Penetration Testing Services
Prove What an Attacker Could Actually Reach
Penetration testing is an authorized, goal-driven simulated attack in which testers manually exploit weaknesses in your networks, applications, APIs, cloud environment, or wireless to show what a real attacker could reach and what that would mean for the business. Redbeard Intelligence and Investigations provides penetration testing services for organizations nationwide that need evidence of real-world risk, not just a list of scanner results.
Where a vulnerability assessment casts a wide net, a penetration test goes deep. Our testers chain small weaknesses together the way attackers do, confirm impact in a controlled way, and document each step so your team can reproduce and fix it. Redbeard is based in Florida, and testing is usually performed remotely for clients across the country.
Why Penetration Testing Matters
Scanners report possibilities. A penetration test shows which weaknesses connect into a working path to your sensitive data, and what to change to break that path.
- Manual and Goal-Driven
Testers pursue agreed objectives, such as admin access or sensitive records, instead of stopping at scanner output.
- Chained Attack Paths
Findings show how separate weaknesses combine into a realistic route through your environment.
- Controlled Exploitation
Impact is proven with a minimal footprint, without bulk data extraction or destructive actions.
- OSINT-Informed
A review of your public footprint and leaked credentials shapes realistic starting points.
- Evidence Discipline
Activity logs and findings are documented with the care of our forensics and investigations practices.
- Fix Verification
Retesting after remediation confirms whether each exploitable finding is actually closed.
Types of Penetration Tests
- External network — perimeter hosts, remote access, email services, and anything else exposed to the internet.
- Internal network and assumed breach — starting from a standard account or connected laptop to test directory weaknesses, credential capture, privilege escalation, and lateral movement.
- Web application — authentication, sessions, access control between users and roles, injection, and business-logic abuse.
- API — object- and function-level authorization, token handling, mass assignment, and rate limits.
- Cloud configuration — identity and permission mistakes and exposed storage, tested under the rules each provider publishes for security testing.
- Wireless — how staff and devices sign in to corporate Wi-Fi, whether guest networks stay apart from business systems, and impersonated access points.
- Segmentation — confirming that sensitive zones, such as cardholder data environments, are actually isolated.
Apps on phones and tablets are covered by mobile application penetration testing.
Black Box, Grey Box, and White Box
The knowledge level you choose shapes depth and efficiency. Black box testers start with no inside information, as an outside attacker would. Grey box testers receive some credentials or documentation, the most common choice because it focuses time on what a user or insider could do. White box testers work from full documentation or source code for the deepest coverage.
How a Penetration Test Runs
- Pre-engagement. Objectives, scope, rules of engagement, windows, emergency contacts, stop conditions, and signed authorization.
- Reconnaissance. Passive research, including an OSINT review of your exposed footprint, then active discovery of in-scope targets.
- Analysis and planning. Choosing the weaknesses most likely to lead toward the agreed objectives.
- Controlled exploitation. Proving access carefully and pausing for approval before any step that could affect stability.
- Post-exploitation. Escalation and lateral movement where in scope, with proof of sensitive-data access rather than bulk extraction.
- Cleanup. Removing test accounts and tools. Logs are preserved, not wiped, so your team can review the activity.
- Reporting and retest. A readout of findings, then retesting once fixes are in place.
Public methodologies such as PTES, the OWASP Web Security Testing Guide, and NIST SP 800-115 inform this process, and techniques can be mapped to MITRE ATT&CK.
What You Receive
- A business-language executive summary for leadership and boards
- An attack narrative showing how weaknesses chained together
- Findings with severity, affected assets, reproduction steps, screenshots, and remediation
- Strategic recommendations that address root causes
- A tester activity log with times and source addresses to match against your alerts
- A retest report and, on request, a summary letter for customers or auditors
Authorization and Rules of Engagement
Unauthorized testing may break federal law under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, as well as Florida statutes, so testing begins only after:
- Written authorization from the system owner or another person with legal authority over every in-scope system
- In-scope IP ranges, domains, applications, APIs, and environments documented in writing, with explicit exclusions
- Confirmation that hosting providers, cloud platforms, SaaS vendors, and managed service providers permit the testing, and that their published rules are followed
- Signed rules of engagement covering windows, permitted techniques, and data handling
- Emergency contacts on both sides and a stop and deconfliction process if a real incident or outage occurs
Production safety comes first: no denial-of-service techniques unless explicitly approved, risky steps coordinated in advance, staging environments used where they mirror production, and any sensitive data handled confidentially.
Physical and People-Focused Testing Are Separate
This service covers technical systems. Whether someone can walk into your building or plant a device is tested through physical penetration testing, and whether staff can be manipulated by phishing or phone pretexts is tested through social engineering testing. Each has its own authorization and scoping, and they can be coordinated with a technical test.
Compliance Drivers and When to Test
PCI DSS v4.0.1 requirement 11.4 calls for internal and external penetration testing at least once every 12 months and after any significant change, retesting of corrected exploitable findings, and segmentation testing. The FTC Safeguards Rule calls for an annual penetration test when continuous monitoring is not in place, and NYDFS Part 500 requires annual testing for covered entities. SOC 2 and HIPAA do not explicitly mandate penetration testing, though auditors and customers often ask for it. Other triggers include customer security questionnaires, cyber insurance applications, product launches, cloud migrations, acquisitions, and validating fixes after an incident.
What Affects Cost
Cost depends on the number and type of targets, application size and user roles, the knowledge level chosen, whether segmentation testing and retesting are included, after-hours windows, and reporting needs. You receive a written scope and estimate before any work begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do we need a penetration test?
At least once a year and after significant changes is a common baseline, and some standards require it. PCI DSS v4.0.1 requirement 11.4 calls for internal and external testing at least once every 12 months and after any significant change. Many organizations also test before major product launches, after cloud migrations, and when customers or cyber insurers ask for recent results.
Will a penetration test disrupt our business?
A well-run penetration test is designed to avoid disruption, though no active testing is entirely without risk. Testers work within agreed windows, avoid denial-of-service techniques unless approved, pause before risky steps, and keep emergency contacts and a stop process ready. Fragile systems can be excluded or tested in a staging environment that mirrors production.
What is the difference between black box, grey box, and white box testing?
The difference is how much information testers receive before they start. Black box testers begin with no inside knowledge, as an outside attacker would. Grey box testers receive some credentials or documentation, the most common approach because it uses testing time efficiently. White box testers have full documentation or source code, which allows the deepest review.
Do we need an internal or an external penetration test?
Many organizations benefit from both, because they answer different questions. An external test shows what an attacker on the internet can reach through exposed hosts, remote access, and web services. An internal or assumed-breach test starts from inside, such as a compromised user account, and shows how far an attacker could move and what sensitive data they could reach.
Does SOC 2 or HIPAA require a penetration test?
Neither explicitly requires one. SOC 2 criteria mention penetration testing only as an example of how controls can be evaluated, and HIPAA requires periodic evaluation of security safeguards without naming penetration tests. In practice, auditors, customers, and partners often ask for recent penetration test results, so a test can provide useful evidence for either program.
Explore Redbeard Security Services
- Security Assessment and Testing Services
- Physical Security Assessments
- Physical Penetration Testing
- Social Engineering Testing
- Vulnerability Assessment Services
- Mobile Application Penetration Testing
- Red Team and Attack Simulation
- AI Security Testing
- Cyber Threat and Incident Response
- Cybersecurity Advisory
- Contact Redbeard Intelligence and Investigations
Related services: OSINT investigations, hacking and intrusion investigations, and digital forensics.
See Your Environment Through an Attacker’s Eyes
A penetration test shows which weaknesses truly matter and gives your team a clear, prioritized path to close them. To scope a test of your networks, applications, APIs, or cloud environment, call (888) 564-8300 or email contact@redbeardpi.com.
What is the cost? | how does it work?
At Redbeard Intelligence & Investigations, we offer upfront, transparent pricing that reflects the specific details and complexity of each case. Instead of vague estimates or hidden charges, we provide clear, upfront pricing tailored to your investigation’s unique requirements—without unexpected fees, hidden costs, or additional unexpected expenses. Our goal is to offer efficient, high-quality investigative and intelligence solutions with transparency and peace of mind.
To begin an investigation, intelligence operation, or technical security assessment, the first step is a confidential consultation via phone or email with one of our experienced professionals. During this initial discussion, we will gather key details about your situation to determine the most effective strategy tailored to your needs. Whether you require private investigative services, intelligence gathering, or technical security solutions, our team will develop a customized plan designed to achieve your objectives. Based on the specific requirements of your case, we will then provide a transparent price quote and/or invoice for the cost of the services needed. Throughout the process, we ensure clear and consistent communication, keeping you informed of any significant developments. Upon completion, you will receive a comprehensive written report detailing our findings, along with any supporting evidence such as photos, video documentation, or technical security assessments.
Contact us through phone or email for an initial discussion and provide key details about your needs.
Based on the specific requirements of your case, you'll will receive a flat-rate price quote and invoice for the cost of the services needed.
With pricing and mutual terms accepted, payment will be collected for the predetermined costs, and you'll officially become our client.
Throughout the process, we keep you informed of any significant developments. Upon completion, you will receive a written report detailing our findings, along with any supporting evidence or documentation.
