Tag: pentest

With cyber attacks becoming increasingly sophisticated and compliance standards more stringent, organizations face mounting pressure to verify their security measures actually work and not just exist on paper.

As you work toward meeting compliance requirements, you may come across two commonly used terms: Penetration Testing (Pentest) and Vulnerability Scanning. What are the differences between them? Which one do you need? This post will clarify these concepts, helping you understand their roles in security compliance and why they are essential.

Automated Security Vulnerability Scanning

Vulnerability scanning is an automated process in which a tool scans selected assets to identify security weaknesses. These tools operate based on predefined rules and detection patterns, searching for known vulnerabilities but limited to what they are programmed to find. Once the scan is complete, it generates a report containing findings, identified vulnerabilities, references, and sometimes remediation guidance.

The level of analysis after the scan varies by vendor. Some providers have security professionals manually review the results before delivering them to the customer, while others simply provide the raw scan output, leaving interpretation to the client. In the latter case, reports can be confusing, as they often contain generic recommendations based on scanning templates. This can be particularly challenging for organizations without a dedicated security specialist to analyze and prioritize the findings effectively.

Penetration Testing

Penetration testing (Pentesting) simulates real-world attacks, where a security professional, commonly known as an ethical hacker or penetration tester, attempts to identify weaknesses and exploit potential vulnerabilities in an application, system, or network. Unlike vulnerability scanning, pentesting is a highly manual process, requiring expertise to assess security flaws beyond automated detection.

The results are compiled into a comprehensive report, which includes identified vulnerabilities, step-by-step reproduction methods, risk assessment, and impact analysis, all tailored to the organization’s specific business context. This level of detail provides actionable insights that help companies prioritize and remediate security risks effectively.

Comparing Vulnerability Scanning vs. Penetration Testing

Results & Accuracy

Vulnerability scans are useful for identifying low-hanging fruit and providing a high-level assessment of an organization’s security posture. These scans can detect common security flaws, such as XSS and SQL Injection, based on application responses. 

However, they struggle with vulnerabilities that require contextual understanding, business logic analysis, or chaining multiple weaknesses together. In some cases, scanners may also generate false positives, flagging an issue as a vulnerability when it is not actually exploitable.

Penetration tests, on the other hand, typically produce fewer or no false positives since findings are manually validated by an expert. However, the risk level of a discovered vulnerability may still be debated depending on the customer’s business context. Overall, penetration testing delivers more precise results, as the ethical hacker tailors attack methods to the scope and assets being tested.

In some cases, a vulnerability scan may be included as part of a penetration test, but the reverse is rarely true. Pentesters often start with vulnerability scans during the reconnaissance phase to gather initial information, enumerate the attack surface, and identify potential weaknesses.

Example Findings

Vulnerability Scanning might detect:

  • Outdated software versions
  • Missing security patches
  • Common misconfigurations
  • Basic injection vulnerabilities

Penetration Testing can additionally uncover:

  • Data exfiltration paths
  • Complex authentication bypasses
  • Multi-step attack chains
  • Business logic flaws
  • Privilege escalation opportunities

Time & Cost Considerations

From a pricing perspective, penetration tests are significantly more expensive than vulnerability scans because they require dedicated security experts and involve manual analysis. They also take more time due to the depth of assessment. 

A vulnerability scan may be completed in one to two days, depending on the scope size, while a penetration test can range from a few days to several weeks, depending on the complexity of the environment being tested.

Vulnerability Scanning: Should be performed at least monthly, or after significant changes to your infrastructure or applications.

Penetration Testing: Most organizations benefit from annual penetration tests, though highly regulated industries or organizations with frequent changes may require semi-annual testing.

Analogy: Testing the Security of a House

A helpful way to differentiate the two is by comparing them to assessing the security of a house:

A vulnerability scan is like inspecting the doors, windows, and gates to check for weaknesses. If an open window is found, the scan would flag it as a security risk, but it wouldn’t determine whether it actually poses a real-world threat. For example, what if the open window leads to a locked room with no valuables?

A penetration test, in contrast, simulates an actual break-in. The tester (ethical hacker) wouldn’t just identify the open window; they would check if it can be used to enter the house, access different rooms, steal valuables, or escalate privileges to cause further damage.

Vulnerability Scanning vs. Penetration Testing Comparison at a Glance

 
Vulnerability Scanning
Penetration Testing
Features
Process
Automated
Manual with some automated components
Depth
Surface-level vulnerabilities
Deep analysis including exploit chains
False Positives
Common
Rare (findings are verified)
Time Required
1-2 days
Several days to weeks
Cost
Lower
Higher
Expertise Needed
Basic security knowledge
Advanced security expertise
Best For
Regular monitoring
Comprehensive security assessment

Compliance Purposes

Some compliance frameworks explicitly require a penetration test, such as PCI DSS and FedRAMP.

Others, like SOC 2 and ISO 27001, do not mandate a penetration test, and in some cases, a vulnerability scan may be sufficient to meet compliance requirements. However, while a penetration test is not strictly required for these frameworks, Thoropass compliance experts strongly recommend including one.

From the SOC 2 audit perspective, penetration testing and the remediation of its findings are mapped to multiple SOC 2 criteria within the report. If an organization opts out of a pentest and its other compensating controls fail within the same criteria, the likelihood of not meeting specific requirements increases significantly. This could ultimately lead to a qualified report. While the goal isn’t to alarm prospects, providing this additional context helps them understand the importance of penetration testing in maintaining compliance.

You may have heard other founders say that a penetration test is not required for SOC 2 compliance and while that’s technically correct, it can be misleading. If you skip a pentest, you’ll need strong compensating controls, and in many cases, the stakeholder requesting the SOC 2 Type 2 report expects a pentest and may still require one.

Also, penetration tests are generally more reliable and effective than vulnerability scans, providing a broader assessment of security risks. Investing in a pentest ensures a more thorough evaluation of your applications, making it a valuable security measure. Furthermore, many customers require a penetration test as part of their security due diligence before engaging with vendors.

Thoropass Pentest Services

Thoropass provides comprehensive penetration testing, not just vulnerability scanning. Our highly skilled pentesters thoroughly assess your applications, identifying security weaknesses beyond automated detection. Our team consists of experts with over 10 years of experience, holding industry-leading cybersecurity certifications, including BSCP, CISSP, OSCP, OSWE, eWAPT, and more. Thoropass itself is accredited by CREST, the primary accreditation organization for pentesting worldwide, which has certified less than 400 companies globally.

A penetration test not only helps meet compliance requirements but also enhances your overall security posture by identifying real-world attack scenarios.

Book a penetration test with Thoropass today to strengthen your security posture while meeting compliance requirements.

We’re proud to announce that Thoropass has achieved CREST accreditation for penetration testing, aligning us with a global community of cybersecurity leaders dedicated to enhancing industry standards. This accreditation marks a significant step forward in our mission to provide secure, dependable solutions in an evolving cybersecurity landscape.

CREST, an international not-for-profit body, represents the global cybersecurity sector and has been at the forefront of enhancing the quality and assurance of cyber services since 2006. With a rigorous set of standards, CREST accredits over 400 member companies across dozens of countries and certifies thousands of professionals worldwide, ensuring they meet high standards of expertise and reliability.

In a conversation with Donavan Trieu, our Director of Business Operations, we explored what this milestone means for Thoropass and our clients. 

How will a CREST accreditation enhance Thoropass’ Pentest offering?

A CREST accreditation will strengthen Thoropass’ pentest offering by assuring clients that our team meets high standards for technical skill, methodology, and quality in cybersecurity testing. It shows that our processes and reports are recognized by an industry-leading body, boosting credibility and trust. This accreditation can also help us stand out in the market, as clients increasingly look for certified partners who demonstrate commitment to best practices in security testing. 

CREST accreditation is particularly recognized in Europe, as CREST is headquartered in the UK. Many European organizations value this certification when selecting cybersecurity partners. With Thoropass’ recent announcement of its London-based HQ, this achievement further strengthens our ability to support our EMEA customers as they pursue growth and expansion.

For organizations seeking compliance, what are some of the key advantages to using a CREST-accredited pentester?

CREST certification aligns with many regulatory and compliance standards, giving organizations confidence that their security testing meets recognized requirements. 

At the same time, accredited pen testers from CREST-accredited companies undergo rigorous continuous training, which validates their skills and expertise, offering clients a higher level of trust in the findings and recommendations provided.

What does this step represent as part of Thoropass’ mission to become the world’s favorite compliance solution?

This achievement reinforces our commitment to delivering top-tier pentest services that not only meet compliance standards but also build client trust through demonstrated quality. 

“With CREST accreditation, we’re able to better serve our clients—especially those in highly regulated industries—by offering them the highest level of confidence in our services,” says Trieu.

This accreditation broadens our appeal to clients who prioritize recognized certifications, especially in regulated industries, solidifying Thoropass’s position as a one-stop shop for compliance and pentest needs.

If you’re interested in learning more about Thoropass’ penetration testing services, click here, plus receive 30% off when you purchase a framework!