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Penetration Testing Services to Uncover Hidden Cybersecurity Risks

Simulate real-world cyberattacks, identify critical vulnerabilities, and strengthen your cybersecurity defenses with SecurityAssurance Penetration Testing Services—trusted by SMBs across Maryland and beyond. 

What Is Penetration Testing and Why It Matters

Cyber threats are evolving rapidly. Many small and mid-sized businesses mistakenly believe they are too small to be targeted, but attackers often view SMBs as low-hanging fruit due to limited security resources. Penetration testing helps close that gap by identifying and validating vulnerabilities before they are exploited. SecurityAssurance by Balancelogic delivers comprehensive, standards-based penetration testing services tailored for SMBs. Our expert team helps you identify exploitable weaknesses, meet compliance requirements, and reduce your organization’s cyber risk with actionable insights and remediation guidance.

Penetration testing, or “pen testing,” is a method of simulating real-world cyberattacks to evaluate the security of your IT systems. Unlike automated scans, penetration testing is conducted by skilled ethical hackers who mimic the tactics of cybercriminals to uncover, exploit, and document vulnerabilities—before they can be used against you. Penetration testing is often a compliance requirement, a board-level cybersecurity initiative, or a risk management tool used to demonstrate due diligence and improve security posture.

Key Business Drivers for Penetration Testing

Driver Impact on Your Business
Regulatory Compliance
Required by standards such as CMMC, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and SOC 2
Risk Reduction
Prevents costly breaches and reputational damage
Client Trust
Demonstrates a commitment to protecting sensitive data
IT Governance
Supports cybersecurity strategy and board-level reporting
Cyber Insurance Requirements
Helps meet prerequisites for cybersecurity insurance or lower premiums

Penetration testing isn’t just a security exercise—it is a proactive risk management strategy that provides technical validation, improves compliance posture, and supports operational resilience.

Types of Penetration Testing Services We Offer

We offer a broad range of testing services, each tailored to assess different components of your digital infrastructure. These services are scoped to meet your business objectives, compliance requirements, and operational environment.

Our range of testing options allows us to simulate realistic threat scenarios across your full IT stack—from endpoints and infrastructure to user behavior and cloud workloads.

Testing Type Scope and Objective
External Network Testing
Evaluates internet-facing systems and devices to identify vulnerabilities exposed to the public internet.
Internal Network Testing
Simulates an attacker inside the network to uncover risks such as lateral movement and privilege escalation.
Web Application Testing
Assesses custom or third-party applications for flaws like XSS, SQL injection, and broken authentication.
Wireless Network Testing
Examines Wi-Fi access points, encryption, and rogue device detection to prevent unauthorized wireless access.
Cloud Penetration Testing
Identifies misconfigurations, weak permissions, and excessive access in environments like AWS, Azure, and GCP.
Social Engineering Testing
Tests employee susceptibility to phishing, vishing, or USB drops to uncover human factor vulnerabilities.

Our Penetration Testing Methodology

SecurityAssurance follows a structured, industry-recognized methodology that ensures consistency, quality, and actionable outcomes. Our testing approach aligns with the NIST SP 800-115, OWASP Testing Guide, and PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard).

Our methodology ensures that every engagement delivers real-world insight—not just raw data. The final report connects the technical findings to your business risks and provides a roadmap for fixing them.

Phase Description
1. Planning & Scoping
Define the assets, systems, timelines, and goals of the penetration test.
2. Reconnaissance
Gather intelligence using passive and active techniques.
3. Vulnerability Analysis
Identify exploitable weaknesses using automated tools and manual inspection.
4. Exploitation
Attempt to safely exploit identified vulnerabilities to validate impact.
5. Post-Exploitation
Simulate lateral movement, privilege escalation, and data extraction.
6. Reporting
Deliver a detailed report with findings, business impact, and remediation steps.
7. Remediation Support
Offer guidance and optional retesting to ensure vulnerabilities are fixed.

Each phase builds upon the last to provide a comprehensive evaluation of your organization’s security posture. The process is designed to minimize business disruption while providing actionable insights that empower IT teams to remediate vulnerabilities quickly and effectively.

Regulatory and Compliance Alignment

Many regulatory frameworks and industry standards require regular penetration testing as part of an organization’s cybersecurity program. SecurityAssurance helps you meet those mandates with testing tailored to your compliance obligations.

Organizations seeking to pass audits, gain certification, or maintain eligibility for government contracts will find that penetration testing is often a critical—and required—control.

Framework / Regulation Pen Test Role
CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
Required for Level 2/3 certification for DoD contractors.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
Recommended for covered entities to validate technical safeguards.
PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)
Required annually for entities that process cardholder data.
SOC 2 (Service Organization Control Reports)
Supports Trust Services Criteria for Security and Availability.
ISO 27001
Demonstrates implementation of Annex A control A.12.6.1 (Technical Vulnerability Management).

Deliverables You Can Act On

SecurityAssurance delivers reports that provide value to technical teams and executive stakeholders alike. Every engagement includes a collaborative debrief session to help you understand the results and next steps.

Our reports are designed to bridge the gap between IT operations and executive leadership—providing both a tactical and strategic roadmap to improving security.

Core Components of Our Reports

Report Element Purpose and Benefit
Executive Summary
Explains overall findings and risk in business terms
Vulnerability Detail Section
Includes technical descriptions, screenshots, and CVSS risk ratings
Exploit Evidence
Demonstrates proof-of-concept to validate real-world impact
Remediation Guidance
Provides steps to fix each vulnerability, prioritized by risk level
Compliance Mapping (Optional)
Shows how results align with compliance control requirements

Why Choose SecurityAssurance for Penetration Testing

SecurityAssurance was built to help small and mid-sized organizations defend against modern cyber threats—without the overhead and complexity of large enterprise consultancies.

By emphasizing real credentials, right-sized engagements, and post-test support, we build confidence with stakeholders seeking a practical and trustworthy pen testing partner.

What Sets Us Apart

Value Proposition What It Means for You
Certified Ethical Hackers)
Our team includes OSCP, CISSP, and CEH-certified professionals with real-world expertise.
SMB-Focused Approach
Testing engagements are sized and priced appropriately for small and growing businesses.
Hands-On Remediation Help
We don’t just deliver reports—we help you interpret findings and apply fixes.
Local and U.S.-Based Team
No offshoring. All work is performed by vetted, U.S.-based professionals.
Experience Across Industries
We’ve supported clients in healthcare, manufacturing, legal, financial, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a typical penetration test take?

Depending on scope, most engagements take between 3–10 business days to complete, with reports delivered within one week after testing concludes.

Our tests are non-destructive and performed under carefully controlled conditions. We coordinate testing windows to avoid business disruption.

Yes. Each finding includes prioritized recommendations, and our team is available for follow-up sessions to clarify remediation steps.

Most compliance standards recommend annual testing, though organizations with high change velocity may test quarterly or biannually.

Get Started Today

Cyber threats evolve daily—and your security strategy should too. Schedule a penetration test today to uncover hidden vulnerabilities and take the next step in protecting your business.