Pen Testing Done Faster & Done Right

Penetration Testing

Agency delivers compliance-grade penetration testing that satisfies SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and CMMC requirements—with faster turnaround and actionable reporting.

Agency is the only company that is a top-tier partner at both Vanta and Drata, connecting pen test results directly to your GRC platform for automated evidence collection.

Audit-Accepted by Leading Global Auditors

Agency pen test reports have been used to pass audits with every major auditor we partner with.

OSCP+ Certified Pen Testers
Manual Testing—Every Tester Named in Your Report
Network, Application, and Cloud Testing
Audit-Grade Reports Accepted by All Major Auditors
Satisfies SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and CMMC
Understand black box, gray box, and white box approaches

Trusted by 600+ companies · 4.9/5 on G2

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Trusted by leading companies for penetration testing

What Is Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing is an authorized simulated cyberattack conducted by trained security professionals to identify vulnerabilities in your organization's systems, networks, and applications. Unlike automated vulnerability scanning, pen testing involves skilled testers who actively exploit weaknesses, chain vulnerabilities, and demonstrate the real-world impact of potential breaches.

Penetration testing is required or strongly recommended by virtually every major compliance framework including SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, CMMC, and GDPR. Beyond compliance, regular pen testing is the most effective way to validate that your security controls actually work against sophisticated attackers.

Agency delivers penetration testing that goes beyond checkbox compliance. Our testing team combines AI-powered reconnaissance with expert manual testing to identify vulnerabilities that automated tools miss. Every engagement produces audit-grade reports that satisfy compliance requirements across multiple frameworks simultaneously.

Black Box vs Gray Box vs White Box

Penetration testing comes in three primary approaches, each simulating a different threat model and providing different levels of insight.

Aspect	Black Box	Gray Box	White Box
Tester knowledge	No prior knowledge of target	Partial knowledge (credentials, docs)	Full access (source code, architecture)
Simulates	External attacker	Compromised insider or partner	Trusted insider or code review
Testing depth	Surface-level attack paths	Moderate depth with targeted testing	Deep analysis including code-level flaws
Time required	Longer (discovery phase included)	Moderate	Shorter (no reconnaissance needed)
Vulnerabilities found	External-facing issues, misconfigurations	Business logic flaws, privilege escalation	Code-level vulnerabilities, design flaws
Best for	External threat validation	Most comprehensive risk picture	Pre-release security validation
Agency typical timeline	2–3 weeks	1–2 weeks	2–3 weeks

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Types of Penetration Testing

Penetration testing encompasses multiple specialized disciplines. The right combination depends on your infrastructure, compliance requirements, and threat model.

Network Penetration Testing

Tests your internal and external network infrastructure for vulnerabilities including misconfigurations, unpatched systems, weak protocols, and lateral movement paths. Covers firewalls, routers, switches, servers, and network segmentation.

Web Application Testing

Evaluates web applications against the OWASP Top 10 and beyond. Tests for injection flaws, broken authentication, cross-site scripting, insecure deserialization, API vulnerabilities, and business logic flaws.

Cloud Infrastructure Testing

Assesses your cloud environment (AWS, Azure, GCP) for misconfigurations, excessive permissions, insecure storage, weak identity management, and network exposure. Validates cloud-specific security controls and shared responsibility boundaries.

Social Engineering

Tests the human element through phishing simulations, pretexting, and physical access attempts. Evaluates security awareness training effectiveness and identifies gaps in employee security behavior.

API Security Testing

Tests REST, GraphQL, and SOAP APIs for authentication bypass, authorization flaws, injection vulnerabilities, rate limiting issues, and data exposure. Critical for organizations with microservices architectures or public APIs.

Physical Security Testing

Evaluates physical access controls, badge cloning, tailgating, lock picking, and facility security. Often required by frameworks like CMMC and PCI DSS for environments with physical access to sensitive systems.

Penetration Testing Scope Checklist

Pre-Engagement

Define testing scope and boundaries
Establish rules of engagement and authorized activities
Sign legal agreements and liability waivers
Identify emergency contacts and escalation procedures
Determine testing windows and blackout periods

Network Testing

External network perimeter assessment
Internal network vulnerability assessment
Wireless network security testing
Network segmentation validation
Active Directory and identity infrastructure testing

Application Testing

Web application vulnerability assessment (OWASP Top 10)
API endpoint security testing
Authentication and session management testing
Authorization and access control testing
Input validation and injection testing

Cloud & Infrastructure

Cloud configuration review (AWS/Azure/GCP)
Container and Kubernetes security assessment
Infrastructure-as-code review
Secrets management and credential storage
Logging and monitoring validation

Reporting & Remediation

Executive summary with business risk context
Technical findings with CVSS risk ratings
Proof-of-concept demonstrations for critical findings
Prioritized remediation recommendations
Retest engagement to validate fixes

600+

Companies trust Agency for compliance

1–3 wk

Average active testing engagement duration

48 hr

Report delivery after testing completion

The Penetration Testing Engagement Process

Scoping & Rules of EngagementDay 1–3

Define the testing scope, target systems, testing approach (black/gray/white box), authorized activities, and rules of engagement. Establish communication channels, emergency contacts, and testing windows.
Reconnaissance & DiscoveryDay 3–5

Gather intelligence on the target environment through passive and active reconnaissance. Identify attack surface, enumerate services, and map the target architecture to plan testing approach.
Vulnerability DiscoveryWeek 1–2

Systematically identify vulnerabilities across the target scope using a combination of automated scanning and expert manual testing. Validate findings to eliminate false positives.
Exploitation & Post-ExploitationWeek 2–3

Actively exploit discovered vulnerabilities to demonstrate real-world impact. Attempt privilege escalation, lateral movement, and data access to assess the true severity of each weakness.
Reporting & DebriefWeek 3–4

Deliver a comprehensive report with executive summary, technical findings, risk ratings, proof-of-concept evidence, and prioritized remediation recommendations. Conduct a debrief session with your team.
Remediation Support & RetestWeek 4–6

Support your team in implementing fixes for identified vulnerabilities. Conduct targeted retesting to verify that remediations are effective and issues are resolved. Update the report with retest results.

What Does Penetration Testing Cost?

Penetration testing cost depends on several factors unique to your organization. Rather than publishing one-size-fits-all pricing, Agency scopes every engagement individually so you pay only for what you need.

Factors that determine cost:

Scope & target count: The number of IP addresses, applications, APIs, and cloud accounts in the assessment boundary.

Testing depth: Whether the engagement covers external-only, internal, or both—and whether social engineering or physical testing is included.

Compliance requirements: Which frameworks the report must satisfy (SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, CMMC) and the level of documentation required.

Environment complexity: Multi-cloud architectures, microservices, custom protocols, and legacy systems increase testing effort.

Retesting: Remediation validation is scoped based on the number and severity of findings from the initial engagement.

Agency bundles pen testing with ongoing compliance operations—organizations that use Agency for SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other frameworks get integrated testing at a lower total cost than standalone engagements. Talk to our team for a custom quote based on your specific scope and requirements.

Penetration Testing for Your Company Stage

Whether you're conducting your first pen test for SOC 2 or managing continuous security testing across a global infrastructure, Agency meets you where you are.

Startups

Need your first penetration test to satisfy SOC 2 or investor requirements. You need fast, affordable testing with compliance-grade reporting.

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Mid-Market

Scaling testing across multiple applications and environments. You need consistent methodology, integrated compliance reporting, and remediation support.

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Enterprise

Managing continuous testing programs across business units and global infrastructure. You need unified reporting, risk trending, and seamless compliance integration.

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How Agency Delivers Penetration Testing

Agency combines AI-powered reconnaissance with expert manual testing to deliver comprehensive, compliance-grade penetration testing—integrated directly with your GRC platform for automated evidence collection and compliance reporting.

Continuous Control Validation

Verse C2 orchestrates real-time validation across your GRC platform, cloud infrastructure, identity providers, and endpoint security. Pen test findings feed directly into control monitoring for continuous verification.

Automated Evidence Collection

Umberto eliminates the manual screenshot-and-spreadsheet evidence cycle. Evidence is collected, organized, and maintained automatically—always current, always audit-grade.

AI-Powered Remediation

Rumi AI writes infrastructure-as-code fixes for cloud misconfigurations. Storm Shadow validates every evidence artifact before auditor submission.

Cross-Framework Mapping

Armada PSCO maps pen test findings to SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and CMMC control requirements automatically. One test satisfies evidence requirements across every framework you maintain.

GRC Platform Integration

Agency connects directly to your existing Vanta or Drata instance. We automate evidence collection, sync control status, and keep your GRC dashboard current—so your platform investment delivers maximum value with zero manual upkeep.

Managed Detection & Response

Agency MDR provides continuous monitoring between pen test engagements—detecting and responding to threats in real time so your security posture stays strong year-round.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is penetration testing?

Penetration testing (pen testing) is an authorized simulated cyberattack performed by security professionals to evaluate the security of an organization's systems, networks, and applications. Unlike vulnerability scanning, pen testing involves actively exploiting discovered vulnerabilities to assess real-world risk and demonstrate the potential impact of a breach.

How often should penetration testing be performed?

Most compliance frameworks require annual penetration testing at minimum. SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and CMMC all either require or strongly recommend regular pen testing. Best practice is to conduct tests annually and after significant infrastructure changes, major application releases, or security incidents.

What is the difference between black box, gray box, and white box testing?

Black box testing simulates an external attacker with no prior knowledge of the target systems. Gray box testing provides the tester with partial knowledge such as user credentials or network diagrams. White box testing gives full access to source code, architecture documentation, and credentials. Each approach tests different attack scenarios and threat models.

How much does penetration testing cost?

Penetration testing cost depends on the scope of the engagement, types of testing required, environment complexity, and compliance reporting needs. Key factors include the number of target systems, testing depth (black box, gray box, or white box), whether social engineering or physical testing is included, and which compliance frameworks the report must satisfy. Agency bundles pen testing with ongoing compliance operations for lower total cost.

What compliance frameworks require penetration testing?

SOC 2 requires annual pen testing as part of the Security Trust Service Criteria. PCI DSS requires it under Requirement 11.3. ISO 27001 references it in Annex A control A.8.8. HIPAA requires security testing as part of the Security Rule risk analysis. CMMC requires vulnerability assessments. GDPR implies it through the requirement for regular security testing.

What is the difference between penetration testing and vulnerability scanning?

Vulnerability scanning is an automated process that identifies known vulnerabilities in systems and applications. Penetration testing goes further by having skilled testers actively exploit vulnerabilities, chain multiple weaknesses, and demonstrate real-world attack paths. Pen testing reveals business impact and validates whether vulnerabilities are actually exploitable in your environment.

How long does a penetration test take?

A typical penetration test engagement takes 2 to 6 weeks from scoping to final report delivery. The active testing phase usually lasts 1 to 3 weeks depending on scope. Network tests are typically faster (1-2 weeks), while comprehensive web application tests may take 2-3 weeks. Agency can begin testing within days of engagement and delivers reports within one week of testing completion.

What should a penetration testing report include?

A quality pen test report should include an executive summary for leadership, detailed technical findings with evidence, risk ratings for each vulnerability (using CVSS or similar), proof-of-concept demonstrations, step-by-step reproduction instructions, remediation recommendations prioritized by risk, and a retest plan to verify fixes. Agency reports are audit-grade and satisfy compliance framework documentation requirements.

Related Frameworks

SOC 2 ISO 27001 CMMC HIPAA GDPR

Platform Products

Verse C2

Command-and-control AI automation platform

Umberto

AI compliance evidence engine

Armada PSCO

Unified control ontology and mapping

Looking for expert Managed and Advisory Services? Head over to Agency Comply →

Get Tested With Agency

From scoping to report delivery in weeks. Agency's security team delivers compliance-grade penetration testing that satisfies every major framework—so your team stays focused on building product.

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