Organizations conduct penetration tests for a crucial reason: to identify vulnerabilities before malicious attackers do. This proactive approach puts your security systems to the test, simulating real-world cyber attacks to see if your security framework can withstand a breach. 

For small businesses, this is especially vital, as they are frequent targets of threat actors. In fact, over 87% of all critical and dangerous penetration test findings are discovered in businesses with fewer than 200 employees.

But jumping into a penetration test without a clear understanding can waste valuable resources or leave critical risks unaddressed. 

This blog post will cover everything you need to know about the penetration testing scope, including what it entails, how to define it effectively, and how a well-defined scope maximizes your return on investment while protecting your business.

What Is Included in a Penetration Testing Scope?

The scope of a penetration test defines the specific systems, networks, applications, and components that will be included in the security assessment, along with the boundaries and rules of engagement. 

It’s one of the first and most critical phases of any pentest engagement. Without a clearly defined scope, tests may miss key risks, waste resources on irrelevant systems, or even inadvertently disrupt your operations.

Defining your penetration testing scope is important for several reasons: 

• It helps align the test with your business goals 
• It ensures the assessment covers your risk tolerance 
• And it helps meet compliance requirements 

By meticulously building out this scope, you can determine the most suitable type of pentest for your objectives, as well as project the associated costs and timeline of the engagement.

Types of Penetration Testing Scope

When defining your penetration testing scope, it's helpful to understand the different approaches:

Black Box Testing 

Simulates an attack from someone with no prior knowledge of your systems.

White Box Testing

The ethical hackers have full knowledge of your systems, including source code, network diagrams, and credentials.

Gray Box Testing

A hybrid approach where the testers have some limited knowledge of the internal systems.

What Is Out of Scope in Penetration Testing?

Just as important as defining what’s in scope is clarifying what remains Out Of Scope (OOS). While this differs for each engagement, examples of items often excluded might include:

• Third-party-managed subdomains
• Particular subdomains used exclusively by customers
• Applications that are critical for live production environments

Clearly defining these OOS items helps prevent specific areas or assets from being included in testing, thereby avoiding operational disruption or downtime. This is crucial for maintaining business continuity while still getting a robust security assessment.

Common Pitfalls in Defining Scope (or Key Considerations When Defining Your Penetration Test Scope)

When defining your penetration testing scope, there are several crucial factors to keep in mind to avoid common pitfalls. The most frequent issues include a scope that is either too broad or too narrow, unclear objectives, or a failure to account for third-party risks.

To maximize the effectiveness of your cybersecurity penetration testing, ensure you keep the following top of mind:

• Your Goals: Penetration tests are an investment in improving your systems. Ensure that the areas you are testing ultimately support your short-term and long-term company goals. This alignment helps maximize your return on investment.
• Your Budget: Your budget will help determine what areas of your systems can and should be tested. A realistic budget ensures comprehensive coverage without unnecessary financial strain.
• Your Environment: It’s critical to have a thorough understanding of your systems’ frameworks and to define precisely what is and isn’t part of the penetration test engagement. This clarity allows ethical hackers and penetration testing service providers to know exactly where they should be testing.

The Risks of Not Defining Scope Properly

Failing to define your penetration testing scope properly can lead to significant risks for your organization, for example:

Inadequate Testing 

By not clearly defining your scope, you run the risk of conducting a pentest that doesn’t adequately address the areas of your framework that genuinely need to be tested. 

This could mean parts of your network are left untested, posing potential security risks that could be exploited by an online hacker. If a penetration test is inadequate or under-budgeted, your company may become incapable of properly defending itself from a real attack, wasting time and resources that could have been used more effectively. 

Lack of Proper Budgeting

Conversely, an overly broad scope can lead to budget constraints. Annual penetration tests often don't take place due to budgeting issues or concerns. In fact, one-third of businesses claim cost as the reason they don't run the tests more frequently. 

You deserve the best penetration testing services that don’t cost more than you’re capable of spending. Make sure your company isn’t  overspending as a result of a poorly estimated scope. 

Benefits of Accurately Defining Your Penetration Testing Scope

Defining the scope of a penetration test accurately lays down the groundwork for pentesters to begin their work. By taking the time to properly set these parameters, you can expect to:

• Maximize your return on investment (ROI).
• Reduce the risk of either overspending or underspending, and prevent inadequate coverage of your security framework.
• Mitigate security threats by receiving proper testing and identifying more weaknesses in your network so you can remediate accordingly.
  
  

Choosing the Right Penetration Testing Service

Scoping a pentest effectively demands that you work with the right penetration testing provider, a team who has the experience and your best interest in mind.

At Mitnick Security, not only do we have The Global Ghost Team™ — our elite team composed of some of the world’s finest and most experienced cybersecurity consultants — we also work with you every step of the way during a penetration test to ensure you receive practical recommendations to improve your security posture.

Take our Pentesting Readiness Assessment to uncover the approach that fits your environment.