How Does a Network Pentest Work?
See our step-by-step methodology for testing external, internal and wirless networks, from recon to retest.
Network Penetration Testing
Imagine a network designed to withstand attackers, not assumptions. Expert-led testing, supported by the Darwin platform, uncovers paths to privilege, lateral movement, and impact.
HOW WE TEST YOUR NETWORK
Manual, expert-led network security testing - backed by continuous penetration testing - uncovering lateral-movement paths, misconfigurations, and exploitable hosts before attackers find them.
External Penetration Testing
Test internet-facing systems the way real attackers do, identifying exploitable weaknesses in your perimeter before they're found from outside.
Methodology:
- Identify exposed assets, services, and attack surfaces
- Test perimeter defenses, firewalls, VPNs, and edge controls
- Assess web services, APIs, and network entry points
- Simulate real-world external attacker techniques
- Deliver prioritized remediation based on exploitability and impact
Internal Penetration Testing
Identify what happens after initial access - lateral movement, privilege escalation, and the access risks a real attacker would exploit next.
Methodology:
- Assess internal segmentation, trust relationships, and access controls
- Test credential exposure and privilege escalation paths
- Evaluate endpoint, directory, and authentication weaknesses
- Simulate insider and post-compromise attack scenarios
- Provide risk-ranked findings with actionable remediation
Wireless Penetration Testing
Uncover exploitable weaknesses, rogue access points, and unauthorized access risks across your wireless networks.
Methodology:
- Discover and analyze wireless networks, SSIDs, and access points
- Test encryption, authentication, and key management controls
- Identify rogue, evil twin, and misconfigured access points
- Assess client device security and wireless segmentation
- Deliver prioritized remediation aligned to industry best practices
Advanced Testing (Assumed Breach)
Simulate post-breach scenarios to test detection, response, and resilience against advanced adversary behavior.
Methodology:
- Assume initial access and execute scenario-based attack paths
- Test lateral movement, persistence, and data exfiltration techniques
- Evaluate security monitoring, alerting, and response effectiveness
- Measure time-to-detection and containment gaps
- Deliver executive-ready findings with operational improvement guidance
Our Network Testing Methodology
From external network penetration testing to internal network penetration testing, every engagement follows the same six phases across your infrastructure.
Step 01
Recon & Scoping
01
IP ranges and networks in scope
OSINT and external attack surface
Rules of engagement
Step 02
Discovery & Enumeration
02
Hosts, services and open ports
Network mapping
Wireless networks and access points
Step 03
Vulnerability Validation
03
Manual exploitation of exposed services
Credential and password attacks
Firewall, VPN and edge controls
Step 04
Lateral Movement & Privilege Escalation
04
Active Directory and identity
Segmentation and trust relationships
Privilege escalation paths
Step 05
Post-Exploitation & Impact
05
Access to sensitive data
Persistence and detection gaps
Business impact of each path
Step 06
Reporting & Remediation Validation
06
Risk-ranked findings with evidence
Prioritized fix guidance
Retest to confirm each fix
Which Service Do You Need?
Network testing overlaps with three other services. Here is how they differ, so you can choose the right one.
Network Penetration Testing
Choose this when you need to know if an attacker could get from the outside in, or from one compromised system to your most sensitive data.
Your Are Here
Attack Surface Management
Choose this when you need continuous visibility into what's exposed across your cloud accounts, before any testing begins.
Continuous Penetration Testing
Choose this when your AI features change often and need ongoing testing.
Red Team
Choose this when you want to test detection and response, whether your team catches the attack, not just whether a path exists.
Choose your model
Engagement Options
Choose the network penetration testing model that fits how often your network changes.
Continuous
Continuous Network Penetration Testing
Ongoing testing as your network changes, so new hosts, rules and access paths are tested as they appear. Learn about continuous testing →
Best for
Teams with networks that change often.
Point-in-time
Point-in-time Network Penetration Testing
A defined-scope assessment at a set point, such as an audit or a major network change.
Best for
Compliance-driven assessments, annual audits, or PCI DSS segmentation tests.
Testing Standards & Compliance
Our network security testing follows proven pentest methodologies, from scoping to the final report.
How we test
The methodologies that shape every enagement
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PTES
The Penetration Testing Execution Standard, used from scoping to reporting.
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OSSTMM
The open-source testing methodology, used to test network and operational controls.
NIST SP 800-115
NIST’s technical guide to security testing, used to plan and run assessments.
The Process
How Engagements Work
Every network penetration testing engagement follows one connected process, from planning to retest.
Scope & Rules of Engagement
We agree on the networks, IP ranges and environments in scope, test windows, and what's off-limits before testing starts.
Test the Environment
Experts test your external, internal and wireless networks by hand, supported by the Darwin platform.
Validate Attack Paths
Every finding is confirmed as exploitable, showing how an attacker could move laterally, escalate privileges and reach sensitive data.
Report & Prioritize
A clear report with proof for each finding, ranked by real-world impact and business risk.
Retest
After your team fixes an issue, we test again to confirm it's closed.
WHAT YOU GET
Results You Can Act On
Every engagement ends with more than a list of vulnerabilities. Here's exactly what lands in your hands when testing wraps.
Risk-ranked findings
Ordered by real-world exploitability and business impact, not just CVSS score
Exploit evidence, not a CVE list
Proof-of-concept steps showing how each finding was actually exploited
Prioritized remediation guidance
Clear next steps for your IT and security team, ordered by what to fix first
A retest to confirm the fix
We verify each issue is actually closed, not just marked resolved
Why Evolve Security?
01
CTEM Maturity Model
Evaluate CTEM maturity and strengthen resilience by assessing readiness against evolving adversary techniques and attack vectors.
02
CPT Market Leader
Offensive SOC and engineering experts drive measurable outcomes, guiding every phase from exposure discovery to remediation.
03
Award Winning Platform
Darwin Attack platform validates security controls and precisely pinpoints prioritized vulnerabilities across dynamic environments.
04
OffSec Operations Center (OSOC)
Agile bullpen of offensive testers rapidly adapts tactics, mirroring adversaries as threats and business priorities shift.
05
Trusted Methodologies
Industry-trusted methodologies including OWASP, OSSTMM, PTES, and NIST ensure disciplined, comprehensive penetration testing rigor.
06
Customized Simulations
Tailored simulations reflect an industry’s distinct threats, adversary behaviors, and mission-critical attack scenarios.
FAQ’s
Do you test internal, external, and wireless networks in one engagement?
Yes. Our network penetration testing services cover external, internal and wireless testing, plus assumed-breach scenarios, in one engagement, with one report and one point of contact.
What's the difference between a vulnerability scan and a network penetration test?
A vulnerability scan checks your network against known issues, but it can't confirm whether a flaw is exploitable. Network security testing by a tester goes further: it exploits what's found and confirms the real-world impact, like lateral movement or privilege escalation.
What's the difference between external and internal network penetration testing?
External network penetration testing looks at your network from the internet, the way an outside attacker would. Internal network penetration testing starts inside your network and shows how far an attacker could get after initial access.
Do you test for lateral movement and privilege escalation, not just perimeter access?
Yes. Internal testing checks what happens after initial access, including lateral movement, privilege escalation and how far an attacker could realistically get.
Do you offer wireless penetration testing?
Yes. Wireless penetration testing covers your Wi-Fi networks, access points, encryption and authentication, including rogue and misconfigured access points.
Can you test our network without disrupting production?
Yes. Every engagement is scoped in advance. We agree on test windows, exclusions and safeguards with your team, so testing runs on your terms.
What do we receive when testing is complete, and is retesting included?
A risk-ranked findings report with exploit evidence, prioritized remediation guidance, and a retest to confirm each fix closes the gap.
Is network penetration testing a one-time engagement or ongoing?
Both are available: a single point-in-time engagement, or continuous testing that follows how often your network changes.
Continuous Testing Resources
Case studies, threat intel, and insights on what continuous, human-led testing looks like in practice.
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