Penetration testing remains the cornerstone of preventative, compliant, cost-effective cybersecurity…but not all penetration testing providers are created equal.

The best of the best know how to find more issues buried in complex technical ecosystems, rank them accurately according to their real-world risk, and outline actionable plans to resolve the problems effectively. Everyone else offers something less, raising serious doubts about whether applications and infrastructure are secure and compliant or filled with hidden holes waiting to be found by hackers, regulators, or malicious insiders.

This checklist helps you identify the best penetration testing providers from the rest using evaluation criteria like:

• Whether testing methods follow best practices and sound methodology.
• If the vendor has a baseline of “must-have” credentials and skills.  
• Whether adequate security measures are taken during testing.
• What attestations and recommendations the vendor can provide.
• If the costs are competitive relative to the scope and goal of the testing.
• Any red flags to be on guard for.

If your organization needs a penetration testing provider, use this checklist to compare service offerings, see past the sales pitch, and get the greatest ROI possible.