Penetration testing (or pen testing) is a simulated cyberattack on your systems to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them. It’s essential for understanding your security weaknesses and meeting compliance requirements.

External testing targets systems exposed to the internet (e.g. firewalls), while internal testing simulates an attack from inside your network (e.g. a compromised employee device).

At a minimum, penetration tests should be conducted annually or after any major changes to your IT infrastructure, such as software updates, network expansions, or new integrations.

No. Tests are carefully planned to minimize disruption. We work with your team to determine timing and scope, ensuring critical systems remain unaffected during testing.

While it’s useful for continuous monitoring, vulnerability scanning should be complemented with penetration testing for a deeper assessment and to uncover more complex risks.

Vulnerability scanning is an automated process that identifies known vulnerabilities, whereas penetration testing involves actively exploiting and assessing the impact of those vulnerabilities.

At minimum, monthly. However, weekly or even daily scans are ideal for organizations in high-risk industries or with rapidly changing environments.

Free tools may offer basic protection, but they often lack the advanced features, support, and threat intelligence that paid solutions provide. For critical business functions, investing in professional-grade security is advisable.

Start with a risk assessment to understand your specific threats. From there, prioritize essential tools like firewalls, endpoint protection, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems. We can help tailor a solution to your needs.

Yes. Achieving Cyber Essentials demonstrates your commitment to cybersecurity and is increasingly required to do business with government and large enterprises. It also improves your security posture and can reduce cyber insurance premiums.

Preventing even a single data breach can save thousands in fines, reputational damage, and downtime. Cybersecurity investment reduces risk, supports compliance, and gives customers confidence in doing business with you.

If you’re looking for speed, efficiency, and consistent coverage—automated penetration testing is the smart choice, especially for small to medium-sized businesses.

Here’s why it stands out:

Faster Results

Automated tests can scan your entire environment in minutes or hours—not days. This means quicker insights and faster fixes to keep your systems secure.

Continuous Coverage

Cyber threats evolve constantly. With automated testing, you can schedule regular scans—weekly, monthly, or even after every update—ensuring you’re always one step ahead.

Cost-Effective

Manual penetration testing often comes with a high price tag, especially for recurring tests. Automation gives you powerful, repeatable security checks at a fraction of the cost.

Scalable and Repeatable

Whether you have 5 systems or 500, automated tools scale with your business. Plus, the tests are consistent every time—removing the variability of human error.

Great for Compliance

Need to meet Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, or GDPR requirements? Automated penetration testing helps you stay audit-ready with regular reporting and evidence.

Manual testing still has its place—especially for complex, high-risk environments—but for most businesses, automated testing offers an ideal mix of speed, value, and proactive protection.