Audit and testing

Penetration test

What is a penetration test?

A penetration test is a commissioned, controlled attempt to attack your own systems. It proves whether a vulnerability can actually be exploited.

Effort ranges from a one-day test of a few systems to multi-week projects with several testers. A full penetration test is a separate engagement with its own scope, its own written legal basis and its own budget.

The vetosec IT Check includes a light penetration test. It looks at what is reachable from outside through an attacker's eyes and is deliberately kept lean in scope. If you need a full review across several attack paths, that is commissioned as a separate penetration test.

The light penetration test in the IT Check

Related terms

Vulnerability scan A vulnerability scan is an automated review of systems for known security flaws and misconfigurations. Software compares the vers… Vulnerability and vulnerability assessment A vulnerability is a flaw or misconfiguration in software, hardware or settings that lets an attacker into a system. A vulnerabil… IT security audit An IT security audit reviews a company's IT security against a benchmark defined in advance. That benchmark can be a recognised s…

All terms in the knowledge base

Note: This entry reflects the state of knowledge to the best of our understanding and serves as general orientation. It is not legal advice. What counts is always the version currently in force at the responsible body, for example dsb.gv.at, nis.gv.at or enisa.europa.eu.

From the term to practice

Where does your business actually stand?

The IT Check reviews your IT across 8 audit areas with more than 100 individual checks and delivers documented findings with a prioritised action plan. From 1,299 € excl. VAT. The first call takes 20 minutes and carries no charge.

Book a first call