Field notes from a penetration-testing team.
Practical guides on penetration testing, compliance, API and web security, AI feature security, and red team operations. Written for the engineer reading the report, not the auditor reading the executive summary.
Recent
25 articles
Penetration Testing Cost Guide for 2026: What Drives the Number
A scope-transparent guide to penetration testing pricing in 2026 — what you are actually paying for, the drivers that move the number, qualitative ranges by engagement type, and how to scope so the quote doesn't surprise you.
Penetration Testing Buyer's Guide for 2026: How to Choose a Vendor
A practitioner's guide to buying penetration testing in 2026 — vendor archetypes, scoping, pricing benchmarks, sample-report red flags, compliance alignment, and the questions that separate real testing from a polished sales deck.
AI Red Teaming: Testing Large Language Models for Enterprise Security
A practical guide to AI red teaming — testing LLMs and generative AI systems for prompt injection, data leakage, harmful outputs, and misuse in enterprise deployments.
The MITRE ATT&CK Framework: A Penetration Tester's Guide
Learn how penetration testers and red teams use the MITRE ATT&CK framework to plan engagements, map techniques, and deliver actionable findings to defenders.
GraphQL Security: Common Vulnerabilities and Testing Approaches
Identify and test for GraphQL-specific vulnerabilities including introspection leaks, batching attacks, nested query DoS, and authorization bypass patterns.
HIPAA Penetration Testing: Protecting Healthcare Data in 2026
Navigate HIPAA penetration testing requirements for covered entities and business associates, including ePHI scope, technical safeguard testing, and audit preparation.
Zero-Day Vulnerabilities: How Penetration Testers Find What Scanners Miss
Learn how skilled penetration testers discover zero-day and logic vulnerabilities that automated scanners cannot detect, with real-world case studies.
2025 Cybersecurity Year in Review: Top Breaches and Lessons Learned
Review the most significant cybersecurity breaches and incidents of 2025, analyze attack patterns, and extract lessons to strengthen your security posture in 2026.
Authenticated vs Unauthenticated Penetration Testing: When to Use Each
Compare authenticated and unauthenticated penetration testing approaches, understand what each uncovers, and learn how to choose the right scope for your engagement.
Penetration Testing
10 articles
Manual Pentest vs Automated Scanning vs Red Team: A Buyer's Comparison for 2026
A practical comparison of the three security-testing controls buyers most often confuse. What each answers, what each misses, when to pick which, and how to combine them into a coherent program.
Penetration Testing Cost Guide for 2026: What Drives the Number
A scope-transparent guide to penetration testing pricing in 2026 — what you are actually paying for, the drivers that move the number, qualitative ranges by engagement type, and how to scope so the quote doesn't surprise you.
Penetration Testing Buyer's Guide for 2026: How to Choose a Vendor
A practitioner's guide to buying penetration testing in 2026 — vendor archetypes, scoping, pricing benchmarks, sample-report red flags, compliance alignment, and the questions that separate real testing from a polished sales deck.
Zero-Day Vulnerabilities: How Penetration Testers Find What Scanners Miss
Learn how skilled penetration testers discover zero-day and logic vulnerabilities that automated scanners cannot detect, with real-world case studies.
Authenticated vs Unauthenticated Penetration Testing: When to Use Each
Compare authenticated and unauthenticated penetration testing approaches, understand what each uncovers, and learn how to choose the right scope for your engagement.
Vulnerability Scanning vs Penetration Testing: Key Differences Explained
Understand the critical differences between vulnerability scanning and penetration testing, when to use each, and why most organizations need both.
Why San Francisco Startups Need Penetration Testing Before Series A
Investors and enterprise customers are asking for pentest reports. Learn why Bay Area startups should prioritize security testing before their Series A round.
Cloud Penetration Testing: AWS, Azure, and GCP Security Assessment
A comprehensive guide to cloud penetration testing across AWS, Azure, and GCP, covering shared responsibility, common misconfigurations, and testing methodology.
How Often Should Your Company Conduct Penetration Tests?
Determine the right penetration testing frequency for your organization based on industry, compliance requirements, risk profile, and change velocity.
What Is Penetration Testing? A Complete Guide for 2025
Learn what penetration testing is, how it works, the different types, and why every organization needs regular pentests to protect against cyber threats.
Web Security
2 articles
Web Application Penetration Testing Checklist for Startups
A practical web application penetration testing checklist designed for startups preparing for SOC 2, raising funding, or launching customer-facing products.
The OWASP Top 10 (2021): What Every Developer and Security Team Needs to Know
A comprehensive breakdown of the OWASP Top 10 2021 edition, what each category covers, and how to test for each vulnerability in your web applications.
API Security
3 articles
GraphQL Security: Common Vulnerabilities and Testing Approaches
Identify and test for GraphQL-specific vulnerabilities including introspection leaks, batching attacks, nested query DoS, and authorization bypass patterns.
OWASP API Security Top 10: A Practical Testing Guide
Walk through each OWASP API Security Top 10 vulnerability with practical testing techniques, real-world examples, and remediation guidance.
API Security Best Practices: Lessons from Real-World Breaches
Examine major API breaches, identify common patterns attackers exploit, and learn actionable best practices to secure your REST, GraphQL, and gRPC APIs.
Compliance
4 articles
HIPAA Penetration Testing: Protecting Healthcare Data in 2026
Navigate HIPAA penetration testing requirements for covered entities and business associates, including ePHI scope, technical safeguard testing, and audit preparation.
ISO 27001 Certification: How Penetration Testing Helps You Comply
Map ISO 27001 Annex A controls to penetration testing activities and learn how to use pentest findings to strengthen your ISMS and pass certification audits.
PCI DSS v4.0: New Penetration Testing Requirements for 2025
Navigate the updated PCI DSS v4.0 penetration testing requirements, including authenticated internal testing, segmentation checks, and the new customized approach.
SOC 2 Penetration Testing Requirements Explained
Understand SOC 2 Type II penetration testing requirements, what auditors expect, and how to scope a pentest that satisfies your SOC 2 audit.
AI Security
2 articles
AI Red Teaming: Testing Large Language Models for Enterprise Security
A practical guide to AI red teaming — testing LLMs and generative AI systems for prompt injection, data leakage, harmful outputs, and misuse in enterprise deployments.
LLM Security: Preventing Prompt Injection and Data Leakage
Deep dive into LLM vulnerabilities including prompt injection, jailbreaking, training data extraction, and the OWASP LLM Top 10 with practical mitigations.
Red Team
3 articles
The MITRE ATT&CK Framework: A Penetration Tester's Guide
Learn how penetration testers and red teams use the MITRE ATT&CK framework to plan engagements, map techniques, and deliver actionable findings to defenders.
Social Engineering in Red Team Operations: Techniques and Defenses
Explore the social engineering tactics red teams use — phishing, pretexting, tailgating, and vishing — and how to build organizational resilience against them.
Red Team vs Blue Team: Understanding Offensive and Defensive Security
Explore the differences between red team and blue team security operations, how purple teaming bridges the gap, and which approach your organization needs.
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