When it comes to cybersecurity, most business owners fall into two camps: those doing it for compliance (because a big client or regulator told them to) and those doing it for security posture (because they are genuinely worried about being hacked).
If you are in the “security posture” camp, the options are overwhelming. Do you need a Penetration Test? A Vulnerability Assessment? An Audit? And what’s the difference between a “Network” and an “Application” Penetration Test?
Doing “everything” is the safest bet, but it’s rarely budget-friendly. Here is a guide to choosing the right test based on your actual business risk.
1. The 3 Levels of Testing (Budget vs. Depth)
Think of your company security like a physical warehouse.
Level 1: The Security Audit (The “Paper” Check)
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What it is: A consultant reviews your policies. Do you have a password policy? Do you back up your data?
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Best for: Establishing a baseline and eliminating the easy wins. It won’t stop a sophisticated hacker indefinitely, but it ensures you aren’t leaving the front door wide open.
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Cost: Low to Moderate.
Level 2: Vulnerability Assessment (The “Fence” Check)
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What it is: An automated scan that looks for known “holes” in your digital fence (like unpatched software).
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Best for: Companies with many devices or servers who want a broad “health check” without the high cost of manual testing.
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Cost: Budget-friendly.
Level 3: Penetration Testing (The “Break-in” Simulation)
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What it is: A human ethical hacker actively tries to bypass your security to steal data or take control.
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Best for: Understanding real-world risk. It proves exactly how a hacker would get in and what they could do.
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Cost: Higher (requires manual expertise).
2. Choosing the Right “Flavour” of Test
If you have decided on a Penetration Test, you still need to choose the type. Here is how to match the test to your business model:
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Network Pentest: Best if you have an office with many employees, local servers, or complex internal systems with crown jewels like AD, ERP, MSSQL etc
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Web/Mobile Application Pentest: Best if your business is your app (e.g., an e-commerce store, a booking portal, or a SaaS platform).
3. Which Test Do You Need Right Now?
Your choice should change based on your current situation:
“We have a limited budget and just want to start.”
Start with: A Vulnerability Assessment (VA). It’s much better to find 100 “low-hanging fruit” vulnerabilities with an automated scan than to pay a pentester to find just 5 of them manually. Clean up the “easy” stuff first.
“We recently had a security scare or a minor breach.”
Start with: A Targeted Network Grey-Box Pentest. A “Grey-Box” test gives the tester some basic info (like a standard user login). This mimics a “compromised account” scenario—the most common result of a recent attack. It tells you if a hacker can turn one small mistake into a total company shutdown.
“We handle sensitive customer data (PII) or IP.”
Start with: An Application (Web & Mobile) Pentest. A dedicated application penetration test goes beyond automated scans to find critical logic flaws like Broken Access Control and Privilege Escalation. In today’s digital climate, a single breach where customer credentials are stolen or misused can lead to devastating reputational damage and legal liabilities.
“We just want to know our general Security Posture.”
Start with: An External Network Pentest. This is a “Black-Box” test where the tester starts with zero knowledge, just like a random hacker on the internet. It gives you the most honest answer to the question: “How hard is it to get inside our company?”
Summary: The “Smart” Sequence
If you want the best return on investment (ROI), don’t just pick one test. Use this 3-step approach:
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Quarterly VA Scans: To keep the “easy” holes closed.
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Annual Pentest: To test your defenses against a human mind.
- Remediation Guidance: Ensure your provider doesn’t just give you a “fail” report, but actually walks you through how to fix the issues.
Notice that audit is missing? If a pentest is like a professional thief trying to break into your warehouse, an audit is like an inspector with a clipboard checking if the alarm system is turned on, if the staff are following safety protocols, and if your insurance is up to date. Ultimately, it is still more for compliance and regulatory eg. In the case if you are going for Cyber Essential or ISO certification.
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At Perennial Consultancy, we help you choose the test that fits your risk profile and your budget.
Not sure where your security stands? Contact us or browse our competitively priced Penetration Testing packages.
