A penetration test is a controlled, authorised attack on your systems — carried out by accredited security professionals to find and exploit vulnerabilities before a real attacker does. Aursec scopes, manages, and delivers penetration testing engagements for UK SMBs — with a full technical report and remediation guidance so you know exactly what to fix.
Penetration testing goes beyond vulnerability scanning. Accredited testers actively attempt to exploit weaknesses in your systems, applications, and network — the same way a real attacker would. The difference is you get a full report of what they found and how to fix it.
Accredited testers use the same techniques as real attackers — not just automated tools. You find out what an attacker would actually be able to do with your systems.
Penetration test reports are accepted as evidence for DSPT, ISO 27001, and supply chain security requirements. The report is formatted to meet these requirements.
Every finding comes with a risk rating and specific remediation guidance. You know exactly what to fix, in what order, and why it matters.
Automated tools identify known vulnerabilities. Good for regular baseline monitoring. Does not confirm whether vulnerabilities are actually exploitable.
Accredited testers actively attempt to exploit vulnerabilities using real-world techniques. Confirms what an attacker could actually do. Required for DSPT, ISO 27001, and many supply chain security frameworks.
Each test type targets a different part of your attack surface. We scope each engagement individually — most clients require one or two test types depending on their environment and compliance requirements.
Testing of your internet-facing systems — websites, email servers, firewalls, VPNs, and any other external-facing infrastructure. Identifies what an attacker on the internet could find and exploit without any internal access.
Most CommonTesting of your internal network from the perspective of an attacker who has gained initial access — simulating an insider threat, a compromised device, or an attacker who has breached the perimeter. Identifies lateral movement opportunities and internal weaknesses.
Supply Chain RequirementIn-depth testing of web applications — portals, customer platforms, SaaS products, and internal web tools. Goes beyond automated scanning to test for authentication weaknesses, injection vulnerabilities, authorisation flaws, and business logic errors.
DSPT & ISO 27001Every Aursec penetration test engagement produces a complete set of outputs — formatted for both technical teams and senior leadership.
A plain-English summary of findings, overall risk rating, and key recommendations — written for senior leadership and board reporting. No technical background required to understand it.
Every finding documented in full — vulnerability details, evidence, risk rating, affected systems, and step-by-step exploitation methodology. Formatted for your technical team and accepted as compliance evidence.
Every finding comes with specific, actionable remediation guidance prioritised by risk rating. Critical and high findings flagged clearly. You know exactly what to fix first.
Once you have remediated the critical and high findings, an optional retest confirms the fixes are effective and the vulnerabilities have been closed. Retests are scoped and quoted separately.
Every engagement is scoped individually — we agree exactly what will be tested, when, and how before any testing begins. Nothing happens without your explicit authorisation.
30-minute call to understand your environment, what needs testing, and what's driving the requirement — compliance, supply chain, or proactive assurance. We recommend the right test type and provide a scoped quote. No commitment required.
Formal rules of engagement agreed and signed before any testing begins. Testing windows agreed to minimise disruption. You are always in control of what is tested and when.
Accredited testers carry out the agreed test — actively attempting to find and exploit vulnerabilities using real-world techniques. Testing is conducted carefully and professionally within the agreed scope.
Full report delivered — executive summary, technical findings, and prioritised remediation guidance. We walk you through the findings in a debrief call so nothing is left unclear.
DSPT requires penetration testing for organisations above certain thresholds. ISO 27001 includes penetration testing as part of control verification. If your compliance framework requires it, we scope it to meet exactly that requirement.
Larger clients and public sector organisations increasingly require penetration testing results from their suppliers. A current pen test report demonstrates security maturity and removes a common barrier to winning and retaining contracts.
After closing significant security gaps — following a CE+ assessment, a vulnerability scan, or an incident — a penetration test confirms the fixes are effective and no new weaknesses have been introduced.
You do not need a compliance driver to justify a penetration test. Knowing what an attacker could do with your systems — before they do it — is a sound business decision for any organisation handling sensitive data or client information.
Could not be happier with the services provided by Aursec in supporting the IT of my Business. From initial engagement, Aursec worked with me to understand my requirements and ensured an efficient rollout of my Company's IT solution. They took the stress out of achieving CyberEssentials Plus certification and now are fully embedded with my organisation as a partner to deliver long term IT Service Support. Aursec would be a great option for any size business but are particularly valuable for smaller businesses that require that additional hands-on knowledge and experience.
Tell us about your environment, what's driving the requirement, and your timeline. We will come back to you within one working day with a recommendation and scoped quote.