Penetration Testing
Penetration Testing: Verified, Not Guesswork
A penetration test examines your application the way a real attacker would approach it: with purpose, by chaining steps, aiming for the one weakness that is genuinely exploitable. At CyberSec42, no finding leaves the report without an executed proof of concept behind it. You do not receive a list of hunches. You receive what an attacker could actually reach, and a report that holds up to scrutiny.
- A targeted test instead of a mass scan: we look for the exploitable chain, not the loud noise.
- Every finding comes with a proof of concept, demonstrated and reproducible within the agreed scope, not reported on suspicion.
- Calibrated triage: real over false positive, no severity inflation.
- The report is a review-ready artifact with a risk register and a suggested fix per finding.
- An honest boundary: a clean result means no finding on what we tested, never a blanket guarantee.
What a penetration test delivers
An automated scan tells you what matches known patterns. A penetration test tells you what an attacker can actually do with it. The difference is the chaining: individual weaknesses that look harmless on their own combine into a working sequence, where the output of one step becomes the input to the next. A scanner does not find these chains, because they live in the interplay and in the permission design, not in a single line of code.
That is why we test on two levels. A static review against defined invariants covers the classes that can be caught structurally. A dynamic review backs each individual finding with an executed proof of concept instead of merely suspecting it. This separation is the reason we can label findings honestly as demonstrated or as open, rather than blurring the two.
What we examine
Access control
Whether a user sees only their own data, whether roles hold, whether ownership checks actually take effect. The most common and most costly class.
Injection and execution
SQL, command, template and related families, traced from the untrusted input all the way to the dangerous sink.
Authentication and sessions
Token handling, session security, the password and reset flow, and how multi-factor is treated.
Server-side requests
SSRF and unfiltered outbound requests, blocking of internal addresses, and how redirects are handled.
Secret and data handling
Where credentials live, whether they are logged or passed along, and how sensitive data is protected.
Configuration and defaults
Insecure default values, overly broad permissions, open bindings, and shipped default keys.
The scope is defined per project. What we test and what we explicitly do not test is put in writing before the test begins.
How a test runs
Scope and boundaries
Together we define which systems, which roles and which impacts are in scope, and we record the boundaries and the authorization in writing.
Reconnaissance and mapping
We map the attack surface, the entry points, the trust boundaries and the permissions, to find the places where something can tip over.
Testing and chaining
We test every relevant vulnerability class and connect individual weaknesses into chains, to gauge the actual impact.
Verification per finding
Every candidate is cross-checked. Only what can be backed by an executed proof of concept is carried as a finding, and the rest is discarded honestly.
Report and handover
You receive a review-ready report with an executive summary, a risk register, a proof and a suggested fix per finding, plus a call to help you prioritize.
Retest
After your fixes we re-examine the resolved findings and document the state, so that the remediation is evidenced.
Why CyberSec42
The market mostly supplies breadth: many rules, a green dashboard, a grade. That is useful and it has its place, but it tells a buyer nothing about the one property their product stands on. Our work starts exactly where the scan stops.
- A proof per finding. We report nothing on suspicion. Each individual finding is backed by an executed proof of concept before it enters the report.
- False-alarm discipline. Candidates that cannot be verified are discarded rather than upgraded. No severity inflation, no reporting for the sake of the count.
- Invariant-based, not guessing. We test against a library of defined security invariants, not against a hunch about what looks suspicious.
- The report as an artifact. Evidenced, review-ready, and prepared for the case where an external reviewer or an enterprise procurement team wants to see it.
- Honest framing. We would rather claim too little than sell a green light that is not one. A clean result means no finding on what we tested.
Do your security assumptions hold up to a test?
In a free initial call we name the one property your product depends on and outline what a sensible scope looks like. Any later finding arrives with a proof of concept, not a hunch.
Book a free callCyberSec42 provides independent technical security testing. It is not an accredited certification body and does not provide legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a penetration test and a vulnerability scan?
A vulnerability scan searches automatically for known patterns and returns a list. A penetration test checks in a targeted way whether those and further weaknesses can actually be exploited and chained together. At CyberSec42, every reported finding is backed by an executed proof of concept.
How long does a penetration test take?
It depends on the scope: the size of the application, the number of roles and the depth of the review. We put duration and extent in writing before we begin, so there are no surprises.
What does a penetration test cost?
The effort depends on the scope. Rather than a flat rate, we first talk through your system and the sensible extent, and then give you an individual quote.
Do I get a report I can share?
Yes. The report is built as a review-ready artifact, with an executive summary, a risk register and a proof per finding. It is written so that an enterprise procurement team or an external reviewer can work with it.
What happens after the test?
You receive the report and a call to help you prioritize. After your fixes we re-examine the resolved findings in a retest and document the state.