When it comes to cybersecurity, pen tests are definitely one of the cooler kids on the block. However, you need the correct documentation and critical reports. If the proof is in the pudding, then pen tests are pretty sweet, but the final report is the dessert you’re looking for.
Join us as we dive into penetration testing reports, their importance, and what they should include to best support the evaluation and the organization’s remediation efforts.
Here’s what you need to know.
TL;DR
- Penetration testing reports are essential for identifying vulnerabilities and improving your security posture, especially for compliance with frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and GDPR.
- A great pen test report outlines critical vulnerabilities, their impact, and provides actionable remediation steps for your team.
- Customizing your pen test report to align with compliance frameworks proves your security and helps prevent costly breaches.
What’s a pen test again?
If you missed our blog on how penetration testing can help in SOC 2 compliance or achieving PCI DSS compliance through penetration testing – no stress.
Perhaps you’re working on getting (and staying) ISO 27001, HIPAA, or GDPR compliant, or you’d like to bolster your security posture and gauge whether or not you’ve missed any vulnerabilities, threats, or weaknesses within your system. Either way, we’re here to give you the low-down.
Penetration testing, also known as pen tests or “ethical hacking,” tells the bad guys where to stick it by using their own tactics against them. You’re moving your team from defense to offense and going through the ultimate security drill to gauge whether your controls have what it takes. A pen test highlights your organization’s weaknesses before a cybercriminal can use them against you. Even more so, it helps you understand which areas outside threats could easily be exploited by executing a simulated attack using the same tools, tactics, and procedures that a cybercriminal would use.
The result will highlight vulnerabilities and their impact on your systems, network, or even your entire organization if (or rather, when) compromised.
What is a penetration testing report?
Now that we’ve covered what pen testing is, let’s dive into the real magic — the penetration testing report.
Ultimately, a pen test report is a detailed list of information that relays all the findings discovered while conducting the pen test and what that means for an organization’s compliance or overall security posture. A penetration testing report is also the only tangible proof that a pen test was conducted and the overall result. A pen test aims to identify vulnerabilities and security concerns that organizations can remediate. The report is how these vulnerabilities are communicated to the organization. Easy enough?
Due to the importance of turning the findings in the report into proactive solutions and controls, most good penetration reports follow a systematic approach.
In the report, the finding:
- Hones in on specific weak spots and risks the pen tester identified during the test.
- Segments individual issues to ensure each vulnerability gets the attention it needs.
- Elaborates on each issue with relevant technical information to help security and development teams understand the problem, its impact, and the root cause.
- Includes recommended mitigation strategies for each vulnerability, offering clear steps to address the issues found.
Here’s what you need to know – grab your pen(test)!
An effective penetration testing report
First, let’s look at the goal: The report outlines the problems and how to solve them. Your organization has just undergone the mother of all security drills – but you don’t do drills simply because you need the practice (although practice doesn’t hurt).
So, before creating your pen test report, revisit your pen test strategy and purpose as a reference guide:
- Highlight the specific aims your organization had for the pen test
- Understand the plausible impacts of a data breach
- Understand the testing process and organizational inputs
After you’ve documented and pinpointed the actual pen test’s overall purpose, process, and impact, you can proceed with your actual pen test with your chosen pen tester.
What should a pen test report include?
1. Executive summary
Each pentest report should include an executive summary. The purpose of the summary is to provide non-technical readers with an overview and high-level view of the overall findings, vulnerabilities, and their impact. Ultimately, leadership should be able to understand the practical importance and implications of the pentest and the critical security concerns it exposes and addresses without having to keep a search tab open to understand and decipher the language used. Therefore, this summary should touch on all the most essential elements relevant to the vulnerability, risks, and business impact without deep diving into the technical details.
2. Security issues
After the risk exposure for the tested assets are outlined, the official assessment takes place and any security issues are identified.
The pen tester will then score the vulnerabilities in the context of likelihood and impact. During this phase is when the exploitation difficulty level can be addressed, helping organizations gauge whether or not they were an easy target or if their security systems put up a good fight. Ideally, you’d like to hear that your security controls gave the ethical hacker a good run for their money.
3. Remediating the findings
It’s all fine and well highlighting an organization’s vulnerabilities and risks. Still, without remediating the findings, it won’t mean much. Therefore, the pen test report should usually include the raw results and general recommendations to remediate the relevant findings, such as performing an annual pen test, educating your developer team on security risks and adopting the SSDL (Secure Software Development Lifecycle) methodology.
How to understand your penetration testing report and strengthen security
Pen test reports can feel intimidating at first, especially if you’re not deep in the cyber weeds. But don’t worry. Whether you’re prepping for a SOC 2 audit, answering a due diligence questionnaire, or simply want to sleep better at night knowing your web app isn’t a sitting duck, this is for you.
A penetration testing report (or pentest report) is your security reality check. It’s not just a list of vulnerabilities. It’s your roadmap to fixing the most critical gaps in your defenses, especially when it comes to web application penetration testing or cyber security penetration testing for APIs, login portals, or databases.
Here’s a penetration testing report example that highlights what you’ll typically find:
| Section | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Executive Summary | A quick overview for the execs. What’s broken, how bad, and what it means for the business. |
| Methodology | Details on the tools and techniques used (black-box, white-box, gray-box, etc.) |
| Vulnerability Details | In-depth explanations of each issue with severity, risk ratings, and potential consequences. |
| Screenshots/Proof | Visual evidence of exploited vulnerabilities — proof that makes the findings tangible. |
| Recommendations | Actionable steps to remediate vulnerabilities, providing your devs with clear next steps. |
👉 Pro Tip: If you’re creating your own penetration testing report template, always align it with your compliance goals (SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, etc.). That way, you don’t just look secure. You prove it.
The best reports are those that are clear, actionable, and tailored to your audience. Your CEO needs to know the business impact, not technical jargon. Your dev team needs clear, detailed guidance to fix vulnerabilities. A great pen test report strikes a balance between both.
So, next time you receive a pen test report, don’t just file it away. Use it to guide your next steps, learn from it, and strengthen your security posture. Think of it as your security GPS — it only works if you actually follow the route.
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FAQs
What are penetration testing reports?
A penetration testing report is a detailed document that outlines the findings of a security test, highlighting vulnerabilities in your systems and offering recommendations to fix them. It’s essential for proving security posture and compliance.
What makes a good pentest report?
A great pentest report is clear, actionable, and audience-specific. It balances technical detail with business impact, includes proof of exploitation, and offers specific recommendations to remediate each issue.
What are the key components to include in a penetration testing report?
Key elements include: executive summary, testing methodology, detailed vulnerabilities, screenshots or evidence, risk ratings, and remediation advice. Ideally, it should also align with your compliance framework.
