By Redscan

Making sense of pen test pricing

Commissioning a penetration test is an important step in helping to enhance your organisation’s cyber security resilience. Pen testing costs vary from a few thousand to several thousand more, so it’s essential to ensure that the pen testing you select enables you to achieve the best security outcomes from your budget.

Every organisation has its own testing requirements and penetration testing pricing varies according to the type of test performed as well as its overall objectives and duration. Penetration testing costs ultimately depend on the issues and requirements identified during the initial scoping phase.

The importance of pen test scoping

Most penetration testing companies charge for pen testing on the basis of a day rate. As a result, it’s important that scoping stage of an assessment is conducted effectively to ensure that a quotation is as accurate as possible and that you don’t end up paying extra for unwanted elements.

At Redscan, we focus on ensuring that our clients gain the maximum value from their investment in a pen test. The scoping process allows us to identify the type of assessment best suited to your needs. It is the point when we work with you to define the full remit and goals of the pen test, including itemising the systems, assets and applications to be assessed.

Factors that affect pen testing costs

The number of days required to perform a pen test depends on factors including:

• Type of test
• Automated vs manual testing
• Testing methodology
• Remote or on-site testing
• Experience of tester
• When the test is conducted
• Level of reporting
• If retesting is included

Maximising the value of pen testing

Pen test pricing can vary significantly, but identifying the right provider to help accurately scope requirements makes assessing pen test quotations much more straightforward. As a CREST-certified company, Redscan performs testing to the highest technical, legal and ethical standards.

To learn more about how to achieve the best outcomes from penetration testing read the full article here.