Penetration Testing
Prove what an attacker could really do.
Manual, objective-driven testing of your applications, APIs, infrastructure and cloud. We exploit, chain and demonstrate genuine business impact instead of handing over scanner output.
Follow an attack path, not a checklist.
Where can a request enter?
Connect the agreed applications, endpoints and roles before testing.
What can this identity reach?
Replay requests across roles and follow server-side access decisions.
Does the same path still work?
Repeat the reported path after remediation and document the result.
Beyond the scanner
Automated tools find the obvious. Real attackers chain small weaknesses into serious compromise. Our testers work by hand: mapping application logic, abusing trust boundaries and combining findings to show the true blast radius, not just a CVSS number.
Every engagement is scoped to your goals and risk, performed safely, and delivered with clear, reproducible evidence your team can act on immediately.
What we test
- Web applications and SaaS platforms
- Mobile apps on iOS and Android
- REST and GraphQL APIs
- External and internal networks
- Cloud on AWS, Azure and GCP
- Thick-client and desktop software
Why it matters
Why it matters
A single overlooked flaw can expose customer data, interrupt trading or trigger a reportable breach, and the cost rarely stops at the technical fix. Reputational damage, regulatory scrutiny and lost deals follow. Boards increasingly expect evidence that systems have been tested the way a motivated attacker would test them, not merely scanned, and that someone has judged how far a real intrusion could actually reach across your environment.
Most organisations do not lack a list of issues; they lack clarity on which ones genuinely put the business at risk. Testing that demonstrates exploitation and chained impact lets you spend remediation effort where it counts, answer customer and auditor questions with confidence, and make release decisions on fact rather than assumption. It turns an abstract worry into a short, prioritised set of actions your team can own.
How it works
Scope and rules
Objectives, targets and rules of engagement agreed up front.
Recon and mapping
We map the attack surface and learn how the system really works.
Manual exploitation
Hands-on testing and safe exploitation to prove chained, real impact.
Report and retest
Prioritised findings, a live debrief and a free remediation retest.
Why PXLSec
What sets us apart
Exploitation, not inventory
We confirm each finding by safely exploiting it and showing the consequence, so you receive proven risk rather than a theoretical list of possible weaknesses to triage yourself.
Chained attack paths
We combine lower-severity issues the way a real intruder would, revealing compromise routes that per-issue scoring misses entirely and that automated tooling cannot assemble on its own.
Business logic focus
We test the rules unique to your application, such as pricing, workflow and authorisation, where the serious flaws usually live and where generic checklists have nothing to say.
Reproducible evidence
Every finding ships with the exact steps, requests and context your engineers need to reproduce and fix it, with no guesswork and no vague advice to investigate further.
What you receive
Clear deliverables, agreed in the proposal, with no surprises at the end of the engagement.
- Executive summaryBusiness-level risk, written for leadership and boards.
- Technical reportEvery finding with severity, evidence and step-by-step reproduction.
- Prioritised fixesDeveloper-ready remediation guidance, ranked by real risk.
- Retest letterWe re-test your fixes and confirm closure in writing, included as standard.
When you need this
When teams call us
A penetration test earns its place at the moments when assumptions need to become evidence.
Before a major release
A new product or significant change is about to go live and you want proof it will not expose customers or data once real traffic and real adversaries arrive.
Answering a security questionnaire
A prospect or customer asks for recent independent test evidence, and a credible report unblocks the deal rather than stalling procurement for weeks.
Meeting a compliance obligation
A framework or contract requires periodic testing, and you need findings and a retest letter that satisfy an auditor without ambiguity.
After an incident or near miss
Something went wrong, or nearly did, and leadership wants an independent view of whether the same class of weakness exists elsewhere in the estate.
Methodology & standards
Methodologies we draw on
- OWASP WSTG
- OWASP MASVS
- OWASP API Security Top 10
- PTES
- NIST SP 800-115
- OSSTMM
- CWE
FAQ
Questions we're often asked
How is this different from a vulnerability scan?
A scan lists issues a tool recognises and leaves you to judge which are real. A penetration test is performed by people who confirm findings by exploiting them and show the genuine impact. We also chain weaknesses together to reveal attack paths no scanner can assemble.
Will testing disrupt our production systems?
We agree rules of engagement before any testing begins, including which systems are in scope, timing windows and who to contact. We work carefully to avoid outages, and destructive or high-risk actions are only ever taken with your explicit permission.
Do you test applications, APIs and infrastructure, or just one?
We test web and mobile applications, REST and GraphQL APIs, external and internal networks, cloud environments and thick-client software. A single engagement can cover several of these, and we scope it around the targets and goals that matter most to you.
What do we actually receive at the end?
You receive an executive summary written for leadership, a technical report with every finding, its severity, evidence and reproduction steps, prioritised remediation guidance, and a live debrief. Once you have fixed the issues, we retest and confirm closure in writing.
Is a retest included or charged separately?
A remediation retest is included as standard. After your team has addressed the findings, we verify each fix and issue a letter confirming what has been closed, so you can show customers and auditors that the work was completed and validated.
How do we scope and prepare for an engagement?
We start with a short conversation about your objectives, targets and any constraints, then agree scope and rules of engagement in writing. Clear access, test accounts and a named point of contact help the work run smoothly and keep the focus on finding real risk.
Related services
Discuss your testing scope.
Tell us what you want to protect. A senior tester will help you agree the scope and next steps. We usually reply within one business day.
Confidential from the first conversation
We can sign your NDA before you share sensitive details. Your enquiry is covered by our privacy policy.
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