CREST Penetration Testing Services
Expert-led penetration testing, mobilised in as little as 24 hours
SecuraNova provides CREST-certified penetration testing for organisations that need trusted security assurance delivered quickly, professionally and at scale.
Our experienced penetration testers identify and safely validate vulnerabilities across applications, APIs, networks, cloud environments, mobile applications, internal infrastructure, Active Directory, containers, wireless networks, hardware, AI and LLM systems, and other specialist technologies.
Where scope, authorisation and access are ready, we can often mobilise a suitably qualified penetration tester within 24 hours.
CREST-certified penetration testing
Experienced specialist consultants
Potential mobilisation within 24 hours
Manual, expert-led security testing
Secure platform-enabled delivery
Clear technical and executive reporting
Trusted penetration testing without the traditional wait
Security testing is often tied to an urgent business requirement.
You may be approaching a product launch, customer deadline, compliance assessment, investment event, procurement decision or major technology change. Waiting several weeks for a penetration tester can leave projects delayed and important decisions unsupported.
SecuraNova was built to solve this problem.
Our delivery model gives organisations rapid access to carefully selected security specialists without relying on a fixed internal bench, uncontrolled crowdsourcing or scanner-only testing. We match each engagement to an experienced consultant with the appropriate technical background, sector understanding and availability.
This enables us to respond rapidly to individual assessments while also supporting larger, concurrent and multi-region testing programmes.
Need testing urgently?
Where the scope and approvals are ready, SecuraNova can often begin penetration testing within 24 hours.
Why choose SecuraNova for penetration testing?
Rapid mobilisation
Suitable penetration testers can often be mobilised within 24 hours once scope, access and authorisation are confirmed.
Our scalable consultant model helps us respond to urgent requirements without limiting customers to the availability of a small fixed team.
Experienced penetration testers
Every engagement is matched to an experienced security specialist with relevant technical expertise.
Our consultants are carefully vetted for capability, experience and professionalism. Most have more than ten years of security experience, and all consultants representing SecuraNova have a minimum of five years’ relevant experience.
Human-led testing
Our assessments are not repackaged vulnerability scans.
Automated tooling may be used to support discovery and coverage, but testing is led by an experienced consultant who investigates application logic, attack paths, trust relationships, configuration weaknesses and exploitation opportunities that automated scanners frequently miss.
CREST-certified delivery
SecuraNova is a CREST-certified company for Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessment.
Our delivery is supported by recognised methodologies, controlled testing practices, internal quality assurance and clear reporting.
Quality-managed and secure
SecuraNova holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.
These certifications support the secure handling of customer information, quality-managed delivery and independently validated foundational cyber controls.
Flexible scheduling
Development timelines, access arrangements and project priorities can change.
Our flexible delivery model is designed to accommodate genuine project changes without introducing unnecessary friction or punitive rescheduling charges.
Clear, actionable reporting
Every report is written to help people make decisions and take action.
Technical teams receive evidence, risk context and practical remediation guidance. Leadership teams receive a clear explanation of the business exposure, testing outcomes and priorities.
Secure engagement management
Our platform supports scoping, communication, document exchange, engagement visibility, reporting and remediation management through a secure and consistent delivery process.
Customers and authorised partners can retain visibility without relying on fragmented email chains or unmanaged file transfers.
Our Penetration Testing Services
Web Application Penetration Testing
Identify vulnerabilities in internet-facing and internal web applications before they can be exploited.
Our consultants assess authentication, authorisation, session management, input handling, business logic, data exposure, access controls, application workflows and technology-specific weaknesses.
Testing can cover:
-
Customer and employee portals
-
SaaS applications
-
E-commerce platforms
-
Bespoke business applications
-
Internet-facing web platforms
-
Internal web applications
-
Multi-role and multi-tenant environments
-
Applications using third-party integrations
-
Pre-production and production environments
Testing is informed by recognised guidance including the OWASP Top 10, OWASP Web Security Testing Guide, CREST standards and appropriate technology-specific testing techniques.
API Penetration Testing
Validate the security of APIs that connect applications, customers, partners and internal services.
We assess REST, GraphQL, SOAP and other API implementations for vulnerabilities involving authentication, authorisation, object-level access, excessive data exposure, input handling, business logic, rate limiting and service-to-service trust.
Testing can cover:
-
Public and private APIs
-
Mobile application back-end APIs
-
Partner and supplier integrations
-
Microservice APIs
-
GraphQL endpoints
-
Machine-to-machine services
-
Authenticated and unauthenticated interfaces
-
Multi-tenant APIs
Our approach is informed by the OWASP API Security Top 10 and includes manual investigation of application and business logic that automated scanners cannot reliably assess.
External Infrastructure Penetration Testing
Understand what an attacker could discover and exploit across your internet-facing infrastructure.
We identify exposed systems, services and potential entry points before investigating whether weaknesses can be safely exploited.
Testing can include:
-
Public IP addresses and ranges
-
Internet-facing servers
-
Firewalls and remote-access services
-
VPN gateways
-
Email infrastructure
-
DNS services
-
Externally accessible management interfaces
-
Cloud-hosted infrastructure
-
Exposed network services
-
Security appliances
The assessment helps distinguish between theoretical scanner findings and vulnerabilities that present a credible external attack path.
Internal Infrastructure Penetration Testing
Evaluate what an attacker, malicious insider or compromised endpoint could access from within your network.
Internal testing investigates whether weaknesses in systems, services, trust relationships and network design could enable an attacker to escalate privileges, move laterally or access sensitive information.
Testing can cover:
-
Internal networks
-
Servers and workstations
-
Network services
-
File shares
-
Administrative interfaces
-
Segmentation controls
-
Credential exposure
-
Legacy protocols
-
Privilege escalation opportunities
-
Lateral movement paths
The assessment can be delivered remotely through agreed access arrangements or on site where appropriate.
Active Directory Penetration Testing
Identify weaknesses that could allow an attacker to compromise identities, elevate privileges or take control of a Windows domain.
Active Directory remains a critical security dependency for many organisations. A single compromised account or device can expose wider weaknesses involving privileges, credentials, trust relationships and administration practices.
Our testing can include:
-
Domain and forest configuration
-
Privileged accounts and groups
-
Service accounts
-
Kerberos-related attack paths
-
Credential exposure
-
Delegation risks
-
Group Policy weaknesses
-
Certificate Services exposure
-
Domain trust relationships
-
Local administrator access
-
Privilege escalation opportunities
-
Paths to domain compromise
Findings are prioritised according to realistic exploitability and potential organisational impact.
Cloud Penetration Testing
Assess exploitable weaknesses across cloud-hosted services, applications and infrastructure.
We test agreed cloud environments within the applicable provider rules and customer authorisation.
Assessments are tailored to the services in use and the division of responsibility between the organisation and its cloud provider.
Testing may cover:
-
Microsoft Azure
-
Amazon Web Services
-
Google Cloud Platform
-
Cloud-hosted applications
-
Virtual machines
-
Containers and orchestration platforms
-
Storage services
-
Serverless functions
-
Identity and access paths
-
Internet-facing cloud assets
-
Cloud APIs
-
Hybrid cloud environments
Cloud penetration testing can be combined with a security configuration review where assurance is required across both exploitable vulnerabilities and broader configuration risk.
Mobile Application Penetration Testing
Evaluate the security of iOS and Android applications and their supporting services.
Mobile applications often combine local device functionality, remote APIs, authentication services, third-party libraries and sensitive data storage. Our testing considers the complete application attack surface rather than reviewing the application package in isolation.
Testing can cover:
-
iOS applications
-
Android applications
-
Application storage
-
Authentication and session handling
-
API communications
-
Transport security
-
Platform permissions
-
Cryptographic implementation
-
Reverse-engineering resistance
-
Sensitive information exposure
-
Application logic
-
Device and operating-system interaction
Our methodology is informed by the OWASP Mobile Application Security Verification Standard and OWASP Mobile Application Security Testing Guide.
AI and LLM Penetration Testing
Identify security weaknesses in applications and platforms that use artificial intelligence, machine learning or large language models.
AI-enabled systems introduce attack paths that are not adequately covered by conventional application testing alone.
Our assessments can investigate:
-
Direct and indirect prompt injection
-
Sensitive information disclosure
-
System prompt exposure
-
Insecure output handling
-
Excessive agency
-
Tool and plugin misuse
-
Retrieval-augmented generation weaknesses
-
Access-control bypass
-
Model and application manipulation
-
Training or reference-data exposure
-
Unsafe application workflows
-
Abuse of connected systems
-
Conventional web and API vulnerabilities surrounding the model
Testing is tailored to the architecture and intended use of the system and is informed by the OWASP Top 10 for Large Language Model Applications and wider AI security guidance.
Container and Kubernetes Penetration Testing
Assess attack paths across containerised applications, container platforms and orchestration environments.
Testing can examine:
-
Containerised applications
-
Docker environments
-
Kubernetes clusters
-
Container registries
-
Management interfaces
-
Exposed services
-
Workload identities
-
Secrets exposure
-
Privilege boundaries
-
Network segmentation
-
Container escape opportunities
-
Lateral movement between workloads
-
Cloud and orchestration integrations
Where appropriate, penetration testing can be combined with configuration review to provide broader assurance across both exploitable weaknesses and insecure deployment practices.
Hardware, IoT and Embedded Device Testing
Assess the security of connected devices, physical products and embedded technologies.
These engagements are individually designed around the device, its interfaces, supporting services and intended operating environment.
Testing may include:
-
Internet of Things devices
-
Embedded systems
-
Hardware products
-
Firmware
-
Mobile and web management applications
-
Device APIs
-
Network protocols
-
Physical interfaces
-
Wireless communication
-
Update mechanisms
-
Authentication and access control
-
Sensitive data storage
Our specialist model allows us to identify and engage consultants with relevant hardware, firmware, embedded, radio or protocol expertise.
Thick Client and Desktop Application Testing
Assess locally installed applications and their interaction with operating systems, services, APIs and back-end infrastructure.
Testing can cover:
Windows desktop applications
macOS applications
Java applications
Virtual and remote applications
Client-server applications
Local data storage
Authentication and authorisation
Inter-process communication
Update mechanisms
Application binaries
Back-end services
Privilege boundaries
What does a SecuraNova penetration test include?
Every engagement is tailored to the agreed scope, but a typical penetration test includes:
1. Scoping and planning
We work with you to understand the environment, business objectives, technical scope, access requirements, user roles, testing constraints and target timescales.
You receive a clearly defined scope and statement of work before testing begins.
2. Consultant selection
We match the engagement with an experienced penetration tester whose skills align with the technology, environment and testing objectives.
Consultant selection is based on technical suitability - not simply who is next available.
3. Testing preparation
Before the engagement starts, we confirm access, authorisation, communication routes, escalation contacts and any operational constraints.
Testing windows and rules of engagement are agreed in advance.
4. Discovery and attack-surface analysis
The consultant maps the in-scope environment and identifies technologies, interfaces, services, trust relationships and likely attack paths.
5. Manual security testing
Automated tools may support coverage and discovery, but the assessment is led manually.
The consultant investigates weaknesses, combines findings and tests whether vulnerabilities can be used to create a meaningful attack path.
6. Controlled exploitation
Where safe and authorised, identified vulnerabilities are validated through controlled exploitation.
Testing is designed to demonstrate risk while minimising the possibility of disruption. Destructive testing and denial-of-service activity are excluded unless specifically agreed.
7. Communication during testing
Material or critical findings can be escalated during the engagement rather than being held until the final report.
Customers have a clear route to the delivery team throughout the assessment.
8. Reporting and quality assurance
The consultant produces a detailed report covering the scope, methodology, findings, evidence, risk, potential impact and remediation guidance.
Reports undergo internal quality assurance before release.
9. Results walkthrough
We can walk technical and business stakeholders through the findings, answer questions and help teams understand the remediation priorities.
10. Retesting
Following remediation, affected findings can be retested to confirm whether the identified vulnerabilities have been resolved effectively.
Penetration testing reports that support action
A penetration-testing report should do more than list vulnerabilities.
SecuraNova reports are designed to support engineers, security teams, risk owners, leadership teams, auditors and customers.
Reports typically include:
Executive summary
A clear overview of the assessment, material risks, overall exposure and recommended priorities.
Scope and methodology
The systems, applications, user roles, interfaces and testing approaches included within the engagement.
Technical findings
Detailed explanations of each vulnerability, supported by evidence and reproduction information where appropriate.
Risk and business impact
An explanation of how each finding could affect the organisation, its systems, information or customers.
Exploitability
Context on whether a weakness was practically validated, what conditions were required and how it could form part of a broader attack path.
Remediation guidance
Practical recommendations that help technical teams address the underlying security issue rather than merely suppress the symptom.
Positive observations
Relevant security controls or practices that performed effectively during testing.
Prioritised next steps
A clear view of the issues requiring immediate action, planned remediation or longer-term improvement.
Penetration testing for compliance and assurance
Penetration testing may support technical assurance requirements associated with:
-
ISO 27001
-
PCI DSS
-
Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus
-
SOC 2
-
DORA
-
GDPR security obligations
-
NIS2
-
Customer and supplier assurance
-
Internal audit
-
Regulatory reviews
-
Security frameworks and policies
-
Investment and transaction due diligence
-
Product-launch assurance
-
Cyber insurance requirements
A penetration test does not automatically establish compliance with an entire standard or regulation. It can, however, provide valuable evidence that relevant systems have undergone independent security testing and that identified weaknesses are being managed.
SecuraNova can tailor reporting and evidence to the relevant assurance objective where this is agreed during scoping.
When should you conduct a penetration test?
Organisations commonly commission penetration testing:
-
Before launching a new application, service or platform
-
Following a major application release
-
After significant infrastructure or cloud changes
-
Before onboarding an important customer
-
During supplier or procurement assurance
-
Ahead of an audit or certification assessment
-
Following a merger, acquisition or investment
-
After material security incidents
-
When adopting new technology
-
Annually as part of an assurance programme
-
When required by a customer, regulator or insurer
-
After remediation of significant vulnerabilities
-
When internal teams need independent validation
Higher-risk or rapidly changing environments may require more frequent testing or a combination of penetration testing and ongoing security validation.
Industries we support
SecuraNova provides penetration testing and security assurance across a range of sectors, including:
-
Financial services and fintech
-
Legal and professional services
-
Technology and SaaS
-
Retail and e-commerce
-
Healthcare
-
Education
-
Hospitality and travel
-
Manufacturing
-
Government and defence supply chains
-
Managed service and technology providers
Testing is tailored to the organisation’s technology, threat exposure, regulatory environment and business priorities.
Built for direct customers and channel partners
SecuraNova works directly with organisations and through MSPs, MSSPs, VARs, distributors and technology partners.
Our scalable delivery model enables partners to offer specialist penetration testing without having to recruit, maintain and manage a complete in-house testing function.
Partner engagements can include:
-
Partner-led customer relationships
-
White-label or co-branded delivery
-
Rapid scoping support
-
Specialist consultant matching
-
Multi-customer testing programmes
-
Secure engagement visibility
-
Consistent quality assurance
-
Executive and technical reporting
-
Remediation and retesting support
Recognised accreditations and certifications
SecuraNova’s penetration-testing delivery is supported by recognised independent accreditations and certifications.
CREST Penetration Testing
SecuraNova is a CREST-certified penetration-testing company, providing customers with assurance that our penetration-testing delivery operates against recognised expectations for technical capability, professionalism and quality.
CREST Vulnerability Assessment
Our CREST Vulnerability Assessment certification supports structured vulnerability identification, validation, prioritisation and reporting.
ISO 27001
Our ISO 27001-certified information security management system supports the secure handling of sensitive customer data, access information, evidence and reports.
ISO 9001
Our ISO 9001-certified quality management system supports consistent processes, customer-focused delivery and continual improvement.
Cyber Essentials Plus
Cyber Essentials Plus provides independent technical validation that SecuraNova maintains important foundational cyber security controls within its own environment.
Frequently asked questions
What is penetration testing?
Penetration testing is an authorised security assessment in which experienced ethical hackers investigate and safely exploit weaknesses in systems, applications or infrastructure.
The objective is to identify vulnerabilities before a malicious attacker can exploit them and to provide clear evidence and remediation guidance.
Is SecuraNova a CREST-certified penetration-testing company?
Yes. SecuraNova is CREST-certified for Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessment.
SecuraNova also holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.
How quickly can SecuraNova start a penetration test?
Where scope, authorisation, access and consultant availability are aligned, SecuraNova can often mobilise a suitable penetration tester within 24 hours.
We recommend contacting us as early as possible, but our delivery model is specifically designed to support urgent and short-notice requirements.
Can SecuraNova deliver urgent penetration testing at scale?
Yes. SecuraNova uses a curated network of experienced security specialists rather than depending solely on a small fixed internal testing team.
This enables us to match multiple engagements with appropriately skilled consultants and support concurrent, specialist and multi-region testing requirements.
All engagements remain subject to consultant suitability, scope, authorisation and access readiness.
Is penetration testing the same as vulnerability scanning?
No.
A vulnerability scan primarily uses automated tools to identify known weaknesses. A penetration test is led by an experienced security professional who investigates context, business logic, exploitability, trust relationships and combinations of weaknesses.
Automated tooling may support a penetration test, but it does not replace expert-led investigation and controlled exploitation.
Will your testing disrupt our systems?
Testing is planned and controlled to minimise operational risk.
Rules of engagement, testing windows, exclusions and communication routes are agreed before testing begins. Destructive techniques and denial-of-service testing are excluded unless they have been expressly authorised and separately planned.
Can testing be conducted remotely?
Many penetration tests can be completed remotely, including web application, API, external infrastructure, cloud and mobile application assessments.
Internal network, wireless, hardware and physical-environment testing may require remote access arrangements, delivery of equipment or on-site attendance.
Can you test production environments?
Yes, subject to appropriate scoping and authorisation.
Many organisations require assurance of their production systems because these represent the real operating environment. Testing techniques and constraints are adjusted to manage operational risk.
Pre-production testing is also available and may allow more extensive exploitation where appropriate.
Do you provide fixed-price penetration testing?
Yes. Once the scope and delivery assumptions are understood, SecuraNova can provide a fixed-price quotation for the defined assurance outcome.
This gives customers commercial certainty and keeps the engagement focused on coverage, quality and outcomes rather than simply comparing day rates.
What information is required for a quotation?
The information required depends on the type of test. It commonly includes:
-
The type of system or environment
-
The number of applications, APIs, hosts or locations
-
User roles and authentication methods
-
Relevant technologies and architecture
-
Environment availability
-
Preferred testing dates
-
Compliance or assurance objectives
-
Access and operational constraints
-
Whether retesting is required
We can provide a scoping form or arrange a short call to help define the requirement.
What methodologies do you follow?
Our approach is tailored to the assessment and may draw on:
-
CREST penetration-testing standards
-
OWASP Top 10
-
OWASP Web Security Testing Guide
-
OWASP API Security Top 10
-
OWASP Mobile Application Security guidance
-
OWASP guidance for AI and LLM applications
-
Penetration Testing Execution Standard
-
NIST SP 800-115
-
Relevant vendor, platform and technology guidance
Methodologies provide structure, but they do not replace the judgement, creativity and experience of the consultant.
Do you use automated scanning tools?
Yes, where they add value.
Automated tools can support discovery, repeatable checks and breadth of coverage. However, our penetration tests are led by experienced consultants and include manual testing, contextual analysis and controlled exploitation.
We do not present a standard automated scan as a penetration test.
How long does a penetration test take?
The duration depends on the size, complexity and type of environment.
A focused assessment may take several days, while a complex application, enterprise network or multi-service programme may require several weeks. We provide an estimated duration and defined scope before the engagement begins.
What happens when a critical vulnerability is discovered?
Critical or time-sensitive findings can be escalated during testing through the agreed communication route.
This allows the organisation to understand and address urgent exposure without waiting for the final report.
Is remediation advice included?
Yes. Findings include practical remediation guidance appropriate to the vulnerability and available context.
SecuraNova can also provide additional remediation support where teams require help validating proposed fixes, determining priorities or addressing complex security issues.
Do you offer retesting?
Yes. We can retest identified vulnerabilities after remediation and update their status to confirm whether the issue has been resolved.
The exact retesting provision will be defined in the quotation and statement of work.
Can you test applications that use AI or large language models?
Yes.
SecuraNova provides specialist AI and LLM penetration testing covering risks such as prompt injection, sensitive information disclosure, insecure output handling, excessive agency, retrieval weaknesses, tool misuse and conventional application or API vulnerabilities surrounding the AI component.
Can you support multiple countries or simultaneous projects?
Yes. SecuraNova’s scalable delivery model supports individual projects, concurrent testing requirements and international programmes.
Consultant availability, local requirements, time zones and any on-site needs are considered during planning.
Can SecuraNova work through our existing security provider or channel partner?
Yes.
SecuraNova supports direct customers as well as MSPs, MSSPs, VARs, distributors and other technology partners. Engagements can be structured around the partner’s customer relationship and commercial route.
Speak to a penetration-testing expert
Whether you need to test a single application, meet an urgent deadline or coordinate a wider security assurance programme, SecuraNova can help you scope and mobilise the right expertise.
Tell us what you need to test, when you need to start and what assurance outcome you need to achieve.
Secure faster. With elite assurance.
