There's a real difference between knowing a vulnerability exists and knowing what an attacker can do with it. Automated scanners give you the first. Penetration testing gives you the second.

A penetration test is a controlled, authorized simulation of a real attack. We use the same methods and tools that actual attackers use — the difference is we stop before causing damage and document everything. The output is evidence: proof of what was accessible, how we got there, and what it would have cost you if we had been someone else.

IBM's 2025 Cost of a Data Breach report puts the average breach at USD 4.44 million globally, and USD 3.86 million for hospitality specifically. A penetration test is a fraction of that cost — and it gives you the findings before someone else does.

Vulnerability assessment vs. penetration testing

These two services are regularly confused. The difference matters.

Vulnerability assessment

Automated scanning tools at scale
Broad coverage, shallow depth
Answers: "What vulnerabilities exist?"
Higher false positive rate
Hours to complete
Good for ongoing hygiene and CI/CD

Penetration testing

Human-led, manual with tool support
Narrow scope, deep exploitation
Answers: "What can an attacker actually do?"
Verified findings, no false positives
Days to weeks depending on scope
Required for PCI DSS, ISO 27001, SOC 2

Both have a place. Vulnerability assessments handle breadth and frequency; penetration testing proves real-world risk. We offer both and can advise on the right combination for your situation.

What we test

Network and infrastructure

External and internal network testing. External tests simulate an attacker probing your perimeter from the internet: open ports, firewall rules, VPN gateways, exposed services. Internal tests simulate what happens after a foothold is established — lateral movement, Active Directory abuse, privilege escalation, segmentation failures. Both matter; most organizations test only one.

Web applications

Aligned to the OWASP Web Security Testing Guide (WSTG v4.2) and OWASP Top 10. We test authentication, session management, input validation, business logic, access controls, and the full API surface. Business logic flaws — the kind that let users access other users' bookings or escalate their own privileges — are only findable through manual testing. Automated scanners miss them entirely.

APIs

REST, GraphQL, SOAP, and microservices, aligned to the OWASP API Security Top 10. We test for broken object-level authorization, function-level authorization flaws, rate limiting gaps, excessive data exposure, and authentication weaknesses. APIs are the most under-tested attack surface in most organizations — especially where third-party integrations (payment gateways, OTAs, property management systems) are involved.

Cloud environments

Cloud penetration testing is fundamentally different from network testing. We target IAM policy misconfigurations, storage bucket permissions, serverless function security, container escape paths, and cloud-specific attack chains. The shared responsibility model means cloud providers don't test this for you.

Social engineering and phishing

Controlled phishing simulations, pretexting, and vishing campaigns that test whether your team would hand over credentials or access to a convincing attacker. Particularly relevant for hospitality staff handling guest data and finance teams with wire transfer authority. The results are usually sobering — and always actionable.

Physical security

Testing physical access controls: RFID badge cloning, tailgating, lock assessment, server room access, and POS terminal access. For resort properties this includes back-of-house infrastructure, network closets, and guest-facing kiosks. Requires detailed rules of engagement and clear written authorization — we treat this carefully.

Testing approaches

The right approach depends on what you're trying to simulate.

Black box

No prior knowledge. We simulate an external attacker with no credentials or documentation. Most realistic for perimeter testing.

Best for: external attack surface validation

Grey box recommended

Partial knowledge — some credentials, basic architecture context. Best balance of realism and coverage for most organizations.

Best for: most organizations, best value

White box

Full knowledge — source code, architecture diagrams, all credentials. Maximum coverage for compliance validation and critical systems.

Best for: compliance evidence, high-assurance systems

Our methodology

We follow the Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES), supplemented by OWASP WSTG for web applications, NIST SP 800-115 for overall programme structure, and MITRE ATT&CK for adversary simulation when relevant.

1

Pre-engagement

Scope definition, rules of engagement, legal authorization, emergency contacts, and testing window. Nothing starts without written sign-off on boundaries.

2

Intelligence gathering

Passive and active reconnaissance. DNS enumeration, network mapping, technology fingerprinting, OSINT on exposed infrastructure.

3

Threat modeling

Prioritize testing around your actual business assets — what an attacker would want. This focuses effort on what matters, not just what's technically interesting.

4

Vulnerability analysis

Systematic identification through automated scanning plus manual analysis. False positives are eliminated before anything goes in the report.

5

Exploitation

Active exploitation of validated vulnerabilities in a controlled, documented way to prove they are real and demonstrate what's accessible.

6

Post-exploitation

Privilege escalation, lateral movement, access to sensitive data — demonstrating the full business impact of a successful attack. This is usually what changes how organizations prioritize remediation.

7

Reporting and re-test

Executive and technical reports delivered. After remediation, a re-test confirms fixes are effective. The clean report is your compliance evidence.

What you receive

Executive summary

Risk posture, key findings, and strategic recommendations for board and leadership. Business impact language, no technical jargon.

Technical findings report

Every finding with CVSS score, proof-of-concept evidence, reproduction steps, and specific remediation guidance. Attack narratives showing chained vulnerabilities.

Proof-of-concept evidence

Screenshots, command outputs, captured data. Enough for developers to understand, reproduce, and verify the fix.

Prioritized remediation roadmap

Short-term mitigations alongside longer architectural fixes. Specific steps, not generic advice.

Compliance mapping

Findings mapped to PCI DSS 11.4, ISO 27001 Annex A 8.8, and SOC 2 CC4.1 where applicable. Audit-ready documentation.

Re-test verification

Focused re-testing after remediation to confirm fixes worked. Updated report with resolved findings — your compliance evidence of effective remediation.

Compliance requirements we satisfy

PCI DSS v4.0 — Requirement 11.4

Annual penetration testing required for all cardholder data environments, plus after any significant infrastructure or application changes. PCI DSS v4.0 became the only active standard in March 2025. Our testing covers internal and external network layers and addresses the OWASP Top 10 at the application layer.

ISO/IEC 27001:2022 — Annex A 8.8

Management of technical vulnerabilities. Annual penetration testing is the accepted practice for demonstrating compliance with Annex A 8.8. We provide documentation suitable for ISO 27001 auditors.

SOC 2 — CC4.1

Independent third-party penetration testing is the primary evidence mechanism for the SOC 2 monitoring activities criterion. Our reports are structured to give auditors what they need.

Who this is for

→ Resorts and hospitality businesses processing guest payments who need annual PCI DSS penetration testing
→ Financial institutions and fintechs preparing for ISO 27001 or SOC 2 certification
→ Organizations launching new web applications, APIs, or mobile apps before going live
→ Businesses that had a security incident and want an independent view of current exposure
→ Government agencies and enterprises needing documented security testing for board or regulatory reporting
→ Any organization that has only run vulnerability scans and wants to know what a real attacker could actually do

Ready to see what an attacker would find?

Start with a scoping call. We'll discuss your environment, compliance requirements, and what a test would involve — no commitment required.

Schedule Free Consultation