offer black box, gray box, and white box penetration testing?
Yes. Black box testing simulates an external attacker with no insider knowledge. Gray box testing provides partial information (user credentials, network diagrams). White box testing gives full access to source code, architecture documentation, and admin credentials. We recommend the approach that best matches your threat model and compliance requirements.
Is penetration testing required for CMMC compliance?
While CMMC Level 2 does not explicitly mandate penetration testing, it requires security assessments (CA.L2-3.12.1) that are best satisfied through penetration testing services. Our CMMC-RP certified team can conduct penetration testing that directly maps findings to CMMC controls, making your assessment documentation more robust.
What happens if you find a critical vulnerability during penetration testing?
Critical vulnerabilities that pose immediate risk (such as unauthenticated remote code execution) are reported to your designated point of contact immediately -- not at the end of the engagement. This allows your team to begin remediation right away while testing continues. Our penetration testing services include a free retest of all critical findings.

Free Training

Start Your AI Security Training

Free 90-minute course: Getting Started with Claude Code. Learn AI-powered security workflows used by our CMMC-RP certified team.


Related Services

Complete Your Security Program

Penetration testing services are most effective as part of a comprehensive security program. Explore our related offerings.


Schedule Your Penetration Testing Engagement

Get a free scoping call to define your penetration testing requirements. Our team will provide a fixed-price quote with clear deliverables and timeline.