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Cyber Guards

The 2025 Buyer’s Guide to 
​External Penetration Testing

The Fundamentals — What Is Penetration Testing & 
​Why ​Is It Critical in 2025?

What is penetration testing (pentesting)?

Penetration testing is a controlled, ethical hack of your systems by expert red teamers who simulate real attackers.
At CyberGuards.ai, we focus on external pentesting: attacking your public-facing assets — web apps, APIs, cloud infrastructure — with zero prior access or insider knowledge.

Our goal? Answer one question:

“Can a real attacker break in, move laterally, and steal data?”
We don’t just scan. We exploit, chain, and prove — delivering not just a list of flaws, but verified attack paths with business impact.

Why is penetration testing more critical than ever in 2025?

Because your attack surface has exploded.

With remote work, cloud migration, and API sprawl, your public-facing systems are now the #1 entry point for attackers.
  • 82% of breaches in 2024 originated from internet-facing assets (Verizon DBIR)
  • 60% of cloud breaches stem from misconfigurations — not code flaws
  • The average cost of a data breach is $4.85M (IBM, 2024)

Penetration testing is no longer a compliance checkbox.
It’s proactive risk management — and the only way to validate your defenses against real-world attacks.

What’s the difference between vulnerability scanning and penetration testing?

VULNERABILITY SCANNING: Fully automated, Up to 40% false positives, No exploit chaining, Generic fixes, Limited compliance support, $500–$5k/year

EXTERNAL PENTESTING: Human-led tool-assisted, <5% false positives (manually validated), Yes — real attack paths, Step-by-step attack replay, Full SOC 2 PCI DSS HIPAA, $7.5k–$25k/test (one-time)

Key Insight:

Scanners ask: "Is this CVE present?"
We ask: "Can I own your system with this?"

Automated tools (like Synopsys Player 2) are great for code hygiene — but they miss business logic flaws, chained exploits, and zero-day-adjacent risks.
Only human-led pentesting proves exploitability.

What are the different types of penetration testing?

Your risk profile determines your test type. Common options:

  • External Network: Firewalls, exposed services (SSH, RDP) - Best for Infrastructure security
  • Web Application: OWASP Top 10, business logic flaws - Best for SaaS, e-commerce
  • API Security: Auth bypass, IDOR, excessive data exposure - Best for Cloud-native apps
  • Cloud Infrastructure: AWS, Azure, GCP misconfigurations - Best for Cloud-migrated orgs
  • Red Team: End-to-end simulation (phishing, lateral movement) - Best for Maturity assessment
  • Social Engineering: Phishing, vishing, physical access - Best for Human risk testing

CyberGuards.ai specializes in: External, adversarial testing of web apps, APIs, and cloud — with no privileged access.

What’s the difference between a penetration test and a red team exercise?

PENETRATION TEST:
  • Goal: Find & fix critical flaws
  • Scope: Defined (e.g., 3 domains)
  • Time: 1–3 weeks
  • Reporting: Technical findings + fixes
  • Cost: $7.5k – $25k
  • Best For: Compliance, pre-launch validation
 RED TEAM ENGAGEMENT:
  • Goal: Simulate APT-style campaign
  • Scope: Broad, evolving targets
  • Time: 6–12 weeks
  • Reporting: Executive narrative + TTPs
  • Cost: $50k – $200k+
  • Best For: Maturity, board-level risk

Data Point: 73% of mid-market firms choose pentesting over red teaming for compliance and ROI (Gartner, 2024).

For 80% of businesses, a penetration test is faster, cheaper, and more actionable.

The Evaluation — How to Choose the Right Provider

Who needs external penetration testing in 2025?

You should get a pentest if you:

  • Have a public website or customer-facing app
  • Handle sensitive data (PII, health, financial)
  • Are preparing for SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, or HIPAA audits
  • Recently launched or redesigned a platform
  • Use cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP)
  • Want to prove security to investors, clients, or regulators

Don’t wait until:

  • You’re breached
  • An auditor demands it
  • A client loses trust

Best Timing:

  • Annually (standard)
  • Quarterly (high-risk: fintech, healthcare)
  • Pre-launch (critical)
Stat: Companies that pentest annually are 52% less likely to suffer a breach (Ponemon, 2024).

How often should my company conduct a penetration test?

There’s no one-size-fits-all, but best practices include:
  • Minimum baseline: Annually
  • After major changes: Post-launch, cloud migration, infra update
  • Compliance-driven: As required (e.g., PCI DSS = annually)
  • High-risk sectors: Quarterly (fintech, health, gov)
  • Continuous security: Targeted tests every 60–90 days

Pro Tip: Schedule your next test before finishing the last one.

How is CyberGuards.ai different from Player 1 or Player 2?

Understanding a provider's core focus is key to selecting the right partner. The cybersecurity market includes proactive testers, reactive responders, and automated tool vendors. CyberGuards.ai is intentionally specialized.

Provider

Player 1

Player 2

Focus

Proactive external pentesting

Threat intel & incident response

SCA & SBOM analysis

Best For

Preventing breaches, compliance, clarity

Breach recovery, APT tracking

DevSecOps, open-source risk

Limitations

Not for incident response

Reactive, expensive, enterprise-scale

Automated only, high false positives

Our Differentiators:

  • Human-led, no AI hallucinations — just verified exploits
  • Zero assumptions — we test like real attackers
  • Fixed-scope, fixed-price — no enterprise sales traps
  • Compliance-ready reporting — auditor-approved evidence
“CyberGuards.ai delivered more actionable findings in 2 weeks than our last Mandiant scoping call.”
— IT Director, SaaS Company

What should I look for in a pentesting provider?

Use this 5-point checklist when evaluating vendors:

  • Human-Led Testing → Avoid fully automated “pentests” (e.g., Black Duck)
  • No Privileged Access → Must simulate real attacker (external-only)
  • Transparent Pricing → Fixed scope, fixed price. No enterprise quotes.
  • Compliance-Ready Reports → Must include control mappings and attestation
  • Real Attack Simulation → Look for exploit chaining, not just CVE lists
 
Bonus: Ask: “Can I speak to your lead tester?” If no — walk away. 

CyberGuards.ai passes all 5.

How do I know if a pentest provider is credible?

Look for:

  • Methodology transparency (OWASP, NIST SP 800-115)
  • Certified experts (OSCP, OSCE, CISSP, CREST)
  • Proof of exploit (screenshots, payloads, logs)
  • Post-test support (retesting included)
  • Executive-ready reporting (for board & engineers)

CyberGuards.ai Quality Assurance:

  • 97% client retention rate
  • 98.6% client satisfaction (2024)
  • 94% alignment with internal audit findings (Trustwave, 2023)
  • False positive rate <5% (vs. 30–40% in scanners)

The Decision — What to Expect from CyberGuards.ai

What does CyberGuards.ai test? (Scope Breakdown)

We test only what’s exposed to the internet — because that’s where attackers start.

Included in Every External Pentest:

  • Web Applications (OWASP Top 10, business logic flaws)
  • APIs (REST, GraphQL, auth bypasses)
  • Cloud Infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP misconfigurations)
  • Network Services (SSH, RDP, FTP exposed to internet)
  • DNS & Subdomain Takeovers
  • Zero-Day Adjacent Flaws (novel exploit paths, not just CVEs)

Not Included (We’re Transparent):

  • Internal network testing (unless part of red teaming)
  • Physical security or social engineering
  • Source code review (we test running systems only)
No assumptions. No filler. Just attack surface coverage.

Do you test for zero-day vulnerabilities?

We don’t create zero-days — but we identify zero-day-adjacent risks and novel exploit chains.


Our methodology includes:
  • Fuzzing custom APIs and input vectors
  • Logic flaw discovery (IDOR, auth bypass)
  • Misuse of business workflows (e.g., payment skip)
  • Supply chain exposure (third-party JS, subdomains)

Example: We found a 0-day-like flaw in a healthcare client’s patient portal (2024) — patched before exploitation.
Note: True zero-day discovery is rare and not guaranteed — but we test like it exists. 

Ask about our Zero-Day Readiness Add-On (+15% cost, deeper logic testing).

Which compliance standards does your pentest support?

Yes. Our reports are audit-ready for:

  • SOC 2 Type II (Security, Availability criteria)
  • ISO 27001 (A.12.6.1, A.14.2.8)
  • PCI DSS v4.0 (Requirement 11.3)
  • HIPAA (Security Rule §164.308, §164.312)
  • GDPR (Article 32 — security testing)

Each report includes:
  • Mapping to control frameworks
  • Attestation letter (on company letterhead)
  • Evidence of exploit (screenshots, payloads)
  • Risk ratings (CVSS + business impact)

We’ve helped 217 clients pass audits since 2020 — zero failed due to pentest gaps

What deliverables do I get from CyberGuards.ai?

You receive a complete, actionable package:

  • Executive Summary — business risk impact, ROI, board-ready
  • Technical Report — attack vectors, root cause, CVSS scoring
  • Proof-of-Concept Exploits — screenshots, payloads, logs
  • Remediation Playbook — developer-friendly fix steps
  • Free Retest Window — validate critical fixes (1 round)

Download a sanitized sample report (PDF) 

What is your penetration testing process?

We follow a 4-phase adversarial framework — proven across 300+ tests.
Phase 1: Scoping (1–3 Days)

  • Define targets (domains, IPs, apps)
  • Agree on rules of engagement
  • No assumptions — only public info
Phase 2: Recon & Enumeration (5–7 Days)
  • Passive OSINT (subdomains, DNS, leaks)
  • Active scanning (ports, services, tech stack)
  • Attack surface mapping
Phase 3: Exploitation & Validation (7–10 Days)
  • Manual exploitation (no blind automation)
  • Privilege escalation attempts
  • Data access verification
  • Chain attacks (e.g., API → DB → admin)
Phase 4: Reporting & Retest (5 Days)
  • Technical report + executive summary
  • Remediation guidance
  • Live debrief with lead hacker
  • Free retest of critical fixes
All data encrypted. No data exfiltration. Full NDA.

How long does an external penetration test take?

  • Small (Startup): 1–3 domains, 1 app - 10 business days
  • Medium (SaaS): 4–7 domains, API + web - 15 days
  • Large (Enterprise): 8+ domains, cloud, microservices - 20 days
  • Custom (High-Risk): Zero-day focus, compliance-heavy - 25+ days

Our differentiator: Parallelized testing teams → faster turnaround without shortcuts.

How much does a penetration test cost?

Most external pentests range $7,500 – $25,000+, depending on:
  • Scope (apps, APIs, cloud assets)
  • Complexity (custom logic, integrations)
  • Compliance requirements
  • Urgency of timeline

Scope, Estimated Cost & Delivery Timeline
  • Small (Startup): $7,500 - 10 days
  • Medium (SaaS): $12,500 - 15 days
  • Large (Enterprise): $18,000–$25,000 - 20 days
  • Custom: Quote-based - 25+ days

Includes:
  • Unlimited vulnerability validations
  • Developer-friendly remediation guide
  • Executive summary (board-ready)
  • Retest of critical fixes (1 round)

No upsells. No subscriptions. One price. One report.

Get a fixed-price proposal in 24 hours — no sales call needed 

Final Verdict: Why CyberGuards.ai?

If you’re evaluating penetration testing providers in 2025, CyberGuards.ai delivers the most:

Transparent

no assumptions, no filler

Adversarial

human-led, real attack simulation

Compliance-Ready

auditor-approved, control-mapped

Actionable

exploit proof, retesting, clear fixes

We bridge the gap between automated scanners (Synopsys) and after-the-fact responders (Mandiant) — offering proactive, business-aligned security that turns risk into resilience.

Ready to See Your Network Through the Eyes of an Attacker?

Don’t gamble with your external attack surface.

  • Fixed-Price Scoping in 24 Hours
  • Compliance-Ready Reporting (SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001)
  • Live Debrief with Your Expert Hacker
Schedule Your Zero-Obligation Scoping Call Today

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