Every organisation, whether large or small, should be Pentesting to ensure you’re armed with the information you need to improve security. Pentesting is often used as a point-in-time snapshot and a critical milestone to achieve when undertaken annually.
However, additional value is unlocked when it becomes part of a broader security strategy embedded within your organisation. Choosing a provider with a consultative approach means you’ll get someone who takes the time to understand your business goals and can tailor the scope of Pentesting to your organisation, and importantly, reflect your risk profile.
Your risk profile will depend on what sector you operate in, but arguably everyone is open to cyber risks. The important thing to consider is that you need to understand your risk appetite and where Pentesting sits within the context of an overall strategy.
When carving out your strategy, security frameworks also have an important role to play. They give you structure, credibility, and evidence. Increasingly organisations who can demonstrate they have invested in security, are winning the confidence of customers and suppliers. In short, security is a differentiator and being able to show you’re secure gives you an edge.
A logical progression
Pentesting is a first step to identifying security gaps within a logical progression of activities and frameworks which enable you to demonstrate you’re secure:
- Up-to-date Pentesting shows you’re checking and not just assuming your controls are effective.
- Cyber Essentials provides baseline controls and is often a minimum requirement in public and private sector supply chains.
- Cyber Essentials Plus demonstrates validation, not just self-attestation as it involves third-party validation.
- ISO 27001 is a full information security management system (ISMS), combining policies, processes, governance and controls and reflects a business-wide commitment to securing data, systems, and operations.
Accreditation is more than assurance, it’s an advantage
These accreditations don’t just tick boxes, they help prove you’re taking information security seriously, continuously, and organisation wide. These credentials signal to customers and partners that you’re trustworthy, compliant, and prepared.
And Pentesting is right at the front-end of the InfoSec journey.
Choosing the right Pentesting partner matters
Choosing the right partner means more than checking technical credentials. It’s about working with a team that:
- Understands your risk appetite and business goals
- Provides tailored reporting for technical teams and execs
- Supports remediation, not just vulnerability discovery
- Helps align testing with your broader business goals
CREST accreditation is one way to verify that a provider meets recognised standards. But strategic alignment, sector knowledge and continuity also matter especially when you’re building out a mature, auditable security programme.
Final word: don’t just be secure, prove it
Testing, accreditation, and governance work best together. Together, they provide the evidence your organisation needs to win trust and reduce risk.
Contact us to discuss how we can help you with Pentesting or advise you on any part of your InfoSec strategy.
