Penetration Testing Services – Nationwide Coverage
Comprehensive Black, Gray, and White-Box Penetration Testing – Trusted by Businesses Nationwide
Defend Against Real-World Cyber Threats: Every business—regardless of size or industry—is a potential target for cyberattacks. If you haven’t experienced a breach yet, statistics show it’s only a matter of time. The average cost of a data breach in 2024 reached $4.88 million, with lasting damage to reputation, revenue, and customer trust. Proactive penetration testing is your best defense: it uncovers hidden vulnerabilities before hackers can exploit them, enabling you to take action, avoid fines, and keep your organization secure.
Petronella Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics delivers nationwide penetration testing services designed for modern threats and compliance requirements. Our certified ethical hackers use real-world tactics to simulate attacks on your networks, applications, cloud environments, and even your people. We go beyond checklists—our tests are threat-focused, manual, and always customized to your business and regulatory needs.
What is Penetration Testing?
Penetration testing (pen testing) is a controlled, authorized cyberattack that evaluates your organization’s ability to detect, prevent, and respond to real-world hacking attempts. Unlike automated vulnerability scans, a penetration test is conducted by experienced security professionals who “think like adversaries”—using the latest tactics, techniques, and procedures that cybercriminals rely on. The goal? To uncover weaknesses and demonstrate exactly how attackers could gain access to sensitive systems, steal data, or disrupt operations.
A professional penetration test provides:
- Independent validation of your cybersecurity posture
- Evidence for compliance with frameworks like CMMC, NIST 800-171, GLBA, HIPAA, and PCI DSS
- Prioritized, actionable remediation guidance
- Peace of mind for executives, IT, and customers
Why Choose Petronella for Penetration Testing?
With over two decades of cybersecurity expertise, Petronella Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics is a leader in nationwide penetration testing and risk management. Our advantages:
- Certified Ethical Hackers – including CISSP, CEH, and CMMC Registered Practitioners
- 20+ years real-world testing experience across industries
- Proprietary, patented “Zero-Hack” security stack (39+ integrated layers)
- Manual, threat-focused testing that finds what scanners miss
- Full compliance alignment: NIST, CMMC, GLBA, PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and more
- Business-friendly, auditor-ready reports
- True partnership—we don’t just find problems, we help you fix them
Types of Penetration Testing We Offer
- External Penetration Testing: Simulated attacks from outside your network, targeting public-facing assets (websites, VPNs, firewalls, cloud services).
- Internal Penetration Testing: Tests from inside your network (think: disgruntled employee or compromised workstation), targeting lateral movement and privilege escalation.
- Web Application Pen Testing: In-depth analysis of custom and off-the-shelf apps for OWASP Top 10, authentication flaws, business logic errors, and API vulnerabilities.
- Cloud Penetration Testing: Security reviews of AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, M365, and hybrid cloud configurations, including IAM misconfigurations and data exposure.
- Social Engineering & Phishing Tests: Simulated email phishing, voice phishing, USB drops, pretexting, and physical security assessments.
- Red Team & Blue Team Exercises: Advanced scenario-based testing, simulating persistent attackers and incident response.
- Wireless Network Testing: Identifies rogue access points, weak encryption, and Wi-Fi vulnerabilities.
- Source Code & DevSecOps Reviews: Secure code analysis, CI/CD pipeline security checks, and software supply chain testing.
Our Penetration Testing Methodology
Our proven methodology follows global best practices (NIST, PTES, OWASP, MITRE ATT&CK) and includes:
- Scoping & Engagement: We define clear goals, targets, compliance drivers, and “rules of engagement” in collaboration with your team.
- Reconnaissance: Passive and active information gathering—identifying exposed assets, weak points, and high-value targets.
- Vulnerability Assessment: Combining automated scans with expert manual review for false-positive reduction and deep coverage.
- Exploitation: Ethical hackers attempt to exploit discovered weaknesses using safe, controlled methods—showing real-world impact.
- Post-Exploitation: Testing privilege escalation, lateral movement, and persistence to simulate advanced attacks.
- Reporting & Debrief: You receive a business-friendly, prioritized report with executive summary, technical details, compliance mapping, and clear remediation steps. Our team conducts a debrief meeting to walk you through every finding and answer questions.
- Remediation Support & Retesting: Optional: We help you close gaps, then retest to validate fixes for maximum security and compliance assurance.
Industry-Specific Penetration Testing Solutions
Penetration Testing for Financial Institutions
Banks, credit unions, fintech, and insurance companies face relentless attacks from cybercriminals and must meet strict regulations (GLBA, PCI DSS, FFIEC, NYDFS). Petronella’s financial services penetration testing includes:
- Simulated fraud and wire transfer attacks
- ATM and POS system exploitation attempts
- Advanced persistent threat simulation (APT)
- Social engineering and employee awareness tests
- Detailed compliance documentation for auditors
We help you maintain customer trust, protect funds and data, and pass regulatory exams with confidence.
Penetration Testing for Healthcare & HIPAA Compliance
Healthcare providers, hospitals, and vendors must secure patient data under HIPAA, HITECH, and increasingly, state privacy laws. Our healthcare-focused pen tests cover:
- Network and EMR/EHR security
- Medical device and IoT vulnerabilities
- Cloud PHI storage and transmission security
- Phishing simulations for HIPAA training
- Risk analysis and remediation support
A thorough penetration test not only supports compliance, but also safeguards patient care and prevents costly data breaches.
Penetration Testing for SaaS & Technology Companies
SaaS vendors, software firms, and cloud providers face high-value, high-volume attacks—especially via APIs and multi-tenant platforms. We offer:
- Web, mobile, and API pen testing (OWASP Top 10, business logic flaws, SSO/billing security)
- Cloud infrastructure reviews (AWS, Azure, GCP, containers, serverless)
- Secure DevOps/CI/CD pipeline assessments
- SOC 2, ISO 27001, and client due diligence support
Prove security maturity to enterprise customers, investors, and regulators.
Penetration Testing for Law Firms, Retail, and More
Every business that handles sensitive data—from law offices and retailers to manufacturers and logistics firms—benefits from tailored penetration testing. We customize our process to your unique risks and compliance needs.
Beyond the Penetration Test: Continuous Cybersecurity Improvement
Cyber threats constantly evolve. That’s why Petronella offers ongoing partnerships:
- Continuous Vulnerability Management & Patch Validation
- Security Awareness Training
- Incident Response & Digital Forensics
- Policy & Compliance Program Development
Protect your business year-round and turn security from a checkbox into a competitive advantage.
Sample Client Testimonial
| “I would recommend Petronella Technology Group to any client looking for help with IT Security. I have worked with Craig on EMR implementations in Durham, NC. He is extremely professional and very knowledgeable with the current technologies.” |
Jaimin Anandjiwala eClinicalWorks EMR, Durham, NC |
About Our Founder: Craig Petronella
Craig Petronella is an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author, cybersecurity expert, and trusted advisor featured on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and NewsObserver.com. With over 23 years’ experience supporting Microsoft, Apple, Linux, Unix, and small business systems, Craig leads a team of certified professionals dedicated to making your business “as unhackable as possible.”
Craig has contributed to national publications and built his reputation on delivering actionable results—not just advice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Penetration Testing
- How often should we conduct a penetration test?
- Best practice is annually, or after major changes to your systems or applications. Regulated industries may require more frequent tests (e.g., PCI DSS, CMMC).
- Will a penetration test disrupt our operations?
- Testing is designed to minimize business impact. We coordinate with your team and schedule activities for low-risk periods. Any potentially disruptive steps are fully authorized and communicated in advance.
- Is penetration testing required for compliance?
- Yes—many standards (PCI DSS, GLBA, NYDFS, CMMC, etc.) require regular pen testing. Even when not explicitly mandated (e.g., HIPAA, SOC 2), it’s considered industry best practice.
- What happens after the test?
- You receive a detailed report with business and technical recommendations. We provide a remediation roadmap and can retest to confirm all fixes.
