ISO 27001 Penetration Testing
Validate Your ISMS. Secure Your Certification.
Pen Testing designed to meet the rigorous technical controls of ISO/IEC 27001:2013 and the new 2022 standards.
Achieving ISO 27001 certification is the global gold standard for information security. But you cannot certify an Information Security Management System (ISMS) without proving that your technical controls actually work. Our ISO 27001 Penetration Testing service provides the independent, third-party validation auditors require to sign off on Management of Technical Vulnerabilities controls.
Get ISO-Compliant Today!
What is ISO 27001 Penetration Testing?
ISO 27001 penetration testing is the mandatory, risk-based simulated cyber attack (required by Annex A.12.6.1).
ISO 27001 Penetration Testing is a security assessment executed specifically to satisfy the requirements of the ISO/IEC 27001 Annex A controls regarding technical vulnerability management.
Unlike a generic pentest, an ISO 27001 assessment is risk-based. It is designed to verify the effectiveness of the security controls you have documented in your ISMS. The goal is not just to find bugs, but to provide evidence of continual improvement—a core tenet of the ISO framework—by identifying risks, treating them, and verifying the remediation.
Requirements for ISO 27001 Penetration Testing
Your auditor will look for specific evidence of technical testing to satisfy strict controls. Our testing satisfies:
ISO 27001:2022 (Control 8.8)
Organizations must obtain technical vulnerabilities of information systems in use, evaluate the exposure, and take appropriate measures.
ISO 27001:2013 (Control A.12.6.1)
Requires the timely identification and management of technical vulnerabilities within your information management system.
Control A.14.2.8
Security cannot be an afterthought. This control requires system security testing to be integrated into your development process (SSDLC).
Risk Treatment Plan (RTP)
If you identified “External Attack” as a risk in your risk register, a penetration test is the mandatory control to mitigate that risk.
Types of ISO 27001 Testing We Perform
A comprehensive ISMS covers more than just a website. We offer a suite of tests to cover all aspects of Annex A.
| Test Type | Description |
| External Infrastructure Testing | Validating the security of your perimeter and internet-facing assets (Firewalls, VPNs). |
| Internal Network Testing | Simulating an insider threat or a breach of the perimeter to test lateral movement and access controls (Access Control Policy). |
| Web Application Testing | Ensuring your software development lifecycle is producing secure code (OWASP Top 10). |
| Social Engineering (Phishing) | Testing your “Information Security Awareness” training effectiveness (Control 6.3) by simulating phishing attacks against employees. |
What Our ISO 27001 Pen Test Service Includes
We provide the documentation necessary to breeze through your Stage 2 Audit or Surveillance Audit.
Executive Attestation
A clean summary letter confirming that an independent third party has validated the security posture of your information management system.
Scope Definition Document
We help you document exactly which assets (people, processes, and technology) are included in the test to match your ISMS scope.
Risk-Based Reporting
We categorize findings not just by technical severity, but by business impact, helping you update and improve your internal Risk Register.
Remediation Verification
ISO 27001 emphasizes the “Check” and “Act” phases of the PDCA cycle. We re-test your fixes to prove to the auditor that you successfully “treated” risks.
Why ISO Auditors Prefer Our Reports
Auditors choose us because we deliver audit-ready reports, exact evidence mapping, zero false positives, and more.
CREST & OSCP Certified
We use internationally recognized certifications, which adds weight to your audit evidence.
2022 Transition Ready
We are fully up-to-speed on the changes in the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 update, ensuring you aren’t testing against outdated controls.
Zero False Positives
We manually verify every vulnerability to ensure you don’t waste time fixing things that aren’t broken.
ISO 27001 Penetration Testing Certifications
Our team holds industry-recognized certifications that reflect hands-on expertise across offensive security, cloud, incident response, and compliance.
Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)
GIAC Cloud Penetration Tester (GCPN)
GIAC Cloud Penetration Tester (GCPN)
CompTIA Security+, Network+, A+, Pentest+
GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CCP)
Microsoft AZ-900, SC-900
Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
Burp Suite Certified Practitioner (Apprentice)
eLearnSecurity Junior (eJPT)
Web App Penetration Tester (eWPT)
Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
Palo Alto PSE Certifications
ISO 27001 Pen Testing: FAQ
Learn more information about the most frequently asked questions
Which ISO 27001 control requires penetration testing?
While older versions (2013) alluded to it in A.12.6.1, the 2022 update is even clearer. Control 8.8 (Management of technical vulnerabilities) requires you to obtain information about technical vulnerabilities and take appropriate measures. Furthermore, if your risk assessment (Clause 6.1.2) identifies “external attack” or “unauthorized access” as risks (which it should), penetration testing is the accepted control to treat those risks.
How often is penetration testing required for ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 does not strictly mandate a frequency (like “annually”), but it requires testing at “planned intervals.” Best practice—and what most auditors expect to see—is at least annually and after significant changes to the infrastructure.
Can we use automated scanning instead of pentesting?
Automated vulnerability scanning satisfies part of the requirement (regular monitoring), but it is rarely sufficient on its own for a full audit. A manual penetration test provides the depth of assurance required for critical systems.
Does the pentest have to cover the entire company?
No. It must cover the Scope of the ISMS. If your ISO certification only applies to your London office and your SaaS platform, you only need to test those assets. We help you define this scope to save costs.
Does the pen test have to be performed by an external party?
The standard requires “objectivity and impartiality” (Control 5.35). While you can test internally if your testers are completely independent of the development team (segregation of duties), most organizations hire an external firm. This guarantees objectivity and provides the “independent evidence” that auditors prefer during certification.
What if we fail the pentest right before the audit?
You don’t “fail” a pentest in the context of ISO. The auditor wants to see that you identified the risk and have a plan to fix it. A report with findings—plus a Corrective Action Plan—is often better evidence of a working ISMS than a suspiciously clean report.
Do we need to fix every finding to get certified?
ISO 27001 is about risk management, not zero bugs. You don’t necessarily have to fix every Low or Informational finding immediately. However, you MUST have a recorded plan (Risk Treatment Plan) for every finding. For Critical/High issues, you generally need to show they are remediated or formally accepted by leadership before the certification audit concludes.
How often do we need to test?
ISO 27001 doesn’t dictate a hard frequency, but it requires testing at “planned intervals.” The industry standard—and what most external auditors expect to see—is at least annually and upon significant changes to the system (like a major release or infrastructure migration).
See What Our Clients Are Saying
Our clients consistently share that our collaborative partnership and transparent communication help them build stronger security programs.
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
Secure Your Certification.
Partner with the experts who understand both the Hacking and the Standard.