Penetration testing is a security workpiece that can often feel a bit mysterious or confusing – especially for teams undertaking their first security assessment. The combination of a subject matter you might not have been exposed to before, and the general obscurity of costing or processes can make the subject feel like a brick wall.
The reality is that penetration testing is a fantastic strategic investment in your security posture. It delivers knowledge, awareness, and tangible value to your organisation with minimal day-to-day efforts needed on your part, and is largely a hands-off investment. This piece aims to demystify what actually happens between deciding you’re interested in a penetration test, and having the report in front of you on your desk – so that you’ve got a clearer picture in deciding if it might be the right time to think about penetration testing.
What is Penetration Testing?
Penetration testing, or “pentesting,” is a controlled and authorised attempt to find and exploit weaknesses in your systems, applications, or network infrastructure. Unlike standard vulnerability scanning, penetration testing employs certified professionals who use advanced techniques to identify vulnerabilities or misconfigurations that scanning alone often misses. It doesn’t always need to stay technical, there can be simulated social engineering attacks to identify awareness and understanding of security controls by your employees.
Think of it as hiring an ethical hacker to break into your systems before the real criminals do. The process validates your existing security efforts and provides a clear roadmap for prioritising future security investments. It’s security assurance that delivers actionable intelligence. Vulnerability management should be a monthly cost that you utilise a platform for – for day-to-day support. Penetration testing is often conducted annually, as a project to validate and support your tooling and efforts in other areas.
Types of Penetration Testing We Offer at ADAS
At ADAS, we provide comprehensive penetration testing services tailored to organisations of all shapes and sizes. Our approach recognises that every business has unique security challenges and threat landscapes. Even when our core offering isn’t a perfect fit, we can work to provide a bespoke testing plan
- Internal Penetration Testing
- External Penetration Testing
- Web Application Penetration Testing
- Mobile Application Penetration Testing
- Social Engineering
- Red Teaming
Check out our service page for Pentesting for more context on what these different types of testing involve!
The Discovery Call: Getting on the Same Page
Okay, so you’ve decided that it’s a value-add to get some pentesting done. How do we get aligned and get to work? Every penetration testing engagement begins with a discovery call designed to ensure we understand your specific context and requirements. You meet with a prospective penetration testing team and identify:
- Do I want to work with this team?
- Does the expertise and response to our business context by the pentesting experts change my perspective on the best value we can leverage from any prospective testing?
First-time clients often approach us because supplier questionnaires require annual penetration testing, whilst more security-mature organisations view testing as an essential component of their broader security strategy – and conduct yearly tests. Whatever the reason for interest, we need to find out the best way to penetration test for your needs.
The beauty of penetration testing lies in its flexibility. If you operate numerous on-site servers, internal network testing might provide the most value. Organisations with remote workforces using Microsoft 365 might benefit more from external attack surface assessment and cloud configuration reviews. Custom software users should consider application-specific testing to ensure proper data handling and user action validation.
You might combine multiple testing types within a single engagement, or even incorporate open source intelligence gathering to identify whether data breaches contain password clues for your staff. The key is matching testing scope to your actual risk profile rather than applying generic approaches.
To be clear – you don’t need to arrive at our discovery call knowing exactly what you want. Our job is helping you navigate the options and make informed decisions based on your organisation’s specific circumstances, budget, and strategic objectives.
Precise Questions for Precise Scoping
Once we understand your preferred testing approach, we ask slightly more specific questions to develop accurate project estimates and testing methodologies. Even this process adds value, as it shines a light on any potential blind spots you haven’t considered for your own network.
For network testing we might ask:
How many computers connect to your network? Do you operate CCTV systems or IoT devices? Are there particular employees or file systems requiring focused attention? Are there any systems you’d prefer we avoid during testing?
For application testing we might ask:
How many applications require assessment? Do they handle sensitive data? What authentication mechanisms are in place? Are there particular user roles or functions we should prioritise?
For external testing we might ask:
What’s your public-facing attack surface? Which domains, subdomains, and IP ranges should we include? Do you operate any public cloud services that require assessment?
When deciding how much information you want the testing team (us!) to have, the specific terminology of white box, grey box, and black box testing becomes relevant. These terms used to identify how much information we’ll be privy to ahead of testing.
- Black box testing simulates an external attacker’s perspective with no prior knowledge of your systems. Testers work purely from publicly available information, providing realistic attack scenarios but potentially missing certain vulnerabilities or not testing key areas.
- White box testing provides testers with comprehensive system knowledge, including architecture diagrams, source code, and configuration details. This approach maximises coverage and efficiency but doesn’t replicate real-world attack conditions.
- Grey box testing strikes a balance, providing limited system knowledge that simulates insider threats or attackers who’ve gained initial foothold. This approach often provides the most practical insights for most organisations.
Your choice depends on your specific objectives, available documentation, and desired testing realism.
Our Pricing Approach and What’s Included
Industry approaches to penetration testing pricing vary considerably, so we’ll share our methodology as a measuring stick for evaluating ourselves and other providers.
We offer flat-rate pricing for total testing costs, with daily rates ranging from £700-£850 + VAT depending on testing complexity and environment. Once we know your exact context, we can give you a fixed fee that doesn’t change after work commences. This pricing model provides budget certainty and prevents scope creep during engagements.
At the end of testing, you receive a report containing a summary of all testing completed and detailed findings. Throughout the testing period, we provide daily updates on work progress and issue discovery. This ongoing communication ensures you’re never surprised by findings and can begin remediation planning before formal reporting.
Crucially, our pricing includes retesting of identified vulnerabilities. Once you’ve implemented recommended improvements, we validate that vulnerabilities are properly resolved and provide updated reporting confirming remediation success. This retesting component transforms penetration testing from a point-in-time assessment into a genuine continuous improvement tool.
This approach provides tremendous value for internal stakeholders, regulators, auditors, and of course for your own peace of mind. You can demonstrate practical continuous improvement rather than simply pointing to a testing certificate.
Why Penetration Testing is Surprisingly Straightforward
Despite initial concerns about complexity, penetration testing is actually one of the more straightforward security investments you can make. The process upskills and informs clients whilst enhancing network and organisational security. More importantly, it demonstrates clear connections between your strategic objectives and the information security controls needed to support them. Best of all – as an external team is doing the testing and reporting, you get all the actionable intel with none of the heavy lifting required.
Our collaborative approach means you’re working with security professionals who want you to succeed, not auditors looking to catch you out. We act as guides throughout the process, explaining findings and helping prioritise remediation efforts based on your risk tolerance and available resources. We remain as a resource after testing concludes for you to reach out to and query regarding subjects in the cyber space.
The three-year certification cycle for most compliance frameworks means you can budget and plan penetration testing as a predictable business expense rather than an emergency response to security incidents.
Modern businesses increasingly require evidence of regular security testing to access larger clients and opportunities. Penetration testing really does unlock access to markets that demand demonstrated security maturity.
The Value Beyond Compliance
Whilst many organisations initially approach penetration testing for compliance reasons, the real value lies in genuine security improvement. Regular testing provides:
- Risk Visibility: Clear understanding of your actual security posture rather than theoretical assessments or atomised asset-focused vulnerability dashboards.
- Prioritised Remediation: Focused improvement roadmaps based on exploitable vulnerabilities rather than generic security recommendations.
- Stakeholder Confidence: Demonstrated due diligence for boards, customers, and regulatory bodies.
- Budget Justification: Evidence-based security investment decisions supported by real-world testing results.
- Team Education: Upskilled internal teams who understand practical security implications rather than abstract concepts.
Getting Started with Penetration Testing
If you’re considering penetration testing for your organisation, the process begins with an honest assessment of your current security posture and business objectives. Do you have policies and procedures in place that cover your basics? If you’re looking for somewhere to start to build this capability, look no further than a combination of Cyber Essentials Plus, and IASME Cyber Assurance. These two options will mature both your device and network controls, as well as your policy and risk management position.
When you are ready to get the most value out of pentesting, research potential providers carefully. The cybersecurity market in the UK is largely unregulated, making certified professionals crucial. Look for providers working with CREST registered testers and Cyber Scheme qualified professionals recognised by the NCSC. We wrote about this here. Cheap pentesting or fast pentesting from outfits without accreditation might be tempting, but these are the frameworks that attest to the standard and quality of the testing undertaken; treat these badges seriously when shopping around.
Avoid providers who won’t discuss pricing openly or insist on extensive sales processes before providing basic information. Legitimate penetration testing providers should be happy to explain their methodologies and pricing structures transparently after an introductory call.
Consider your internal capacity for implementing recommended improvements. Penetration testing is most valuable when organisations can act on findings, so ensure you have budget and resources allocated for remediation activities, or the ambition or appetite to upskill yourself to make remediations once you get the report through.
Ready to Explore Penetration Testing?
Understanding the scoping process removes much of the mystery surrounding penetration testing engagements. What initially seems complex becomes a structured conversation about your specific security needs and business objectives.
At ADAS, we believe excellent security services should be accessible to all organisations, regardless of size or sector. Our transparent pricing, collaborative approach, and inclusion of retesting in standard engagements reflect this commitment.
Whether you’re approaching penetration testing for the first time or seeking to improve your existing security testing programme, the key is working with providers who understand your business context and can translate technical findings into actionable business intelligence.
Get in touch for a no-obligation discovery call where you’ll speak directly with our technical team, not a sales department. We focus on practical solutions that respect both your business needs and budget, ensuring you achieve genuine security improvement alongside any required certifications.
It really can be that easy.