The State of Penetration Testing Today
Penetration testing has become a checkbox service in cybersecurity. Nearly every cybersecurity solutions and services company today claims to provide penetration testing, but the reality is that most of them outsource the actual work to offshore partners—often in Asia. While outsourcing isn’t inherently bad, the quality of delivery is often questionable at best.
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The Problem: Rubbish Sold as VAPT
Having spent years in cybersecurity, I’ve seen firsthand how penetration testing services are often a mess of subcontracting layers. It’s not uncommon for a cybersecurity company to outsource a PT engagement to a local partner, who then outsources it to another firm, which finally hands it off to some script kiddies running automated tools.
🔹 Does this business model work? Sure. It gets the job done—on paper.
🔹 Does it provide quality? Absolutely not.
This is how the industry has arrived at a point where a basic Nessus scan can be passed off as a full-fledged penetration test. Reports are often cookie-cutter outputs from automated tools, with little to no manual testing, exploitation, or adversary simulation.
🚀 Disclaimer: We Love Nessus, But…
Before we go any further—we love Nessus. It has played a pivotal role in penetration testing and remains one of the top vulnerability assessment tools in the world. No serious offensive security practitioner would dismiss its capabilities.
But here’s the problem—Nessus (or any vulnerability scanner) is not a penetration test. It’s a starting point, not the final deliverable. Contractors who simply run Nessus, export a report, and submit it as a penetration test are misrepresenting offensive security work.
A true penetration test should:
- Go beyond known vulnerabilities and involve exploitation.
- Include custom attack scenarios relevant to your industry.
- Simulate real-world adversary behavior, not just list CVEs.
- Provide manual validation and tailored recommendations.
And if your provider does it the CTEM way? That’s icing on the cake.
A Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) approach doesn’t just stop at a penetration test—it integrates continuous security scanning like:
- External Attack Surface Management (EASM) – Track exposed assets beyond your perimeter.
- Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (RBVM) – Prioritize and remediate vulnerabilities based on exploitability and real-world risk.
- Software Composition Analysis (SCA) & SBOM – Identify risks in third-party libraries.
- SAST & DAST – Uncover vulnerabilities in your application stack before attackers do.
With CTEM, security doesn’t just happen once a year—it becomes a continuous exercise, giving organizations visibility and control between pentest cycles.
If your provider only hands you a Nessus report, you’re getting the bare minimum. If they combine pentesting with CTEM, you’re getting real offensive security with ongoing risk management.
Why Subpar Penetration Testing Fails Organizations
A mediocre penetration testing provider can still produce a decent-looking report because, in many cases, the attack surface of the target is predictable and easy to assess. But what happens when:
- Your attack surface is dynamic and complex?
- Real adversaries don’t follow a checklist?
- Your organization is targeted by APT groups, ransomware operators, or nation-state actors?
Industries like banking, oil & gas, government, and telecommunications cannot afford weak penetration testing. These sectors require true offensive security experts, not just service providers filling out an RFP requirement.
What an Ideal Penetration Testing Partner Looks Like
A credible penetration testing and red teaming provider should:
Be an Offensive Security-Focused Company
- Their core focus should be on offensive security, rather than penetration testing being an add-on service.
- Their team should have a deep understanding of adversary behavior and advanced attack simulations.
Have Recognition in the Bug Bounty and International Conference Space
- Their team members should be active in bug bounty programs and responsible for high-profile vulnerability disclosures.
- They should be speakers at international cybersecurity conferences like Black Hat, DEF CON, BSides, and OffensiveCon.
Be Hardcore Security Geeks
- The best penetration testers aren’t just suit-and-tie consultants—they are hoodie-wearing security researchers who live and breathe offensive security.
- Their passion for hacking is evident in their tools, research, and CVE contributions.
Have a Strong Flair for Programming and Product Development
- A great penetration tester understands exploitation, scripting, and automation.
- They should have built tools, scripts, or even full-fledged SaaS products to improve offensive security operations.
Have a Penetration Testing Dashboard or Platform
- Instead of delivering static PDF reports, they should offer a dynamic platform that helps organizations manage offensive security engagements.
- This shows they understand the limitations of traditional penetration testing and are actively innovating.
Deliver Actionable Insights, Not Just Reports
- A credible penetration testing provider does not just deliver a scan report—they simulate real-world attack scenarios.
- They work closely with blue teams to improve security configurations and harden defenses against real threats.
Why Reconn Uses a CTEM Approach for Penetration Testing
At Reconn, we do not believe in one-time penetration tests. We partner only with CREST-approved penetration testing providers who align with our Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) framework.
What Customers and Partners Can Expect from Reconn’s Offensive Security Services:
- CREST-approved penetration testing teams with deep offensive security expertise.
- CTEM-driven methodology that integrates penetration testing into a continuous security framework.
- Real-world adversary simulations instead of generic vulnerability scan reports.
- A partner-first approach that strengthens the offensive security ecosystem.
Reconn: A Partner-First Driven CTEM Distributor
Unlike traditional cybersecurity service providers, Reconn is a partner-first, CTEM-driven value-added distributor specializing in high-quality offensive security. Our model ensures:
- A stronger ecosystem of elite penetration testing providers.
- Access to best-in-class offensive security services from top-tier security researchers.
- A structured, continuous engagement model that evolves with emerging threats.
With CTEM, penetration testing is no longer a one-time activity—it becomes an ongoing security exercise that helps organizations proactively manage risk.
If you’re tired of recycled VAPT reports and subpar penetration testing, it’s time to partner with the best.
Ready to elevate your security posture? Reach out to us today.
Stay Ahead or Stay Hacked: The CTEM Advantage
Cyber threats don’t wait, so why should you? reconn’s Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) keeps you ahead with:
EASM – Find what’s exposed before attackers do.
RBVM – Fix what actually matters, not just what’s loud.
ASPM – Secure apps at every stage, not just before release.
CSPM – Cloud misconfigs? Not on our watch.
PTaaS – Real-world attack simulations, on demand.
