Updated April 12, 2025
Any robust cybersecurity strategy includes regular penetration tests. Pen tests are vital to revealing the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of your security ecosystem. A pen test is white hat hacking, so you know where the problems are before the bad guys do. The end of the pen test is a new beginning. Once you finish one, the question is now what? Post-pen test, there are many steps to ensure it delivers the value, insights, and intelligence it should.
First, here’s a refresher on pen tests.
Pen Test Basics
Pen testers use the same tools and techniques as cybercriminals to create real-world scenarios. There are three levels of pen testing. First is black box pen testing. In this situation, penetrators know nothing about your system and are looking for anything to exploit.
The second option is gray box penetration testing, in which hackers obtain some information about your system and may have credentials. In this approach, users often develop some use cases for the attack.
The third type is white box penetration testing, and these testers get access to systems and artifacts. They may also be able to enter your servers.
No matter the type or the methods used, pen testing is supposed to deliver the essential information that helps you protect your data, infrastructure, and network. Pen tests can look inside every part of your digital footprint to provide a 360-degree view of your cybersecurity blind spots.
After the pen test, you’ll receive reports, analysis, and remediation plans. What can you do with this? What should you do?
Post Pen Test: 6 Steps to Take
Now that you know what you didn’t know about your digital ecosystem, it’s time to make the most of what you’ve learned. Taking these steps could include further work with your pen test provider as well as internal changes to make.
Step 1: Clean Up the Environment
At the end of a pen test, you must deactivate or remove any accounts created for this purpose. Additionally, if any firewall rules or other system changes occurred before the test, you’ll need to revert these back to their former state. Your penetration testing provider should provide a list of any of these things.
If the action involved any test data, such as a populated table with a database for the function of web application testing, you should remove this test data. Do so before the application leaves the development stage and enters production.
This clean-up may also be part of your agreement with the testers. They may take the lead on removing files or software installed for the test. After the initial clean-up, you should do a final check of your network to see if anything was missed.
Now that the environment is back to its original state, it’s time to find out the results of the pen test.
Step 2: Review the Results
Once you have your detailed report, you’ll want to read it thoroughly. Hopefully, the pen test company you’ve chosen delivers results that are easy to understand. Yes, there will be technical information in here, but you shouldn’t need a Ph.D. to decipher it.
So, what does a report look like?
Pen Test Report Inclusions
Most reports have this format:
- Executive summary: This opening describes identified risks and their potential impact on your company. This section includes technical information delivered in a way you can understand.
- Technical details: This part will discuss vulnerabilities and their category (e.g., injection, web applications, etc.). It will also indicate the low, moderate, high, or critical priority level.
- Potential impact and risk level: This segment will provide context around the likelihood of risks your company is facing in cybersecurity and include the impact of these vulnerabilities.
- Solutions: This piece is a roadmap for remediation of all the issues found.
- Methodologies: Testing can include a variety of procedures, and you’ll have a listing of all those, whether automated or manual.
When looking over the entire report, the most critical ones to focus on include the following:
- Remediation plans to close any significant or critical security gaps.
- Suggestions for improving your overall cybersecurity posture.
- Audit information about any compliance regulations you should be adhering to.
- Benchmarks and baselines; if it’s your first pen test, it becomes your security baseline to improve upon in the future. If it’s not your first, you’ll want to look back to those to see how you improved or what areas still need review.
You’re looking to the report for the major insights about your security solutions’ effectiveness. You should also look for anything that the testers didn’t assess. Depending on the type of pen test and the parameters, those conducting it may not test every endpoint or area of your network.
Another consideration for reviewing activity is to look at device and application logs. They tell the story of tactics used and have a rich volume of information. They are dense but worth evaluation, as these insights will help you continue to refine your security posture.
After you’ve gone through the report, you’ll likely have questions.
Step 3: Ask the Pen Testers
Even the most comprehensive report will elicit questions. As you go through your report, mark the areas where you’d like more context or information. Collect all of these into one document, and set up a time to review with your penetration testing provider.
Some questions you may want to ask may be:
- Did the final pen testing methodologies match the ones described in the process pre-test? Pen tests may not always follow the plan. With so many factors impacting the scope, it’s possible the testing team zeroed in on major problems they found, which may not have been part of the original agreement.
- How will you continue to protect the testing results data? In most cases, you and the provider have already discussed confidentiality and data protection. It’s never a bad idea to check on this post-test.
- How can you help with remediation? If not predetermined, you can ask if they can support remediation plans. Things discovered during the test may be complex or critical and need immediate attention. Working with your testers can accelerate these tasks.
During these conversations, the focus will be on remediation. You’ll want to prioritize the fixes to ensure you give the right energy to the fixes needed.
Step 4: Prioritize and Launch Remediation Efforts
Your report documented the level of risk for each issue found. Ideally, you’ll start with the most critical. However, it’s not as easy as just putting a number beside each vulnerability. Those at the highest level may involve a specific resolution strategy, which could take time. You don’t want to put these on the back burner but also consider taking care of the things that are quick fixes. Those in this category only need minor changes and don’t require much effort or cost to address.
You can work on remediations in tandem. Assigning these out can include internal and external resources. Your tester can help you rank the areas, as they’ve already supplied a roadmap for this in the report.
As you review and remedy all the vulnerabilities, continue recording all this activity. It will be helpful when you decide to retest.
Step 5: Move Forward with Continuous Improvement
One of the reasons you deployed a pen test was to improve your security ecosystem. After the test, you’ll commit to continuous improvement. The threat landscape is constantly evolving and growing. Out of the test, you should implement new policies or processes to keep your company more secure. You’ll also need to consider how our environment exists now and all the endpoints included.
Most organizations don’t have staff all on-site, nor do they have on-premises systems. Decentralized working conditions enlarge your environment. What best practices should you define be unique to your business? Your pen testers can continue to assist you in striving toward greater resilience.
Step 6: Plan Your Retest
Pen testing should occur regularly. There are a few ways to manage this. You could retest as soon as all remediation is complete. If you do this, you’ll have more intelligence if you’ve plugged all the holes.
If that’s not feasible, you may put pen testing quarterly or annually. You’ll be able to use your benchmarks to track progress. You may also want to conduct a test when you complete any major IT project, such as migrating, adding new applications, improving infrastructure, or adding new cybersecurity tools. A pen test at this juncture is like due diligence to ensure implementation and configuration are correct.
Do you have more questions about pen testing or want to learn how we provide it? Contact us today to get started.
Penetration Testing FAQs
Please schedule a 30-minute Discovery Session with us so we can best understand your objectives.
Penetration testing, also known as security testing, should be conducted on a regular basis to ensure the protection of organizations' digital assets. It is generally recommended that all organizations schedule security testing at least once a year. However, it is essential to conduct additional assessments in the event of significant infrastructure changes, prior to important events such as product launches, mergers, or acquisitions.
For organizations with large IT estates, high volumes of personal and financial data processing, or strict compliance requirements, more frequent pen tests are strongly encouraged. Such organizations should consider conducting penetration testing with a higher frequency to continually assess and strengthen their security measures.
To further enhance security practices, organizations can adopt agile pen testing or continuous pen testing. Unlike traditional pen testing, which occurs at specific intervals, agile pen testing integrates regular testing into the software development lifecycle (SDLC). This approach ensures that security assessments are conducted consistently throughout the development process, aligning with the release schedule of new features. By doing so, organizations can proactively address any vulnerabilities and mitigate risks to customers, without significantly impacting product release cycles.
Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) is a dynamic approach to cybersecurity where regular and systematic penetration tests are conducted to assess the security of an organization's IT infrastructure. Unlike traditional penetration testing, which is typically performed as a one-time assessment, PTaaS offers ongoing testing and monitoring, allowing for continuous identification and remediation of vulnerabilities.
Key aspects of PTaaS include:
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Regular Testing Cycles: PTaaS involves conducting penetration tests at predetermined intervals, such as monthly or quarterly. This regularity ensures that new or previously undetected vulnerabilities are identified and addressed promptly.
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Updated Threat Intelligence: As cyber threats evolve rapidly, PTaaS providers stay abreast of the latest threat landscapes. This ensures that each test is relevant and effective against the most current types of attacks.
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Continuous Improvement: By receiving regular feedback and insights from these tests, organizations can continually improve their security postures. This process includes patching vulnerabilities, updating security policies, and enhancing defense mechanisms.
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Comprehensive Reporting and Support: PTaaS typically includes detailed reporting on the findings of each test, along with expert recommendations for remediation. Ongoing support and consultation are often part of the service to help organizations respond effectively to identified issues.
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Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Predictability: With an annual contract and monthly payment options, PTaaS allows organizations to budget more effectively for their cybersecurity needs, avoiding the potentially higher costs of one-off penetration tests.
Cloud penetration testing is a specialized and crucial process involving comprehensive security assessments on cloud and hybrid environments. It is crucial to address organizations' shared responsibility challenges while using cloud services. Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities ensures that critical assets are protected and not left exposed to potential threats.
Cloud penetration testing involves simulating real-world attacks to identify and exploit vulnerabilities within the cloud infrastructure, applications, or configurations. It goes beyond traditional security measures by specifically targeting cloud-specific risks and assessing the effectiveness of an organization's security controls in a cloud environment.
The importance of cloud penetration testing lies in its ability to uncover security weaknesses that might be overlooked during regular security audits. As organizations increasingly adopt cloud services, they share the responsibility of ensuring the security of their data and assets with the cloud service provider. This shared responsibility model often poses challenges regarding who is accountable for various security aspects.
Cloud penetration testing not only helps in understanding the level of security provided by the cloud service provider but also provides insights into potential weaknesses within an organization's configurations or applications. By proactively identifying these vulnerabilities, organizations can take necessary steps to mitigate risks and strengthen their security posture.
These terms refer to the amount of information shared with the testers beforehand. Black box testing is like a real-world hacker attack where the tester has no prior knowledge of the system. It's a true test of how an actual attack might unfold. Gray box testing is a mix, where some information is given - this can lead to a more focused testing process. White box testing is the most thorough, where testers have full knowledge of the infrastructure. It's like giving someone the blueprint of a building and asking them to find every possible way in. Each type offers different insights and is chosen based on the specific testing objectives.
When choosing a pen test provider, you'll want to consider several important factors to ensure your organization's highest level of cybersecurity.
Selecting the right pen test provider is crucial for your organization's security. It's about identifying vulnerabilities and having a partner who can help you remediate them effectively. To make an informed decision, here's what you should look for:
Expertise and Certifications: One of the key factors to consider is the expertise of the pen testers. Look for providers with a team of experts holding certifications such as CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), CSSLP (Certified Secure Software Life Cycle Professional), OSWE (Offensive Security Web Expert), OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional), CRTE (Certified Red Team Expert), CBBH (Certified Bug Bounty Hunter), CRTL (Certified Red Team Lead), and CARTP (Certified Azure Red Team Professional). These certifications demonstrate a high level of knowledge and competence in the field.
Comprehensive Testing Services: The cybersecurity landscape constantly evolves, and threats are becoming more sophisticated. To stay ahead, you need a provider with expertise and resources to test your systems comprehensively. Look for a pen test provider like Blue Goat Cyber that offers testing across various areas, including internal and external infrastructure, wireless networks, web applications, mobile applications, network builds, and configurations. This ensures a holistic evaluation of your organization's security posture.
Post-Test Care and Guidance: Identifying vulnerabilities is not enough; you need a partner who can help you address them effectively. Consider what happens after the testing phase. A reputable pen test provider should offer comprehensive post-test care, including actionable outputs, prioritized remediation guidance, and strategic security advice. This support is crucial for making long-term improvements to your cybersecurity posture.
Tangible Benefits: By choosing a pen test provider like Blue Goat Cyber, you ensure that you receive a comprehensive evaluation of your security posture. This extends to various areas, including internal and external infrastructure, wireless networks, web and mobile applications, network configurations, and more. The expertise and certifications of their team guarantee a thorough assessment.
We follow a seven phase methodology designed to maximize our efficiency, minimize risk, and provide complete and accurate results. The overarching seven phases of the methodology are:
- Planning and Preparation
- Reconnaissance / Discovery
- Vulnerability Enumeration / Analysis
- Initial Exploitation
- Expanding Foothold / Post-Exploitation
- Cleanup
- Report Generation
An External Black-Box Penetration Test, also known as a Black Box Test, primarily focuses on identifying vulnerabilities in external IT systems that external attackers could exploit. This testing approach aims to simulate real-world attack scenarios, mimicking the actions of adversaries without actual threats or risks.
During an External Black-Box Pen Test, ethical hackers attempt to exploit weaknesses in network security from an external perspective. This form of testing does not involve internal assessments, which means it may provide a limited scope of insights. However, it is crucial to note that the absence of identified external vulnerabilities does not guarantee complete security.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the network's resilience, it is recommended to complement the External Black-Box Pen Test with an Internal Black-Box Penetration Test. By combining both approaches, organizations can evaluate the effectiveness of their security measures from both external and internal perspectives.
It is important to acknowledge that external-facing devices and services, such as email, web, VPN, cloud authentication, and cloud storage, are constantly exposed to potential attacks. Therefore, conducting an External Black-Box Pen Test becomes imperative to identify any weaknesses that could compromise the network's confidentiality, availability, or integrity.
Organizations should consider performing External and Internal Black-Box Penetration Tests to ensure a robust security posture. This comprehensive approach allows for a thorough assessment of external vulnerabilities while uncovering potential internal risks. Organizations can strengthen their security defenses by leveraging these testing methodologies and proactively addressing identified weaknesses.
Blue Goat Cyber employs a comprehensive approach to gather intelligence for a penetration test. We begin by actively seeking out relevant information about the targets. This includes identifying the devices, services, and applications the targets utilize. In addition, Blue Goat Cyber meticulously explores potential valid user accounts and executes various actions to uncover valuable data. By conducting this meticulous information-gathering process, Blue Goat Cyber ensures we comprehensively understand the target's infrastructure and potential vulnerabilities for a successful penetration test.
Compliance penetration testing is specially designed to meet the requirements of various regulatory standards. For SOC 2, it's about ensuring that a company's information security measures are in line with the principles set forth by the American Institute of CPAs. In the case of PCI DSS, it's specifically for businesses that handle cardholder information, where regular pen testing is mandated to protect against data breaches. For medical devices regulated by the FDA, pen testing ensures that the devices and their associated software are safe from cyber threats. This type of testing is crucial not just for meeting legal requirements but also for maintaining the trust of customers and stakeholders in industries where data sensitivity is paramount.
