When it comes to cyber security, most businesses know they should be doing penetration testing.
Penetration tests help businesses to stay compliant with industry and governmental regulations and, of course, reduce the risk of suffering a data breach.
Sadly, what starts as a sensible step often turns into a cycle of wasted money and false confidence.
The Pentest Trap
In this article, we’re going to explore what the Pentest Trap is, why it’s a problem, and how you can avoid falling into it.
What is the Pentest Trap?
It’s a simple concept: a business buys a pentest (often because they’ve been told they need one for compliance), but they’re not entirely sure what kind of test they actually need.
So, they go with whatever’s offered, which is usually scoped by a sales person, not a technical expert, and they end up with a generic, tick-the-box pentest.
That test is then repeated every year, without changing scope, without looking deeper, and without adapting to how the business or its risks have evolved.
Why is this Bad Practice?
The first test is usually very helpful. It’ll catch some obvious issues, giving you a solid starting point for your long-term cyber security. But after that, you’re more often than not, paying to be told the same thing, year after year. That’s the trap.
In penetration testing, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all test. Yet many companies, especially SMEs, are sold a basic external infrastructure test, and think that’s enough.
The reality? These tests rarely scratch the surface, and while they might look good in a report, they don’t tell you much about where you’re really exposed.
There’s a Smarter Way to Pentest
Good security testing isn’t about buying the same thing on repeat, it’s about building a runway.
A clear, evolving plan where each round of testing looks at something new.
Some years, that might mean looking at your web apps, while other times, it might mean testing your network security, or how secure your internal systems really are.
By mixing it up and being intentional, you’ll get far more value from the same budget, and much better assurance that you’re actually protected, not just paperwork-protected.
The Bottom Line
The Pentest Trap is easy to fall into, but even easier to avoid if you stop treating pentesting like a tick-box exercise and start treating it like a strategy.
If you want to carry out meaningful penetration testing, get in touch with us today, or come and talk to us at DTX Manchester 2025, we can be found at Stand C110.