Penetration Testing was in the spotlight in September 2024 when eComX, a major e-commerce platform, got hit with a massive data breach. The REvil ransomware group got into eComX’s systems and exfiltrated data over several months. 110 million customer accounts were exposed including names, addresses, payment card info and purchase history. The prolonged undetected access showed major gaps in their security.
This is a harsh reality: cyber attacks are no longer just for big corporations. Startups and mid-sized tech companies with limited budgets are being targeted more and more. Attackers exploit the overlooked vulnerabilities – an outdated plugin, a misconfigured cloud storage, an unmonitored API endpoint.
In the rush to innovate and deploy, security becomes an afterthought. But as the eComX breach shows, the cost of not doing thorough security assessments is high. Regular penetration testing is not just a compliance checkbox, it’s a proactive way to find and fix vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
What is Penetration Testing?
Penetration testing, also known as ethical hacking, is a controlled test where cyber security experts simulate real-world attacks on your systems. The goal is to find out where your systems are weak and how attackers get in.
Rather than relying on automated scans, penetration testing uses manual techniques that mirror the tactics of real attackers. This is far more effective when you have complex or custom-built systems.
A Must for Every Tech Business
If you’re building technology, storing user data or operating in a digital space, you need to test your defences regularly. CREST accredited penetration testing means you can be sure the assessment meets industry standards and is performed by qualified professionals.
It’s not just about meeting regulations or ticking a box. It’s about protecting the systems that run your business. Testing can uncover hidden issues in your code, your network or even employee behaviour that could let an attacker in.
Prevention is Always Cheaper Than Recovery
Many companies only find out their weaknesses after they’ve been breached. By then it’s too late. The cost of downtime, legal action and reputation damage far outweighs the cost of testing.
By finding and fixing vulnerabilities early, penetration testing helps you avoid financial loss and brand damage. It also gives your customers confidence their data is in safe hands which is key in any tech business.
Including comprehensive vulnerability assessments in your security plan is key to protecting customer trust and your digital infrastructure.
Staying Compliant with Industry Standards
GDPR fines were over €1.78 billion in 2023. That’s not just a headline—it’s a warning. For tech companies handling customer data, being out of compliance can cost you more than money. It can put your brand, your partnerships and your future deals at risk.
Penetration testing fills that compliance gap. Whether it’s GDPR in Europe, HIPAA in the US or SOC 2 for your B2B clients, regular testing shows due diligence. It’s like financial auditing but for your network. You’re not just showing your systems are secure—you’re showing you care about staying that way.
Regulators look for accountability. Clients look for confidence. Pen testing provides both. And it gives you documentation your legal team can actually use. That audit trail? It could be the difference between passing a compliance review—or being blacklisted from enterprise deals.
How Often Should You Test?
Security doesn’t expire, but the threats do mutate. What kept you safe a year ago might not work today. New frameworks. New dependencies. New attack surfaces. If your code is changing, your defenses need to change with it.
At a minimum, most companies should test once a year. But let’s be real: that’s a baseline, not a best practice. If you’re pushing weekly or monthly updates, adding new third-party services, or changing your cloud architecture—you need testing that matches that pace.
More testing, especially after big system changes, helps you stay ahead. The cost of over-testing is marginal. The cost of being caught off guard? Much, much worse. Proactive testing isn’t overkill—it’s risk management. Continuous security testing helps you adjust before the attackers adjust.
Don’t Wait for a Wake-Up Call
By the time you notice the breach, the damage is already done. That’s not fear-mongering. That’s pattern recognition. Most intrusions aren’t discovered until weeks—or even months—after they happen. And by then? The logs are buried. The clues are faint. The fix comes late.
Tech companies that delay testing are playing roulette with production systems. That one marketing site running outdated plugins? That’s the entry point. That contractor account you forgot to disable? That’s the pivot. Penetration testing exposes these paths before someone else finds them.
Don’t wait for ransomware to teach you what a missing patch can cost. Don’t wait until a client asks about your security to start caring. You’re better off investing in prevention than in damage control.
Penetration testing isn’t just protection. It’s your reputation insurance. Your trust strategy. Your early warning system. And in a space where reputation is currency, that makes all the difference.
