Pentesting reports are required to maintain compliance, support audits during a breach, and demonstrate security posture to stakeholders. The main parts of a pen testing report should include the following:
- Identified vulnerabilities
- Remediation measures
- Executive summary
Penetration testing, also known as a pentest, is a simulated cyberattack against your network. It includes an analysis of the organization’s current security practices and recommendations for improving security.
A pentest aims to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them. When the test is complete, you’ll receive a report outlining the results. This article breaks down the key components of a penetration testing report.
What Is a Penetration Testing Report?
A penetration testing report is a document that details the findings of a security assessment conducted using penetration testing techniques. The report should include information about the engagement’s scope, the test’s objectives, and a summary of the findings. It should also have recommendations for remediation.
These reports can be used to improve an organization’s security posture by identifying weaknesses and providing guidance on how to fix them. They can also be used to satisfy regulatory requirements or provide evidence of due diligence in the event of a data breach.
When commissioning a penetration test, it’s crucial to ensure that the vendor understands your objectives and can provide a report that meets your needs. Be sure to ask for sample penetration testing reports before making a decision.
When Is a Penetration Testing Report Used?
Organizations use pentesting reports to help detect and fix security vulnerabilities in their systems before attackers can exploit them. These reports help organizations assess the effectiveness of their security controls, understand where their systems are vulnerable, and determine what steps they need to take to improve their security posture. The reports can be used to:
Identify security vulnerabilities:
A penetration tester will attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in an organization’s systems to gain access to sensitive data or disrupt operations. The tester will then document the steps to exploit the vulnerabilities, which can help the organization identify and fix the issues.
Assess the effectiveness of security controls:
By testing the organization’s ability to detect and respond to attacks, a penetration testing report can help assess the effectiveness of its security controls.
Understand where systems are vulnerable:
Penetration testing can help an organization identify which systems and data are most at risk from attack. This information can be used to prioritize security improvements.
Determine what steps to take to improve security:
Based on the findings of a penetration test, an organization can determine what steps it needs to take to improve its security posture. These steps might include implementing new security controls, improving employee awareness of security risks, or increasing investment in security infrastructure.
Why Is a Penetration Testing Report Essential?
A pen testing report is essential for a variety of reasons:
System weaknesses:
A good penetration test report is essential because it can help you understand your system weaknesses and what needs to be done to fix them. You can make the necessary changes to your system to improve its security by identifying these weaknesses.
Overall security:
The report can provide valuable information to management about the overall security of the organization’s systems. This information can be used to decide whether to invest in additional security measures. It can also be used to assess the effectiveness of existing security measures.
Expense justification:
The report can also help you justify the expense of hiring a professional penetration testing company. In many cases, the cost of hiring a professional company is much less than repairing the damage that could have been avoided if proper testing had been conducted.
Components of an Enterprise Penetration Testing Report
An enterprise pen testing report is a document that details the findings of a security assessment of a computer system, network, or web application. The report should include information about the vulnerabilities discovered, the steps taken to exploit them, and the recommendations for remediation. A well-written report will provide clear and actionable recommendations that can be used to improve the security posture of the organization. It should also be easy to understand for both technical and non-technical staff. The following are some of the key components that make up an enterprise pentest report template:
Executive Summary
A high-level overview of the findings from the assessment should be captured in the executive summary. Penetration test reports should contain information about the most critical vulnerabilities discovered and the recommendations for remediation in this section.
Scope of Work
The scope of work section should describe the systems and networks tested and the methods used. This information will help ensure that the report is tailored to the organization’s needs.
Findings
The findings section should detail all vulnerabilities discovered during the assessment. For each vulnerability, there should be information about the risk level, how it was exploited, and what steps can be taken to remediate it.
Recommendations
The recommendations section should address the vulnerabilities identified in the findings section. These recommendations should be prioritized based on the risk level of the vulnerabilities.
Appendix
The appendix should include any supporting documentation that will help understand the findings and recommendations from the assessment. This may include screenshots, network diagrams, or code snippets.
The components of an enterprise penetration test report will vary depending on the organization’s needs. However, all reports should provide a clear and actionable overview of the security risks in the tested systems and networks. The final report is a comprehensive document detailing the engagement’s findings and any recommendations for mitigating or addressing the identified issues. Its aim is to provide business leaders with a high-level overview of the risks and vulnerabilities discovered during the assessment. A good enterprise penetration testing report will help your organization understand where cybersecurity risk stands and what steps need to be taken to reduce that risk.
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FAQs
What is the difference between a pen testing report and a vulnerability assessment (VA) report?
The main difference between a vulnerability assessment report and a penetration testing report is that the latter is compiled from the findings of a penetration testing exercise. The pen testing report goes much further to describe live exploits, demonstrate how they can truly impact a business, and link vulnerabilities to highlight what an attacker might be able to achieve, making it a valuable tool for managing risk.
How long does a single penetration test last?
It depends on the scope of the assessment and its complexity. An external network test may take only three to five days, whereas a full-scale red team engagement could run into 2–14 weeks (FORTBRIDGE, n.d.). You also need additional time for planning, validation, writing reports, and discussing remediation.
How often should organizations run pentests?
Best practices recommend testing at least once a year, but it is important to test after significant infrastructure changes, app releases, cloud migrations, mergers, or big security incidents. Companies in high-risk industries, such as fintech or healthcare, should run pentests monthly or regularly.
How to ensure that the penetration testing report is effective?
The report should include an executive summary, scope, methodology, detailed findings, risk ratings, proof of exploitation, business impact, and actionable remediation steps. It should not only communicate the findings clearly to both technical and non-technical readers but also allow stakeholders to address the highest security risks first.
Can parts of a penetration test report be shared externally (vendors/regulators/customers)?
Yes, but be selective when sharing it. An executive summary or sanitized findings are usually sufficient, but remember to remove sensitive details like IP addresses, passwords, and exploit payloads. Also, don’t include information such as “proof-of-concept” (PoC) code or other sensitive screenshots. Above all, use NDAs as an extra layer of protection.
References
FORTBRIDGE. (n.d.). How Long Does a Penetration Test Take? https://fortbridge.co.uk/how-long-does-a-penetration-test-take/
